Plainfield's schools superintendent Dr. Steve Gallon may have hoped that Tuesday evening's discussion of the OFAC investigation into hiring practices in the district would put the matter behind him and the board.
Not likely -- in fact, it seems the discussion will be continued at the Board's business meeting slated for April 13.
Reading the OFAC report (online here) will simply take your breath away.
Chicanery? Duplicitousness? Disingenuousness? Dupery? Wiliness?
Check, check, check, check and check.
Dr. Gallon comes off poorly.
But the report also leaves questions in my mind about Dr. Bailey's involvement: Were the failures to document HR decisions a sign of complicity in Gallon's schemes or a lack of competent management?
And the Board comes off looking no better.
I understand that with a thousand employees, Board members do not have the time to -- nor should they need to -- vet each and every applicant.
That being said, the positions in question were among the top jobs in the District. Should folks be so casual in these decisions? I don't think so.
And for the one prospect that required a Master's degree not to have one -- though Gallon held to the Board that the applicant met the qualifications -- raises the issue of whether all the Board members met the threshold of their responsibilities at the time of the hiring (and that includes Campbell and Logan-Leach) or whether everyone was just in a go-along, get-along mode.
Reading the OFAC report, you will also learn that Gallon uncovered sixteen other job slots whose holders did not have proper certifications, dating back to before he arrived.
One BOE member told me that the problem 'went back for years', but a former Board member and president said that no such problem existed during the years that Dr. Larry Leverett was superintendent.
If true, that would put the time at which the district started being a place for persons without proper certifications to start getting plum jobs somewhere around the period in which Assemblyman Green's first slate (which included current Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs as well as current BOE member Lisa Logan-Leach) was elected and/or the arrival of former superintendent Dr. Paula Howard.
In any event, now is the perfect time to clean up that mess, and any candidate who does not vow to do so is not worthy of your vote.
It is also galling to find that not only did Ms. Kelly not possess the Master's degree at the time of hiring that she and Dr. Gallon attested to, the District subsequently reimbursed her tuition expenses for same.
This boggles the imagination, meaning Plainfield taxpayers are reimbursing Kelly for tuition for a degree she needed to have to qualify for the position in the first place, but did not have, and completed work on after she became a district employee.
As the husband of one BOE candidate remarked to me recently, 'mistakes have been made all around'.
It makes one wonder whether there is more to the story of Peter Carter's interim superintendency (and abrupt departure) than we are ever going to learn about and whether it would bolster or diminish our sense of confidence in the Board.
This is sure to be the most closely watched -- and hopefully with the highest voter turnout -- BOE race of recent years.
You won't want to miss the opportunity to have your questions answered by the candidates at next week's League of Women Voters forum (details below).
NOTE: I was puzzled by the refusal of the Board to allow the representatives from 101.5 radio to tape the meeting, saying that permission had not been sought (see story here). The taping of public meetings has been upheld in the New Jersey courts and while public bodies are allowed to impose 'reasonable guidelines' on such taping, I believe that ADVANCE PERMISSION is not among them. Moreover, that policy must be written and available to the public when a challenge arises. Surprised that the radio crew did not put the squeeze on the Board's attorney.
League of Women Voters: Board of Ed Candidate Forum.
Wednesday - April 14
6:30 - 9:00 PM
Emerson Community School
East 3rd Street and Emerson Avenue
All fourteen BOE candidates have been invited to take part in the League's candidate forum.
The LWV, an organization open to women and men of all political parties,
maintains the 'gold standard' in candidate forums, with a trained volunteer moderator
from outside the community and the opportunity for all attendees to submit written questions
to one or all of the candidates. More information at the LWV website here.
- Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance: "Plainfield, Case No. 150-09" (PDF)
- 101.5 FM: "Double-talking school superintendent in Plainfield"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
Posts
16 comments:
I have too frequently expressed my opinion as to Gallon and the BOE. Only a 100% cleaning of the "slate" will ever help.
