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Friday, March 26, 2021
Vol. 70, No. 13
HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY GUIDE PAGES 25-32
GOP PICKS PHILLIPS FOR COMPTROLLER
LEGISLATURE APPROVES POLICING PLAN
PAGE 12
PAGE 6
Mineola teacher removed amid alumni claims
DECA DUO
Harold McLaughlin allegedly asked students to sit on him during lunch BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z A seventh-grade science teacher in the Mineola school district has been removed from his position after sexual misconduct allegations were made public in the form of an online petition last week. The petition, which has gained more than 6,600 signatures as of Wednesday, alleges that Harold McLaughlin inappropriately interacted with some of his students “throughout [a] majority of his teaching years” through a lunch program he had. The alleged program, called “bon bon,” according to the petition, featured McLaughlin gathering groups of students and offering to buy them food and drinks in exchange for students “sitting on him while he la[id] on a bed of nails.” According to the petition, girls and boys, with a majority being girls, were asked to sit on McLaughlin’s stomach, legs, waist,
or even his face to see if they could “pin him down.” If the students succeeded in pinning McLaughlin down, he would buy them food and drinks. “I know this has been going on for many of years & many girls & boys have trauma from this,” according to the petition’s creator, whose name was given as Lee Langston. “If this was you, know anyone that was put through this or simply want to bring awareness to the situation please sign. This has been brought to attention & many girls have accused him of doing such things but nothing has happened.” A district spokesperson said there has been no family or student record of a “Lee Langston” in the school district. Several others commented on the post, claiming to be past students of the middle school and in some cases, being directly involved with the alleged actions. Continued on Page 44
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Wheatley students Anika and Riya Mittle came in first in the team marketing division of the New York state DECA competition.
Minaj’s mom seeks $150M for husband’s death BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
in a hit-and-run accident last month, according to her attorney. Minaj’s father, Robert Maraj, The mother of rapper Nicki Minaj filed a $150 million law- died after a hit-and-run incident suit against a Mineola man who on Roslyn Road in Mineola on allegedly killed her husband Feb 12. A few days after his
death, officials from the Nassau County Police Department arrested 70-year-old Mineola resident Charles Polevich, who allegedly hit Maraj with his white 1992 Volvo station wagon. Continued on Page 44
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