Teacher Investigated After Pupil's Medical Records Shown in Class

A seventh-grade student and her mother want to know how a sensitive behavior assessment was shown on an overhead screen in class

A Manhattan middle school teacher is under investigation and accused of putting a seventh-grade student's medical information on a projector screen for her class to see, the NBC 4 New York I-Team has learned.
 
“My classmates… they said look up on the board,” said the 12-year-old student. "Your name is on the board."
 
“The kids in the school are gossiping and talking about her,” said Chanel Clark, mother of the student who attends the Technology Arts and Sciences Studio School on First Avenue in the East Village.
 
Her daughter is in a psychological treatment program at Beth Israel after Chanel Clark said she displayed some combative, defiant behavior in school, including emotional outbursts and disrupting classes.
 
As part of the treatment program, several of the student's teachers were asked to fill out confidential behavior assessment forms.
 
“Beth Israel wanted to track her behavior in class,” said Clark. “The teachers would rate her behavior on a numeric scale.”
 
In an email to Clark, science teacher Benjamin Lewin admitted the records were shown on an overhead projector, but insisted it was unintentional.
 
“I apologize about the sheet being on the projector,” wrote Lewin, “…and it will not happen again.”
 
The student and her mother, with their attorney Frank Cassisi, said they believe the records did not appear on the projector by accident.
 
“How do you put a confidential form on an overhead projector during class time,” said Clark. “Fill it out when you’re supposed to be teaching and say it’s not intentional. You had to know what you were doing.”
 
Calls and e-mails to Lewin and school principal George Morgan were not immediately returned. 
 
“I think it’s bullying. It’s intimidation. It’s outrageous,” said Clark. “I don’t care how disruptive a child is, in class you don’t humiliate. I mean, it’s disgusting.”
 

The incident was referred to the Office of Special Investigator for schools.

 
Contact Us