Complaint about 'criminal' speaking in school fielded by attorney, Groton superintendent

Groton - Attorney Jeffrey A. McNamara of Niantic said he often suggests to school officials during expulsion cases that the expelled high school student speak to middle school students who might be headed down a similar path.

"Kids respond to other kids," he said.

McNamara's comments came when he learned that some parents of Fitch High School students were angry after reading last week that a client of McNamara's had been a guest speaker at the high school in November.

Last week, Ryan Hinds, 20, was sentenced to eight months in prison for, according to prosecutor David Smith, driving the car when three of his friends used an air-soft pellet gun to rob a man of $3,700.

"It was brought to attention that a criminal had been allowed in the high school to talk to the students," a parent wrote in an email to the school board. "This person has now been sentenced to prison and I want to know how this was allowed. Did this person walk around in the high school? How does this criminal have anything to do with education of our future?"

The parent asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation from Hinds or from school officials.

Schools Superintendent Paul Kadri said Tuesday that Hinds had visited the school's New Beginnings program.

"It's a small alternative program for students who are at risk," he said. "They're having trouble finding success in the traditional program. Some have made poor choices. Some are working to get back on track."

Kadri said a faculty member wanted a speaker who had level of credibility that would resonate with the 12 to 15 students in the program.

"He was a good student. He was getting decent grades, playing on the football team, everything was fine," McNamara said. "Then a couple of things happened in his family and he went down a bad path, started smoking marijuana, his grades went down, then he ended up hanging with the wrong people and made a bad choice."

In the courtroom, Hinds told Judge Patrick Clifford that the eight-month sentence might have been the best thing for him at the time.

"I don't know where I'd be right now if (getting arrested) hadn't happened," he told the judge.

Kadri said Hinds was recommended by a parent and a staff member to talk about "making good on second chance."

"He was recommended as someone who fit the bill," Kadri said. "The teacher interviewed him, and arranged for him to talk to this small group of students. I heard he was excellent, and his message was well-received by the students."

Kadri said the teacher, whom he declined to name, took all of the necessary precautions but failed to clear the speaker with the principal, Joseph Aracrese.

"She didn't do that because she didn't know she needed to," Kadri said. "Had she known she needed to go to the principal, I know she would have. She went to great lengths to make sure it was done right."

Kadri said none of the people who contacted him were parents of students who were in the class. He said the only people he heard from were people who read in the paper that Hinds had been in the school.

c.potter@theday.com