Rockland jail chaplain suspended without pay, faces charges

Rockland County (New York) Jail Chaplain Rev. Teresa Darden Clapp has been suspended without pay and charged with eight administrative infractions handing out anti-Muslim tracts to jail inmates. Suzan Clarke of the Lower Hudson Valley Journal News reports that Clapp was served notice of the charges yesterday:

Clapp was suspended with pay in April after she distributed religious cartoon booklets that condemned Islam and contained derogatory depictions and descriptions of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad.

The charges were the recommendation of the special attorneys hired by the county's Law Department to look into the issue.

The report and recommendations by Kevin J. Plunkett and Darius P. Chafizadeh of the firm Thacher, Proffitt and Wood in White Plains were submitted late Monday afternoon, Kralik said.

Citing privacy requirements in an ongoing personnel matter, Kralik said he could not divulge the specifics of the 10-page report on the advice of counsel.

However, he said, Clapp will face eight administrative charges: two charges of gross misconduct, one of official misconduct, three of misconduct and two of gross negligence. He also said he could not discuss what each charge entailed.

Clapp has until May 24 to answer the charges and will likely face an administrative hearing to determine her culpability within the next 30 days.