Following a month of controversy, Islip superintendent Dr. Dennis O’Hara is stepping away from his role as the Islip board of education has appointed Dr. Kathleen O’Callaghan, the district’s assistant superintendent for student support services, as acting superintendent.
Since 1995, O’Hara has worked as a weekend lifeguard, and he spent this summer lifeguarding at Robert Moses State Park. In a letter to the Islip School community sent out over the summer, he shared that he took a photo of a female colleague out of concern about her bathing attire while working at the beach.
About three weeks later on Aug. 21, another letter was sent from O’Hara to the community, providing more information and declaring his first letter “insufficient.”
“In registering my concern about the bathing attire that some female lifeguards are wearing, I presented to a supervisor four or five photos taken of two on-duty lifeguards on that particular day, for which permission to take the photos was not sought,” wrote O’Hara, who has been serving as Islip superintendent since July 1, 2021. “For this, I apologize. This approach was simply wrong and should have been better handled.”
He also stated he will forego any future summer lifeguard work while employed as superintendent of Islip schools.
As one might expect, Islip parents had plenty of questions. Their concerns were addressed during a board of education meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
O’Hara again apologized to the greater Islip community and board of education, explaining that while he wishes he registered his complaint in a different manner, he cannot move backward, only forward.
O’Hara took the opportunity to clear “erroneous information” he had seen in the press. He alleged that while a News 12 article stated that he sent the photos to New York State Parks, he did not transmit or share photos with anyone, and only showed them to his immediate supervisor. O’Hara reiterated that everyone involved was an adult, and no teenagers were involved.
He additionally stated that contrary to a New York Post article, he did not lose the lifeguard job and was not fired, though New York State Parks Department is reviewing information and his lifeguard employment status will depend on the outcome of the investigation. He is not permitted to lifeguard while the investigation is ongoing.
When asked about the status of the investigation, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation shared they do not comment on personnel matters, though they confirmed O’Hara was not on the schedule to work as of July 26.
Board of education president Philip Dineen read a formal statement at the Aug. 27 meeting in response to O’Hara’s apologies:
“Dr. O’Hara has acknowledged his wrongful actions as a weekend lifeguard, recognizes how it has reflected poorly on the board and the community, and apologizes to all of us for his poor judgment,” said Dineen. He stated that while they are disappointed in O’Hara’s actions, “we accept his apology based upon the established information. However, should any additional crucial facts emerge that the board is not currently aware of, the board certainly reserves the right to revisit its acceptance and his apology.”
During the meeting’s public portion, Islip mother Denise Nash questioned why the board is not investigating, given that the parks department is.
“Well, you know, Dr. O’Hara brought this to our attention,” said Dineen. “It did not occur in the course of his duty as a superintendent. It was not a criminal matter, it did not involve children, and for a variety of other reasons that would have made it an immediate suspension and appropriate response at the time.”
Islip father Tim Nimone questioned whether O’Hara would have taken a photo if the lifeguard was a man and asked what specific part of the body O’Hara took a photo of.
“This was a person standing on the lifeguard stand, head to toe,” said O’Hara. “The bottom line for me was I was confronting something in the workplace that was inappropriate, which made me feel uncomfortable, right, so I took a step to address it. I regret the manner in which I did that.”
O’Hara also stated the gender of the lifeguard would not have made a difference.
Despite the board’s public acceptance of O’Hara’s apology on Aug. 27, a special board meeting was held on Aug. 31 in which Dr. O’Callaghan was appointed as acting superintendent in a 5-0 vote.
“A decision has been made, and Dr. O’Hara will be stepping away for a period of time.
During this period, Dr. O’Hara will be using his accrued paid leave time,” stated the board in a letter to the community.
The board shared that the school district, through legal counsel, will continue to investigate unresolved questions and information provided to the board related to this matter, though there is no specific timeline for the review.
Dr. O’Callaghan has over 30 years of experience in the field of education, from her role as a teacher, various chairperson and directorship positions, to her current position of assistant superintendent. She is beginning her 10th year as a central office administrator in Islip.
“My primary goal during this interim period is to maintain our positive culture, continue our outstanding programs, and ensure a smooth transition for staff, students, and families,” stated O’Callaghan in a back-to-school message. “As we welcome our students back to school, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for your continued support and partnership with our district.”
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