DOEs deadly hire: Letters to the Editor Nov. 12, 2026

Sayed Mohassib, the suspected killer of Katie Suarez — a beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her — clearly showed signs of instability (“DOE gave a blank ‘check’ on past,” Nov.11).A paraprofessional teacher, he showed a gun necklace to young children and posted shots of a frightening tattoo on Instagram.

School administrators told staffers who reported this to stop looking at Instagram and “being racist.”The only way to stop future preventable killings is to hold accountable those who ignored concrete warning signs.The United Federation of Teachers will conduct an investigation, but who will investigate the investigators, and will they be held accountable?Elizabeth ZimmerManhattanOf course Mohassib’s colleagues were told to stop being racist; he’s a brown Muslim foreigner with non-Western roots.Had he been white, he’d have been fired at the first complaint — if he were lucky enough to get hired in the first place.Rick RobinsonHampton BaysIt took a killing accusation against paraprofessional Sayed Mohassib for the city Department of Education to finally realize he did not belong around children.The DOE claims it vetted his background, but obviously didn’t.

Anyone who tried to call attention to this creep was called racist.It’s just another failing grade for the DOE.J.J.

LevineMiami Beach, Fla.We live in a sick world where everything can be deemed racist, even when it clearly isn’t.Philip ValloneOssiningThe family of Katie Suarez should sue the city, the Department of Education and the teachers union for wrongful death.It won’t bring their daughter back, but it might force change in how they hire and shield their employees.John KetelsenOcean, NJThis monster who allegedly murdered Suarez could’ve executed children too.Whoever at the DOE OKed this hire should be fired.

Some failures demand nothing less — this is one.Saul MishaanBrooklynStephen Miller represents a clear and present danger to our democracy, yet Preside...