#NYC Pre-K teacher put child in garbage can, spider in shirt: probe

An assistant teacher at a city-funded Queens Pre-K program grabbed a child by the neck, shoved her into a garbage can and put a spider down her shirt, investigators found.

Following the “abusive” incident at Discovery Lane Day Care Center in Astoria, three administrators “failed to take action or make proper notifications,” says the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools.

The incident occurred in April 2018, but the SCI did not issue a report to Chancellor Richard Carranza until August 2019 — a year after the city’s Administration for Children’s Services found the allegations against assistant teacher Vlesie Nunez unfounded. SCI released the report to The Post a week ago.

SCI said Nunez grabbed the child, who was standing on a chair, by both shoulders and yelled, “Do you want me to put you in the garbage?” causing the girl to cry. 

Nunez then “aggressively pushed” the student into a garbage can, and later forced her to sit in a corner. Nunez then placed a lucite block containing a spider used for science lessons in the girl’s sweater, the report says.

Another teacher in the room who witnessed the incident reported it. But Education Director Rudolfo Aquino, Executive Director Aileen Clavano, and lead teacher Diana Canals took no action to document the incident, report it to authorities or fully inform the girl’s parents, SCI alleged. Nunez was “known to be “strict with the students” but not abusive, Aquino told probers.

The girl’s mother later told investigators she was informed that her daughter was standing on a chair in the classroom, and that Nunez took her down and reprimanded her. But the mom was unaware of the other disturbing details, the report said.

When Nunez returned to work after the weekend, the teacher who witnessed the incident reported it to the city’s Administration for Children’s Services, which investigates suspected child abuse.

When contacted by The Post, Canals shared an August 2018 letter from ACS calling the child-abuse allegations “unfounded” and without “credible evidence.” 

But SCI “stands by its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Chancellor,” SCI spokeswoman Regina Gluzmanova said Friday.

Nunez no longer works at Discovery Lane. She “will not work in a DOE-contracted program again,” said DOE spokeswoman Danielle Filson, calling her conduct “very inappropriate.” Nunez could not be reached for comment.

Aquino, Clavano and Canals remain at the center. Officials required the entire staff to undergo behavior-management training and review rules for handling incidents of child abuse and mistreatment.