Parents ask heated questions to Islip superintendent about lifeguard photos

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Parents fired questions at Islip School District Superintendent Dr. Dennis O'Hara as he spoke publicly for the first time about photos he says he took of two female lifeguards while he was working his summer job as a lifeguard at Robert Moses State Park. "What part of the body did you actually take a picture of," asked a parent. As News 12 has previous reported, O'Hara, who also worked as a lifeguard in the summer, sent two apology letters to the community in a matter of weeks. In the first letter, he said he sent a complaint that included a photo of one lifeguard to the state Parks Department, saying they were not in an official uniform. He later apologized to the board and the community for "creating this distraction." But then he sent a second letter, saying his apology was insufficient and should have been more direct. He also admitted to taking four or five pictures of two on-duty female lifeguards. "I did not send photos to New York State Parks, additionally, I did not send, transmit, disseminate or share photos with anyone. I showed, to my immediate supervisor, what I believe would substantiate my concerns and my complaint," O'Hara said at Tuesday's meeting. "Every person involved in this situation is an adult, there were no teenagers involved." But parents at the meeting said they don't agree with O'Hara taking photos of the female lifeguards without their consent, regardless of their age. Parents say they are frustrated by his changing story and the board's handling of the matter. The board says it accepted the superintendent's apology, but President Philip Dineen said, "should any additional crucial facts emerge that the board is not currently aware of, the board certainly reserves the right to revisit its acceptance in his apology." O'Hara said he can back up everything he's saying with an eyewitness, time and date stamps and multiple supervisors. According to the state Parks Department, O'Hara is no longer on the schedule to work as a lifeguard. "