Former Newburgh special education teacher Richard Desiderio appeared at the Newburgh Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, July 16 to speak before the board and public. Parents and other public members became upset upon his name being called to speak by the district clerk.

At a special meeting on June 27, the Newburgh BOE voted 5-3 to terminate the employment of Desiderio. According to the resolution, the termination penalty was based upon the determination of Hearing Officer Haydee Rosario, Esq., during a state education department case.

Desiderio was identified as a whistleblower several years ago when the school district came under review for attendance record irregularities. Desiderio at one point was the head girls basketball coach at Newburgh Free Academy but was later reassigned to the Horizons-on-the-Hudson elementary school.

In September of 2023, Desiderio was suspended with pay and was brought up on 14 charges, including insubordination and neglect of duties. There were accusations of children sitting on Desiderio’s lap.

At the Tuesday night meeting, Desiderio was the first speaker signed up to speak during the public comment period on non-agenda items. Audience members booed and questioned why he was even allowed to attend the meeting in the first place.

Documents shared with the Mid Hudson Times identified Desiderio as a resident of Wappingers Falls. District policy 1230 states, “No person may speak who is not a resident, the parent of a student, or employee of the school district, unless permitted to do so by the Board President.”

Board President Christine Bello confirmed she had granted Desiderio permission to attend and speak at the meeting.

During his comments, several board members, the superintendent and members of the superintendent’s cabinet left the auditorium as he was speaking. A call to pause his time to speak followed with a ten- minute recess called by the board. Desiderio returned to the podium and made several more remarks and as his time expired, members from the public counted down the time out loud.

Desiderio later spoke on the incident. “I went there with something I had prepared to read. I didn’t get a chance to do that. There were people yelling at me,” he said. “I won’t be making statements at the next meeting. I have reached out for legal representation.”