The Berkshire Hills Regional School District’s independent investigation into the “Gender Queer” incident cost the school district over $39,000

County of Berkshire — The Berkshire Hills Regional School District’s independent investigation into the incident involving eighth-grade English teacher Arantzazú Zuzene Galdós-Shapiro and the Great Barrington Police Department in connection with the book “Gender Queer” cost the school district a total of $39,033.90.

At its meeting on January 11, the committee approved an independent investigation. The investigation was conducted by Kevin Kinne of the Pittsfield law firm Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook LLP.

The report was released by the school district in February.

On Thursday, May 23, Great Barrington resident John Breasted forwarded to local media an email from the school district’s administrative secretary to Superintendent Dorreen Twiss detailing payments made to Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook LLP.

The school district’s first payment was made on February 29 and was for $19,212.40 for 61.80 hours of work. A note for a “goodwill discount” is attached next to the payment.

The school district’s second payment was made on March 15 and was for $19,821.50 for 51.30 hours of work.

At Great Barrington’s annual town hall meeting earlier this month, Town Manager Mark Pruhenski said the town paid $5,400 for the independent report on the incident, which was prepared by Quincy-based Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting LLC.

The results of the report were made available to the public on 29 April.

Meanwhile, Galdós-Shapiro’s attorney, Howard Cooper, a founding partner of the Boston law firm Todd & Weld LLP, announced on May 14 that Galdós-Shapiro would sue the school district, School Superintendent Peter Dillon, Police Chief Paul Storti and Investigator Joseph O’Brien over the incident.