Former Marlboro Elementary School Assistant Principal Dara Kaplan, along with her husband, attorney Bryan Kaplan, sat down for an interview with the Southern Ulster Times to offer her side of the story on what transpired with the school district.

Kaplan was fired after allegedly entering the office of Principal Patricia Walsh and sending anti-Semitic email to herself from Walsh’s computer. Walsh was subsequently placed on administrative leave following the incident.

Kaplan attended Hebrew Academy in West Queens, NY, graduated from Long Island University with a degree in Elementary Education and Judaic Studies and is a founding member of the Chabad Temple in Rock Hill, NY.

She was hired by the district in September 2017 and was on a tenure track, starting January 3, 2018. She said then Superintendent Michael Brooks and then Elementary School Principal Patricia Walsh observed and evaluated her twice a year, giving her “highly effective” reviews while she was with the district.

“I never had a problem, never called in for discipline and my file is filled with beautiful letters from the [school] board,” Dara Kaplan said.

Besides fulfilling her duties as Assistant Principal, Kaplan, who has a background as a literacy specialist, was in charge of helping students with reading as part of the Academic Intervention Program[AIS], assisted in the Summer Reading Academy and ran all the literacy workshops with the staff, keeping in mind the ever changing Common Core requirements. She also played a role in the Pre-K program and helped students catch up academically when they began returning to school as the pandemic waned.

Kaplan said Superintendent Brooks sent her a letter on November 22, 2021 requesting that she meet with him, adding there may be “potential discipline” involved. She came to the meeting accompanied by two union representatives.

Brooks’ own notes of this meeting show that he, High School Principal Ryan Lawler, Middle School Principal Debra Clinton and Assistant Superintendent for Business and Personnel Rosanne Mele attended the meeting. Kaplan was asked a series of pointed questions, specifically if she had ever said anything negative about Principal Walsh to 4th grade teacher Antoinette Barley. She denied that she did, adding that the two had only exchanged information/texts about a reading program that was in development. In one response, Kaplan said, “It is my practice to speak positively about Patty [Walsh]”...and in another Kaplan said, “No, I do not speak negatively about Patty to teachers.”

Events took another turn a day later, with the district alleging that at 10:45 a.m. on November 23, 2021, Kaplan went into Walsh’s office and used her computer to send the anti-Semitic email to herself.

Brooks also told Investigator Maxwell that he reached the conclusion that Kaplan had sent the email, “by reviewing video and the interviewing of personnel that were present in that vicinity and others that came forward to provide their testimony regarding this incident.” Two secretaries who work in the main office, however, said Walsh was out of her office at that time and stated they did not see Kaplan go into Walsh’s office. The video that Brooks referenced was eventually provided to Kaplan but it could not be opened.

Michael Bakatsias, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Personal, conducted numerous interviews with school employees. When he interviewed Walsh, she denied that she sent Dara the email in question, adding, “I don’t know anything about it. She [Dara] must have sent it.”

In concluding his review, Bakatsias stated there is no direct evidence that places Kaplan inside of Walsh’s office, nor that she sent the email in question: “The matter of Dara Kaplan or someone else sending the email is inconclusive.”

After a request from Kaplan on why she was terminated from her position, Brooks sent her a “Reasons Letter,” dated December 21, 2021.

Brooks wrote that on November 15, 2021 Kaplan, in a conversation with Antoinette Barley, “made disparaging comments about Principal Walsh...that included, “Patty is evil, be careful, don’t trust Patty, Patty doesn’t know curriculum and Patty is being nice because the Superintendent told her to be nice, but that’s not really her.” He went on to state that he believed Kaplan was not truthful to him at their November 22 meeting, “on the length of the conversation or the substance of the conversation,” with Barley. He claimed that Kaplan, on or about November 30, disclosed many details of the investigation to another teacher, urging them to “spread the word that the building Principal can’t be trusted and is anti-Semitic.” Brooks wrote that Kaplan further disparaged Walsh by telling yet another teacher that, “Patty cannot run an effective building” and that “Patty Walsh is the issue in this building.”

Brooks concluded that Kaplan had lost the trust and faith of the faculty in the building administration at the Marlboro Elementary School.

“While this may not be entirely your fault, it is my conclusion that a significant part of that loss of trust and faith is attributable to your leadership style,” Brooks wrote.

Bryan Kaplan said the superintendent’s letter contains nothing about Dara (allegedly) sending the email in question.

