Tuesday, May 13, 2025
A former special-education teacher in the West Hempstead School District has been accused of physically and emotionally abusing students in his second-grade classroom at Cornwell Avenue Elementary School, according to an attorney for the students’ families.
The parents of one student filed a notice of claim on April 8, contending that during the 2023-24 school year, their child was locked in a dark closet, humiliated, punched and kicked by the teacher, John O’Dwyer, who no longer works in the district.
“This was kind of ongoing and pervasive behavior,” attorney Nathan Werksman, who is representing the families of six children O’Dwyer is accused of abusing. “This was a classroom environment that was predatory, and this special-education teacher was abusive to a lot of different people.”
The parents who filed the legal claim — a precursor to a civil lawsuit — are seeking a $22 million settlement from the school district. They maintained that their child endured “bullying, assault, battery, harassment, intimidation, disability discrimination, pain and tormenting” at the hands of O’Dwyer.
Werksman said that other students in O’Dwyer’s class were the targets of similar abuse.
“He would physically hurt them,” Werksman said. “He would taunt them, humiliate them, shame them. And one student, in particular, was dragged by the wrist into a dark closet by the special-education teacher, who would then hold the door closed as the child, a 7-year-old, would bang and scream and kick on the door to try and get out.”
Werksman added that the abuse included “hitting kids on the hands, hitting kids on the heads, using textbooks to hit children.” The notice of claim stated that the victim was “threatened into silence” by O’Dwyer.
“Kids who would be upset about going to school or expressed displeasure with the teacher,” Werksman added. “The parents of these kids were being told that ‘their kids’ medication is off,’ or ‘something’s going on at home that isn’t right,’ and basically gaslighting the kids and parents about these issues.”
O’Dwyer, who began teaching in West Hempstead during the 2019-2020 school year until his employment ended in 2023, could not be reached for comment. O’Dwyer received a degree in childhood education from SUNY Old Westbury and spent time teaching at Howard B. Mattlin Middle School in Plainview and P.S. 186 Dr. Irving Gladstone Elementary School in Brooklyn.
The district and other district employees were aware of the abuse, “specifically an assistant teacher who was present for much of the abuse, yet did nothing about it,” the claim states. The parents contend that the school district ignored complaints about O’Dwyer, thus putting their child and other students at risk.
They also accused the district and teachers involved of ignoring their child’s individualized education plan, or IEP, violating state and federal law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
In a written statement, district Superintendent Daniel Rehman responded, “The district is aware of these allegations and has taken all appropriate steps in reporting the claims to the necessary agencies.”
Rehman stressed that O’Dwyer has not been employed by the district since last school year.
The district sent a letter to parents on March 6, informing them that the district was investigating the accusations and had filed a report with the Nassau County Police Department.
The parents who filed the notice of claim contend that their child has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and fear, as well as physical and emotional pain due to the abuse, false imprisonment, humiliation, stress, and embarrassment the child endured in O’Dwyer’s classroom.
“If you suspect your child was abused by this teacher, come forward,” Werksman said. “The more information, the better that we can understand what happened and try to get justice for the kids who were abused.”
