Former school principal accused of abusing five-year-old autistic student is fired from his new job as special education coordinator

A special education teacher accused of abusing a five-year-old autistic student at a Catholic school has been fired from her last job at a charter school in the Bronx, following inquiries from The Washington Post.

Mary Ellen Sanchez, former principal of St. Joseph School in Bronxville, was accused of beating, violently grabbing and “psychologically tormenting” in a 2022 lawsuit[ing]”The boy. His mother, Maria Kelly, filed a pending lawsuit against Sanchez, the Catholic school and the Archdiocese of New York, News12 reported at the time.

According to sources, Sanchez was fired and continued teaching at a yeshiva until his senior year. Last month, he began working at the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School in the Bronx.

She was hired as special education coordinator at Morrisania Charter School, shocking parents and staff.

“The teachers are appalled that a woman with this past is responsible for caring for children with special needs at the school,” an educator told The Post.

But by Friday afternoon she had disappeared.

The administration had no knowledge of the allegations at the time Sanchez was hired, a school official told the Washington Post, adding, “She no longer works for us.”

In 2020, Sanchez allegedly slapped and cursed at the 5-year-old, slammed his wrist on a desk, threw his toys across the room and taunted him when he misbehaved, leaving him traumatized, according to court documents.

A teacher confronted Sanchez about her alleged behavior and expressed her belief that the school could not meet the boy's needs. But Sanchez continued to mislead his parents and failed to evaluate him, Kelly alleged in the lawsuit.

“Even the most cursory background check should have raised questions about the reports of her past misconduct,” Kelly’s attorney, Andrew Buzin, told The Post this week.

“If I were a parent at this school and learned of the incidents that came to light during the evidence gathering in our case, I would demand to know how the school concluded it was fit to teach,” he added.

Prior to St. Joseph School, Sanchez reportedly worked as a teacher, facilitator, and chair of the New Rochelle City School District's Special Education Committee.

She could not be immediately reached for comment.