New London When middle school Assistant Principal Roland Dunham died from complications of a heart attack last month, his daughter Rayna Dunham lost her mentor, her inspiration and best friend.
She also inherited her father’s ongoing dispute with the New London school district that she said had been a heavy burden for her father and led to stress and depression for the longtime New London educator. She suspects it contributed to his death.
Roland Dunham, who died at the age of 56 on Nov. 5, had a pending complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities against New London Public Schools. His complaint alleges unfair treatment because of his disability and failure to provide reasonable accommodations for his disability, along with harassment and retaliation for his refusal take on added job responsibilities that he suspected were attempts to force him out of the district.