MILFORD - The newly hired superintendent of schools comes from a district being investigated by the state attorney general’s office over allegations that it did not properly report to authorities claims made by middle school students of inappropriate touching by a coach.

Board of Education Chairwoman Cindy Kopazna, R-3, said the school board members were aware of the allegations against Harvey B. Polansky’s administration as superintendent in Southington when they chose him from a field of 18 candidates. However, she said they were not aware of the attorney general’s investigation.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said the Southington school district, under Polansky’s leadership, is being investigated for delays in reporting allegations of abuse of middle school students to the proper authorities. He said Polansky as an individual is not a target of the investigation.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights confirmed it also has an open investigation into the case, but declined further comment.

The case is similar to the one that cost former Superintendent of Schools Gregory A. Firn his job. Firn is accused of not reporting to proper authorities allegations that a youth basketball coach was having a sexual relationship with a female who was a student at Jonathan Law High School.

Those accusations are at the center of a suit levied by the female against Firn, the city and the schools, claiming negligence. Firn’s contract was bought out by the board last year for $109,000.

Kopazna said she "didn’t see the similarities" between Polansky’s situation and the allegations against Firn. She said claims against Polansky were discussed during the interview process.

"It was handled by Southington," she said. "I think they followed all the appropriate regulations. I don’t think of him as a controversial superintendent."

But the administration did not forward the complaint to the state Department of Children and Families or the police until late March, according to Muschell’s investigation, the paper reported.

DCF spokesman Gary Kleeblatt also declined comment, saying DCF does not speak on specific cases. Kleeblatt said state law requires school administrators to inform DCF or police if substantive allegations of abuse or neglect of students are made.

Milford Deputy Superintendent of Schools Phil Russell declined to comment on the Southington matter. He knows Polansky from his work as assistant superintendent in his hometown of East Lyme and said he looks forward to working with him.

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