New Bedford Mom Forbidden From Hay-Mac School Grounds After Needle Accusations

Michelle Farland, the mother of a student at Hayden McFadden Elementary School in New Bedford, took her daughter to St. Luke's Hospital after the six-year-old  girl claimed she was stuck with a hypodermic needle by another student on school grounds.

Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin spoke with WBSM's Barry Richard on Tuesday saying that the school nurse examined the girl's hand and removed a splinter but found no evidence of a needle wound.

"There is no evidence that a needle was found and was injected, or put on, a child's finger or arm or hand," said Durkin.

Durkin says that school officials work hard to ensure that the environment is a safe one with measures including regular searches of the school grounds to remove items such as hypodermic needles, to ensure the safety of the students.

She also addressed criticisms that administrators, including Principal Tammy Morgan, didn't notify parents in a timely manner.

"Hayden-McFadden, as any other school, have safe environments and we are really trying to get the right information out to families," said Durkin "however, I do have to say that some of the information that was proliferated was not accurate."

The same day of Durkin's intervew Farland went to the school where she was presented with a "NOTICE NOT TO TRESPASS."

WBSM was given a copy of the notice by Farland, which was signed by Business Manager Andrew O' Leary.

In the letter, Farland is told "This letter is being given to officially notify you not to appear on the premises of the Hayden McFadden Elementary School at any time unless officially summoned by a school official."

The letter states that Farland is "hereby forbidden to attend any Hayden McFadden Elementary School events, enter or remain in or upon the building, surrounding grounds or roadways located at said Hayden McFadden Elementary School."

It is further stated that, "This forbidding is absolute and unconditional and is to continue to be in force and effective regardless of whatever real or pretended reason, purpose, motive, intention or emergency you may have, pretend to have, or offer as an excuse for your entering, or wanting to enter, said premises."

Jonathan Carvalho, Community and Public Affairs Manager for the New Bedford Public Schools, told WBSM News that while he couldn't comment on the specifics of the incident a No Tresspass Notice is issued only when they feel that there is a threat to school safety.

"We only issue no trespass orders when there are people who are a direct threat to safety and staff on our premises," said Carvalho "we just can't have that kind of disruption when we have hundreds of students in schools and have any people disrupting their day, or disrupting their parent's day as they're coming in and out of the school, or disrupting the staff's day, or causing any kind of concern that relates to safety of kids."

Farland said at this time she was unable to give an official statement to WBSM.

The notice is in effect for one year.