“They’re claiming she committed a crime but they didn’t terminate her for that, they’re terminating her because a teacher said she [Kaplan] gossiped about the principal,” he said.

Bryan said their request to meet with the school board, to ask what Dara did wrong, was denied. In another letter, Brooks warned Dara that she must cease and desist all contact with the district and the Board of Education. Bryan said, “that is what set me off, that this guy’s trampling on my wife’s constitutional rights, again for what? Even if you believe that she gossiped about a teacher, I’m pretty sure your speech is protected.”
At this point, Dara received a call from Investigator Maxwell saying that her alleged use of Walsh’s computer was the focus of his investigation. On February 28, 2022, Kaplan turned herself in at the State Police barracks in Highland. She was handcuffed to a bench, fingerprinted, booked and charged with a Class A misdemeanor for the Unauthorized Use of a Computer, a violation of Section 156.05 of the Penal law of the State of New York.

Recently, in the Marlborough Town Court, the case against Dara was “dismissed in the interest of Justice” by Judge Daniel Jackson. Bryan said the papers their attorney submitted to the court state that, “everything is circumstantial, there’s no direct evidence and there’s no evidence that a child or school property was harmed.” The court was also made aware that the district cannot prove who sent the anti-Semitic email.

Dara said she is looking for an apology and the district granting her tenure so that she can then resign, “just so it’s not on my record.” She said she is only looking to be paid her salary for the past year.

Dara feels, “terrible” about the entire experience, “I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. I cry all the time. I had a wonderful reputation, even in Marlboro, everybody loved me. I had absolutely no reason to do this and no reason to be involved in anything like this; I’ve never had my name with anything other than what a wonderful literacy teacher. I worked so hard to get to where I was. We had three young kids and I did my administrative degree at night. I love what I do, but I wake up every morning with no purpose because I’m stuck in this nonsense.”

Former Superintendent Michael Brooks, contacted by the Southern Ulster Times, declined to comment for this story, referring questions to the school district.
Walsh and current Superintendent Michael Rydell also declined to comment.

Brooks’ own notes of this meeting show that he, High School Principal Ryan Lawler, Middle School Principal Debra Clinton and Asst. Superintendent for Business and Personnel Rosanne Mele attended the meeting. Kaplan was asked a series of pointed questions, specifically if she had ever said anything negative about Principal Walsh to 4th grade teacher Antoinette Barley. She denied that she did, adding that the two had only exchanged information/texts about a reading program that was in development. In one response, Kaplan said, “It is my practice to speak positively about Patty [Walsh]”...and in another Kaplan said, “No, I do not speak negatively about Patty to teachers.”

Events took another turn a day later, with the district alleging that at 10:45 a.m. on November 23, 2021, Kaplan went into Walsh’s office and used her computer to send the anti-Semitic email to herself.

Brooks also told Investigator Maxwell that he reached the conclusion that Kaplan had sent the email, “by reviewing video and the interviewing of personnel that were present in that vicinity and others that came forward to provide their testimony regarding this incident.” Two secretaries who work in the main office, however, said Walsh was out of her office at that time and stated they did not see Kaplan go into Walsh’s office. The video that Brooks referenced was eventually provided to Kaplan but it could not be opened.

Michael Bakatsias, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Personal, conducted numerous interviews with school employees. When he interviewed Walsh, she denied that she sent Dara the email in question, adding, “I don’t know anything about it. She [Dara] must have sent it.”

In concluding his review, Bakatsias stated there is no direct evidence that places Kaplan inside of Walsh’s office, nor that she sent the email in question: “The matter of Dara Kaplan or someone else sending the email is inconclusive.”

After a request from Kaplan on why she was terminated from her position, Brooks sent her a “Reasons Letter,” dated December 21, 2021.

Brooks wrote that on November 15, 2021 Kaplan, in a conversation with Antoinette Barley, “made disparaging comments about Principal Walsh...that included, “Patty is evil, Be careful, don’t trust Patty, Patty doesn’t know curriculum and Patty is being nice because the Superintendent told her to be nice, but that’s not really her.” He went on to state that he believed Kaplan was not truthful to him at their November 22 meeting, “on the length of the conversation or the substance of the conversation,” with Barley. He claimed that Kaplan, on or about November 30, disclosed many details of the investigation to another teacher, urging them to “spread the word that the building Principal can’t be trusted and is anti-Semitic.” Brooks wrote that Kaplan further disparaged Walsh by telling yet another teacher that, “Patty cannot run an effective building” and that “Patty Walsh is the issue in this building.”

