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DoE insiders lash out after cop-turned-teacher’s aide nabbed in brutal jogger killing
A New York City teacher’s aide has been arrested and charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of jogger Katie Suarez in Brooklyn. The arrest has prompted Department of Education insiders to criticise the city’s hiring checks, arguing that delays and gaps may leave schools employing unsuitable staff.
Sayed Mohassib, 27, worked as a paraprofessional at PS 200 in Bath Beach and was paid $182 a day. He had been discharged from the Marines in 2022 as psychologically unfit and spent six weeks with the NYPD before leaving; a former education official said an FBI check should have flagged his military discharge, though a treatment-related exception may have allowed him to be hired. The DOE says Mohassib has been suspended and that it is supporting the school community.
In short
- Teacher’s aide charged with killing Brooklyn jogger Katie Suarez.
- Insiders say gaps and delays weaken DOE hiring checks.
- Mohassib had been discharged from the Marines as psychologically unfit.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those urging stronger hiring checks argue that schools have a duty to identify relevant risks before placing staff in positions of trust, and that timely, joined-up screening could help prevent unsuitable hires. If a serious discharge or other relevant history was missed because of delays or gaps, clearer rules and better coordination among agencies could protect pupils and strengthen public confidence.
The case against
Those cautioning against broader or automatic screening argue that a person’s military discharge or brief prior employment does not by itself establish a risk to children, particularly where health or treatment information is involved. Checks should be accurate, relevant and fair, with appropriate privacy protections and individual assessment, rather than treating sensitive records as proof of unsuitability; the reported arrest also does not establish that hiring checks would have prevented the killing.