ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP - It is likely J. Paul Mueller will never forget his last Elizabeth Forward School Board meeting as the district's superintendent.
The school board and the district's teachers' union provided Mueller with kudos and gifts. Mueller also received a cake to commemorate his retirement after 16 years with the district.
However, those sweet moments quickly turned sour as Mueller was hit with a claim that one parent is suing him.
Other parents in attendance quickly joined the cascade of criticism and Mueller - along with the school board - walked out of the meeting.
After Mueller received the gifts, which included a model of a sailboat in honor of his love of the sea, Mueller faced the wrath of Myra Brown, who attended the meeting with her daughter, Atasia Spalla, an EF freshman.
Brown accused the district - and particularly Mueller - of abusing her daughter. She demanded a response from Mueller and then said she planned to sue him.
The meeting was then briefly recessed as police were called to the administration building.
"My daughter is the victim of student abuse," Brown said as her daughter openly wept. "My child is handicapped and the district took her aide away from her."
Speaking to the media representatives in the hallway, Brown said that what happened to her daughter in the district, was horrifying.
"She will be scarred the rest of her life," Brown said.
Brown said district officials made an example of her daughter because the youth complained. She did not discuss specific incidents, but said she has documentation to back up her charges.
Brown said she came to the meeting in light of the incident involving William Penn Elementary Principal Marlene Whitby, who is accused of employing improper disciplinary tactics on a third grade student. Whitby's resignation was accepted by the school board later in the meeting.
"I'm suing them," Brown said of Mueller and the school district. "This is going to be the biggest lawsuit this district ever saw. I have proof of everything and it's going to come out."
Brown said she has previously addressed her concerns with district officials. However, she claimed Mueller refused to speak to her, adding the school board would not intervene.
"My daughter went through abuse for three years and it was covered up. They are politically allowed to do what they did to my child," she said. "Mr. Mueller would never see me. I wanted to meet him tonight, but he ran out."
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mueller tersely said, "I'm not answering any questions. I'm done here."
