On Special Education, Spurned Teacher Is Vindicated
Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times
Harris Lirtzman, who was a deputy New York State comptroller before turning to public school teaching at age 53, lost his job after warning his principal that their school in the Bronx was violating the rights of special education students.
By MICHAEL POWELL
Published: July 6, 2012
Perhaps it pays to heed Harris Lirtzman.
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A passionate fellow, this teacher warned his principal last fall that their Bronx public high school was routinely violating the rights of the most vulnerable children, those in need of special education.
For speaking up, Mr. Lirtzman — who served as a deputy New York State comptroller before turning at age 53 to public-school teaching — saw his career ground to dust. He was denied tenure, and the principal, Grismaldy Laboy-Wilson, asked him to leave immediately. When he took his worries to the investigative arm of New York City’sEducation Department, the investigators opened a file on him instead.
I wrote of Mr. Lirtzman’s struggle in May. His vindication arrived in the mail in June.