Brooks concluded that Kaplan had lost the trust and faith of the faculty in the building administration at the Marlboro Elementary School.

“While this may not be entirely your fault, it is my conclusion that a significant part of that loss of trust and faith is attributable to your leadership style,” Brooks wrote.

Bryan Kaplan said the superintendent’s letter contains nothing about Dara (allegedly) sending the email in question.

“They’re claiming she committed a crime but they didn’t terminate her for that, they’re terminating her because a teacher said she [Kaplan] gossiped about the principal,” he said.

Bryan said their request to meet with the school board to ask what Dara did wrong, was denied. In another letter Brooks warned Dara that she must cease and desist all contact with the district and the Board of Education. Bryan said, “that is what set me off, that this guy’s trampling on my wife’s constitutional rights, again for what? Even if you believe that she gossiped about a teacher, I’m pretty sure your speech is protected.”
At this point Dara received a call from Investigator Maxwell saying that her alleged use of Walsh’s computer was the focus of his investigation. On February 28, 2022 Kaplan turned herself in at the NYS Police barracks in Highland. She was handcuffed to a bench, fingerprinted, booked and charged with a Class A misdemeanor for the Unauthorized Use of a Computer, a violation of Section 156.05 of the Penal law of the State of New York. This section states that, ‘A person is guilty of unauthorized use of a computer when he or she knowingly uses, causes to be used, or accesses a computer, computer service or computer network without authorization.’

Recently, in the Marlborough Town Court, the case against Dara was “dismissed in the interest of Justice” by Judge Daniel Jackson. Bryan said the papers their attorney submitted to the court state that, “everything is circumstantial, there’s no direct evidence and there’s no evidence that a child or school property was harmed.” The court was also made aware that the district cannot prove who sent the anti-Semitic email.

Dara said she has been in education for more than 19 years, with Bryan adding that her experience in Marlboro has deeply affected his wife.

“She’s mortified by that, she was hysterically crying going in [to the state police]. She’s never been in trouble with the law and never even been accused of anything. She’s been tenured at every school district she’s been with,” he said, adding that he knows many teachers who have had incidents in their careers but continued to work in schools.

“What are they trying to do to her; like she can’t work ever again in a school, for what? because she got an anti-Semitic email and was a whistle-blower?” he asked.
Dara said she is looking for an apology and the district granting her tenure so that she can then resign, “just so it’s not on my record.” She said she is only looking to be paid her salary for the past year.

Dara feels, “terrible” about the entire experience, “I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. I cry all the time. I had a wonderful reputation, even in Marlboro, everybody loved me. I had absolutely no reason to do this and no reason to be involved in anything like this; I’ve never had my name with anything other than what a wonderful literacy teacher. I worked so hard to get to where I was. We had three young kids and I did my administrative degree at night. I love what I do, but I wake up every morning with no purpose because I’m stuck in this nonsense.”

Former Superintendent Michael Brooks, contacted by the Southern Ulster Times, declined to comment for this story, referring questions to the school district.

Walsh and current Superintendent Michael Rydell also declined to comment.

Brooks’ own notes of this meeting show that he, High School Principal Ryan Lawler, Middle School Principal Debra Clinton and Asst. Superintendent for Business and Personnel Rosanne Mele attended the meeting. Kaplan was asked a series of pointed questions, specifically if she had ever said anything negative about Principal Walsh to 4th grade teacher Antoinette Barley. She denied that she did, adding that the two had only exchanged information/texts about a reading program that was in development. In one response, Kaplan said, “It is my practice to speak positively about Patty [Walsh]”...and in another Kaplan said, “No, I do not speak negatively about Patty to teachers.”

Events took another turn a day later, with the district alleging that at 10:45 a.m. on November 23, 2021, Kaplan went into Walsh’s office and used her computer to send the anti-Semitic email to herself.

Brooks also told Investigator Maxwell that he reached the conclusion that Kaplan had sent the email, “by reviewing video and the interviewing of personnel that were present in that vicinity and others that came forward to provide their testimony regarding this incident.” Two secretaries who work in the main office, however, said Walsh was out of her office at that time and stated they did not see Kaplan go into Walsh’s office. The video that Brooks referenced was eventually provided to Kaplan but it could not be opened.

