Ex-education company employee denies allegations of inciting violence

A former employee of an embattled alternative-education company has denied the owner's allegations that he and five other former staffers tried to incite students to commit violence at a campus in Reading last month.

Andre Bean, the former regional director of Delaware Valley High School and former director of the for-profit company's site in Reading, said David T. Shulick's claims in court documents last month were false, "ridiculous," "wild," and "defamatory."

"We have not contacted any current or former students of DVHS Reading," Bean said in a filing in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Friday. If Shulick "cannot peacefully operate the alternative education program in Reading at this time, he should hire 'competent' staff or terminate his contract."

Shulick filed his complaint Sept. 20 against Bean and five others alleging that they had contacted Delaware Valley students in Reading and urged them to "to damage or destroy" the for-profit company in retaliation after the six were fired Sept. 14.

Shulick alleged the former staffers' actions helped trigger two disruptions at the Reading campus.

"This is typical of David Shulick," Bean said in a brief interview Monday. "He blames everyone else when anything happens."

Shulick declined to comment but said, "DVHS stands by all pleadings" filed with the court and all the testimony presented.

Bean said he had filed the documents on behalf of all the former staffers named in Shulick's complaint.

Bean is asking the court to reconsider an order granted Sept. 28 that bars the former employees from contacting any Delaware Valley students and staff prohibits them from setting foot on any of the company's compasses.

Only one of the former employees - Jason Kunkle, a former academic coordinator - responded to Shulick's complaint in time for the Sept. 28 hearing and was dropped from the case.

Bean, who lives outside Nashville, said he did not receive the notice of the hearing in time to attend it.

The legal dispute is the latest controversy surrounding Delaware Valley High School. The company, sources said, is being investigated by federal authorities in connection with its relationship with Chaka "Chip" Fattah Jr., the son of the Democratic congressman.

Delaware Valley operates alternative-education programs in Reading and Warminster under contracts with area school districts.

In August, Delaware Valley lost its lucrative contracts with the Philadelphia School District for a a disciplinary school on Kelly Drive and a program for at-risk students in Southwest Philadelphia.

Bean and the others named in Shulick's complaint were transferred to Reading when the Kelly Drive site was shuttered.