Prescott Valley resident Raymond Parenteau is asking Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Thomas Lindberg to modify the conditions of his release from jail.
After a yearlong investigation, police arrested Parenteau on Dec. 17 on charges he defrauded the Prescott Unified School District of between $3,000 and $25,000. The money should have gone to special teachers home schooling his autistic son over an eight-month period in 2007.
Parenteau has said the charges are unfounded and are the school district's way to retaliate against him for advocating on behalf of children with special needs.
Parenteau's bail conditions required that he have no contact with the school district or its property, his attorney, Daniel DeRienzo, said Monday.
However, Parenteau's 12-year-old autistic son needs someone to take him to Washington Traditional School where he is a student, and at least one parent needs to meet with the child's teachers regularly.
DeRienzo said the state - represented by a prosecutor from the Yavapai County Attorney's Office - says Parenteau's wife can do it, but DeRienzo says she can't because of a long-standing back problem for which she has had surgery and takes pain medication.
A car accident in 2006 worsened her condition, and she will have additional surgery this month, DeRienzo said.
"Her disability is making it impossible for (her son) to get a good education," DeRienzo told Judge Lindberg during a Monday case management conference on the issue.
Parenteau would like to meet with his son's teachers every two weeks at the school and review his son's progress from the previous day each morning with his son's school aides when he drops the child off.
Mark Ainley, the prosecuting attorney representing the state in the case, said he objects to the proposed change in Parenteau's release conditions.
Lindberg agreed to hear evidence on the request at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 10. He also set another case management conference for 9 a.m. on March 2.
Parenteau faces six Class 4 felony counts in the case, one Class 3 felony and one Class 2 felony for a total of 8 felony counts in the case.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, February 05, 2009
Article comment by:
PUSD is a bully
They targeted this guy to make home schooling look bad.As a voter I hope I am givin a chance to show my disgust for them.
Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Article comment by:
So tired of PUSD and ASDB Money Laundering
Editor: originally the prosecutor brought 32 charges against Mr. Parenteau - now that's down to 8 counts - YOU DO THE MATH. And that's according to your own published stories! Will PUSD and ASDB be held accountable for the funds they misspend? This district receives hundreds of thousands of dollars but only spend a small percentage on the services. Stealing from special needs students is sick and needs to be stopped - and let's prosecute those guilty!! ....
Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Give me a break!
I am sure that there is perfect accounting of the money for home schooling that was given to Mr. Parenteau for the purpose of education. Education doesn’t stop at just paying wages to a teacher, There are a lot of costs associated with schooling a youngster at your private home, such as learning tools. Special equipment that coincides with learning. PUSD doesn’t just pay salaries to teachers. If you look at all the funds that are provided to the School district for and on behalf of special needs children, Look deeply at the accounting, only a portion that’s allotted for the special education is given to them, The rest is used all over the school , for various things. If Mr. Parenteau has to be accountable for how he spent money, then shouldn’t the School be equally responsible and show the people how they spend the money allotted to special needs children? This is an example of how the system can and will destroy a person for standing up to the cause! PUSD has wasted thousands of dollars. I would like to see charges brought up against PUSD and I’d like to see them held accountable! Each special needs child gets more money from the system, I bet the Parenteaus didn’t get all the money that the school received on behalf of their son, so that leaves another question, How much does PUSD get per special needs child? What do they do with the extra amount not used on that individual? How much money was left over for their son? Where did that money go? I bet by home Schooling the PUSD saves a lot of money, and the child gets a superior education. I can't imagine how hard it would be to always be with your special needs child that requires a lot of attention, with out a break, like sending them to School. But let's punish dedication with humiliation and harassments, and allow the misuse of funds by the experts at PUSD. After all its what’s best for the kids… Give me a break!!!!!
Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Major Investigations Under Way
Mr Parenteau has helped many families with handicapped children in the area. When the truth gets known, heads will roll at PUSD. 23 of the 31 trumped up charges have already been dropped and the rest will be soon. There are many investigations going on at PUSD and I just hope this paper gives the space to these upcoming articles that it has to Mr. Parenteau.
EDITOR'S NOTE – Thank you for your comments. One point of clarification, we have been hearing for weeks about "dropped charges" -- the court and even his own attorney confirmed at or after this hearing that no charges have been dropped.
Posted: Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Have the trial and move on
Give him his "day" in court, if he is aquited it's over and if he is found guilty send him away for a while. For now, he say he needs to meet with the school "every day"? Perhaps if he proposed something reasonable it would be approved. If he does not want to be reasonable, let the order stand.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Food for Thought
Dear are you kidding me,
I certainly hope that you are never accused of anything, and that if you ever are you have a presumption of innocense. Sometimes it really scares me how mean spirited, and ignorant some people really are. God help us.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Jim
things are NEVER as they are printed don't you know that. The entire MEDIA whether it be TV, Radio, or and especially NEWSPAPERS only view from the side of SELLING MEDIA. You don't know these people so before your judgement of anyone look at yourself. Because you know you never know when it could be you. This is nothing more than Prescott drama.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Karyl
Oh please stop with the drama. Ray and his family are good respectable people and this stinks.
Posted: Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Are you kidding me?
"Her disability is making it impossible for (her son) to get a good education," DeRienzo told Judge Lindberg during a Monday case management conference on the issue."
How about "his getting arrested for fraud has adversely affected his son's education"? Honestly, this article borders on the absurd. I almost blew my coffee out of my nostrils when I read it.
