A vulgar, abusive rant by the principal of a school for special needs kids was caught on tape and is sending shock waves through the community of Haverstraw, New York.
Channel 7 Eyewitness News reported that Hilltop School principal Kimberly Taylor's angry, expletive-laden outburst was recorded by a former teaching assistant.
Hilltop School is a kindergarten through 8th grade school for kids with learning and behavioral issues. Kenneth Egan worked at Hilltop as a teaching assistant until he began to complain to the superintendent of the Rockland County School District about how principal Taylor treats the children in her care.
In the tape, Taylor can be heard berating the children ahead of a graduation ceremony.
"It's important you're on your best behavior," she is heard saying. "If someone falls in dance, don't laugh because I will rip your [expletive] out of there. It's important not to embarrass yourself. Your family take pride in yourself. I will embarrass you, you all know me, if you don't give a [expletive], neither do I."
"'Cause guess what," she said, "everyone knows this school is for kids that have behavior problems, so it will be a normal thing if we drag you down and pull you out."
Egan told Channel 7, "I've seen her grab kids, push kids, throw kids."
He said that two students got into a scuffle during a graduation rehearsal, which triggered the principal's shouting jag.
Dragging one of the two students in front of the assembly, Taylor can be heard saying, "This is a retard. How embarrassing, a disgusting embarrassment, get him the hell out of my sight."
In another recording, the principal can be heard insulting a male student who has fallen down.
"Get your (expletive) up and be a man," Taylor said. "God, for God's sake, you animals, some of you."
The school district superintendent's office said in a statement, "The situation occurred more than three years ago. It involved a personnel matter that was addressed at that time. We maintain an outstanding academic program."
Egan's attorney Randolph McLaughlin told Channel 7, "The fact that nothing was done, that no one disciplined this principal, that she's still on the job, and Mr. Egan, who only tried to bring this to attention of higher-ups, he gets fired for it, that's an outrage."
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