Michael Bakatsias, Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Personal, conducted numerous interviews with school employees. When he interviewed Walsh, she denied that she sent Dara the email in question, adding, “I don’t know anything about it. She [Dara] must have sent it.”

In concluding his review, Bakatsias stated there is no direct evidence that places Kaplan inside of Walsh’s office, nor that she sent the email in question: “The matter of Dara Kaplan or someone else sending the email is inconclusive.”

After a request from Kaplan on why she was terminated from her position, Brooks sent her a “Reasons Letter,” dated December 21, 2021.

Brooks wrote that on November 15, 2021 Kaplan, in a conversation with Antoinette Barley, “made disparaging comments about Principal Walsh...that included, “Patty is evil, Be careful, don’t trust Patty, Patty doesn’t know curriculum and Patty is being nice because the Superintendent told her to be nice, but that’s not really her.” He went on to state that he believed Kaplan was not truthful to him at their November 22 meeting, “on the length of the conversation or the substance of the conversation,” with Barley. He claimed that Kaplan, on or about November 30, disclosed many details of the investigation to another teacher, urging them to “spread the word that the building Principal can’t be trusted and is anti-Semitic.” Brooks wrote that Kaplan further disparaged Walsh by telling yet another teacher that, “Patty cannot run an effective building” and that “Patty Walsh is the issue in this building.”

Brooks concluded that Kaplan had lost the trust and faith of the faculty in the building administration at the Marlboro Elementary School.

“While this may not be entirely your fault, it is my conclusion that a significant part of that loss of trust and faith is attributable to your leadership style,” Brooks wrote.

Bryan Kaplan said the superintendent’s letter contains nothing about Dara (allegedly) sending the email in question.

“They’re claiming she committed a crime but they didn’t terminate her for that, they’re terminating her because a teacher said she [Kaplan] gossiped about the principal,” he said.

Bryan said their request to meet with the school board to ask what Dara did wrong, was denied. In another letter Brooks warned Dara that she must cease and desist all contact with the district and the Board of Education. Bryan said, “that is what set me off, that this guy’s trampling on my wife’s constitutional rights, again for what? Even if you believe that she gossiped about a teacher, I’m pretty sure your speech is protected.”

At this point Dara received a call from Investigator Maxwell saying that her alleged use of Walsh’s computer was the focus of his investigation. On February 28, 2022 Kaplan turned herself in at the NYS Police barracks in Highland. She was handcuffed to a bench, fingerprinted, booked and charged with a Class A misdemeanor for the Unauthorized Use of a Computer, a violation of Section 156.05 of the Penal law of the State of New York. This section states that, ‘A person is guilty of unauthorized use of a computer when he or she knowingly uses, causes to be used, or accesses a computer, computer service or computer network without authorization.’

Recently, in the Marlborough Town Court, the case against Dara was “dismissed in the interest of Justice” by Judge Daniel Jackson. Bryan said the papers their attorney submitted to the court state that, “everything is circumstantial, there’s no direct evidence and there’s no evidence that a child or school property was harmed.” The court was also made aware that the district cannot prove who sent the anti-Semitic email.

Dara said she has been in education for more than 19 years, with Bryan adding that her experience in Marlboro has deeply affected his wife.

“She’s mortified by that, she was hysterically crying going in [to the state police]. She’s never been in trouble with the law and never even been accused of anything. She’s been tenured at every school district she’s been with,” he said, adding that he knows many teachers who have had incidents in their careers but continued to work in schools.

“What are they trying to do to her; like she can’t work ever again in a school, for what? because she got an anti-Semitic email and was a whistle-blower?” he asked.

Dara said she is looking for an apology and the district granting her tenure so that she can then resign, “just so it’s not on my record.” She said she is only looking to be paid her salary for the past year.

Dara feels, “terrible” about the entire experience, “I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. I cry all the time. I had a wonderful reputation, even in Marlboro, everybody loved me. I had absolutely no reason to do this and no reason to be involved in anything like this; I’ve never had my name with anything other than what a wonderful literacy teacher. I worked so hard to get to where I was. We had three young kids and I did my administrative degree at night. I love what I do, but I wake up every morning with no purpose because I’m stuck in this nonsense.”

Former Superintendent Michael Brooks, contacted by the Southern Ulster Times, declined to comment for this story, referring questions to the school district.

Walsh and current Superintendent Michael Rydell also declined to comment.