As to the picture of the Wardlaw midget football team, I believe Senator "Pete" Williams was a member of the Wardlaw class of 1936
Dan,
All HR decisions made by Dr. Bailey were documented, given to the State, County Superintendent, and approved.
The OFAC report speaks to Dr. Gallons' undermining the process, cirumventing and changing the Districts' HR procedures that were in place prior to July 1 2008. The report also highlights the Boards knowingly approved his actions. Last night past BOE President BR confirmed that she was one of the four BOE members who was provide the information by Dr.Bailey and did not act. Under the interim leadership of Dr. Bailey all QSAC issues as it related to HR Processes were corrected. (See QSAC Report).
I am glad you agree that every board member is responsible for this mess, even Ms. Campbell, and Ms. Logan-Leach. These were "among the top jobs in the District" and the board members were to casual in making these decisions.
EVERY Board member failed to meet the threshold of their responsibilities at the time of that hiring, and again when the administrators were rehired at the BEGINNING of this school year.
I beleive that some BOE members are and were in "go-along, get-along mode" as you put it. The rest argue every step of the way over important things, and silly things.
I believe that all of the BOE members are responsible for the poor choice they made when they hired Dr. Gallon. We paid for Ms. Barksdale, Mr. Estevez, and Ms. Campbell to fly down to Florida and check this gentlemen's reputation. They failed miserably.
For that matter, how many CSA's have there been in Mr. Cox's 9 years on the Board? For Ms. Campbell's 6 years? For Mr. Estevez and Mr. Abdul-Haqq's 3 years? They have failed to pick a good CSA and supervise them, over and over again.
I applaud Ms. Campbell and Ms. Leach for raising questions. I applaud Mr. Estevez for changing policies. But, how can you not hold them accountable for their records? Ms. Campbell is Chair of the Curriculum & Instruction Committee. Where is the curriculum? Mr. Estevez is chair of the Policy Committee. Why weren't changes made before there was a problem? And Mr. Cox as chair of the Human Resources Committee? Do I even need to explain that?
It's a shame that people feel the need to run in slates. Some of incumbent's "teammates" are good, some are no better. While Ms. Burgwinkle and Ms. Pile have conducted themselves in a professional and informed matter, why are they running with Mr. Estevez and Mr. Cox? They helped make this mess, and refuse to do more than support Dr. Gallon to this day.
The behavior of Ms. Hernandez and Ms. Edwards has been deplorable. They have no respect for the public or the process as we could all see last night. Shouting over a Councilwoman? Shouting over BOE members? Catcalling through a meeting? What's new or different about that? I mean, Ms. Hernandez called one of her own supporters an "asswipe" in a public forum. She disparaged Ms. Pellum's english speaking skills, again in public. (I wonder if she can speak as well in a "second" langauge. I wonder what the City's Latinos think about that despite her married name.)
I hope people come to vote this year. We need four NEW people on the BOE, with none of this baggage. We can't reward failure or bickering. This is too important. Look at the newcomers, whatever "team" they are on or even if they are running alone. Ms. Burgwinkle, Ms. Callands, Ms. Crittendon, Ms. Edwards, Ms. Fletcher, Ms. Hendricks, Ms. Hernandez, Ms. Pile, Ms. Riley, Mr. Tucker. Look at how they have behaved while campaigning and what they each bring to the table. Go to the LVW forum. Choose carefully. The incumbents have disqualified themselves. We need a change.
Dan,
Read the OFAC report carefully. It does not say "Gallon uncovered sixteen other job slots, whose holders did not have proper certifications". It actually says "The Superintendent also STATED that a review of personnel and assignments conducted after his appointment revealed irregularities (not certifications) with sixteen staff members that required remediation. This review by Dr. Gallon only occurred when the Union County Superintendent requested him to remove LK and LB due to their lack of certification. The November 17th BOE agenda does not indicate other job holders that require certification. The key words "Superintendent Stated". The OFAC Report speaks for itself.
