Thursday, July 7, 2022
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Food and Recipes
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Food and Recipes
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Crime

Bethlehem Central School District denies accused driver was an employee to court, memo states otherwise

John McIntyre by John McIntyre
September 20, 2021
in Bethlehem, Crime, News, Towns
Reading Time: 2 mins read

DELMAR — The Bethlehem Central School District’s denials in response to a lawsuit filed under the Child Victims Act on Aug. 4 are called into question by an internal school district document obtained by Spotlight News.

In our original story, found here, the Bethlehem Central School District and its school board have each been named as defendants in a civil lawsuit alleging one of its bus drivers had repeated, unpermitted sexual contact with an elementary school student between 1987 and 1989.

Spotlight News did not name the bus driver in our original story even though he was named throughout the suit because the school district denied he was employed by the district, among other things, in its formal answer document filed with the State Supreme Court in Albany County on Aug. 31. 

The internal district memo document dated Sept. 4, on district letterhead and from the district superintendent, Jody Monroe, directs district department heads to preserve all documents and electronically stored information regarding a former bus driver David Harnett.

He is the driver named in the lawsuit.

“The action is on behalf of Plaintiff AL 554 Doe, regarding alleged sexual abuse of a minor student who was a student in the Clarksville Elementary School in the District from 1987 to 1989 by a former District employee/bus driver, David Harnett. Mr. Harnett was employed as a bus driver for the District from approximately 1978 to June 30, 2013,” the memo said.

Five days earlier the district, through its council, denied that Harnett was an employee of the district. They also denied owning and maintaining the school. 

Harnett is former director of Heldeberg EMS where as of Friday, Sept. 17 he remains an active member.  When presented with the information from the lawsuit, an incredulous Heldeberg EMS Chairman Alan Zuk said it wasn’t “the same David Harnett.”

People familiar with Harnett as a former bus driver for BCSD were able to positively identify him in a photo of him with other members of the ambulance squad.

The school district memo stated a pre-trial hearing scheduled earlier this week on Monday, Sept. 20.

This is an update to the original story found here.

This story was written and reported by Michael Hallisey and John McIntyre.

Tags: Bethlehem Central School Districtsexual abuse
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

Feds indict Colonie man on sex trafficking charges

Next Post

Colonie High football field named after longtime teacher and coach Mike Ambrosio (w/photo gallery)

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

The gift of life

July 6, 2022

TONIGHT: moe returns home to play Empire State Plaza

July 6, 2022

Article 78 filing states Town should have provided broader notice, residents unaware of project

July 6, 2022

Nine members of the Bethlehem Central High earned National Merit Scholarships

July 6, 2022

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Obituary: Douglas Shultz of Delmar

July 1, 2022

Longtime business man, Douglas Schulz dies unexpectedly at age 56

June 29, 2022

TONIGHT: moe returns home to play Empire State Plaza

July 6, 2022
North Colonie Superintendent Joseph Corr speaks at the Shaker High 2022 graduation ceremony. (Jim Franco / Spotlight News)

North Colonie Superintendent Joseph Corr is retiring

July 5, 2022

The gift of life

July 6, 2022

TONIGHT: moe returns home to play Empire State Plaza

July 6, 2022

Article 78 filing states Town should have provided broader notice, residents unaware of project

July 6, 2022

Nine members of the Bethlehem Central High earned National Merit Scholarships

July 6, 2022
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Opinion
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
  • Service Directory

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949