8:03
I also don't think that it is correct to blame this problem on JG. The majority of the BOE are New Dems. HOWEVER...homophobia of any type should not and cannot be tolerated. That type of intolerance has no place in our discourse.
As for the 8:03 anonymous comment: what does homophobia have to do with any of this?
I was at the meeting last night. The CSA (I can't even bring myself to type his name) and the Board president were rude, condescending, and out right obnoxious. I'm sorry, they were also arrogant.
The CSA claimed that he has always answered all questions put before him, but when I asked my questions, he didn't answer. I think he felt I "disrespected" him. I'm sorry, but he's disrespected so many employees and community members on a daily basis, that I can not look at that man and speak with him with any other tone. He claimed he wouldn't be disrespected, but when I demanded an apology after his last rant at the last meeting "rodent, rodent, rodent, rodent" he didn't offer one. To be perfectly honest, not only did I know that one was not coming, but a real gentleman would have (a) never spoken to a woman that way, and (b) apologized if he felt someone took offense. He did neither because he is nothing but a bully.
Everyone wonders why he surrounds himself with women. I think in his mind he believe that only a man will stand up to him. Too bad he's never met a Jersey girl! LOL
Laura
I made the comment that was labeled homophobic.
That is far from the case- I am not scared of homosexuality nor of homosexuals.
I am homosexual and in our circles, white-collar mind you, the term 'fag' is used to attribute degrading softness, lack of masculinity or femininity. It is a base way of saying that a person is lacking, a person in this case being a homosexual.
Dan this post was written for clarity purposes, so post or not, I just wanted to set the record straight (no pun intended, haha!).
Thanks.
Who has been president and vice president? Neither WC nor LLL have ever been in either role. This Board has been led by LC, MC, BR, PB for so many years. They are the ones who are supposed to set the agenda with the super. But of course you have no intention of stating the true facts on your blog Dan. It is so much more fun to say that your New Dems are so wonderful and the two people who have the brain and the mouth to speak up and vote against this crazy mess we have here in Plainfield, you feel that it is so much better to protect MC and CE. That has got to be the biggest joke of all. What rock are you hiding under? This district is totally messed up and it takes at least 5 to say no. What does this board do? Nothing. They sit back like 7 little puppets and say yes to everything. During the PEA debate the only thing CE could say was that he had made a motion to go into exec session on a matter. A motion is not a vote. In 9 years MC could not point to a single no vote that he has given. In 9 years that's all he can say? I say we need 9 clones of WC and LLL and then this crazy stuff can come to a close. But alas you agree with disrespect that LC and DSG give time after time.
I blame video games and rap music thats what allowed this to go on.
This whole situation is horrible. The arrogance and disrespectful tone of Gallon and some BOE members is a testament to what they think of this community. They think we don't deserve answers and that we are uneducated, poor people who will eventually forget them. The PMUA is learning their lesson after having the same attitude. It is quite interesting to sit at a PMUA meeting now. The same thing is coming for the BOE. We will no longer sit and let them ruin our schools by using our tax dollars to line their pockets and the pockets of their friends while disrespecting us and the teachers who serve our children. We cannot let up. Gallon needs to realize that an order to develop a corrective action plan is not a "recommendation" but a requirement. We will make sure he fully understands that as we regularly contact the state DOE to remind them of the timeline. You'd be better off looking for another job Dr. Gallon because your job just became very difficult and perhaps the headaches and embarrassment that will follow will make you earn that ridiculous salary! Those who lead should do so with diligence. Romans 12:8-look it up Gallon and BOE members. Shame on all of you.
8:52
Wow!! You must have begun attending board meetings at the same time as Ms. Fletcher, Ms. Hendricks, Mr. Tucker and Ms. Callands, because your take on last night’s meeting reflects your disconnect with what the public has been feeling for years now. The CSA along with several board members (not including Ms. Campbell and Logan-Leach) have disrespected the public, each other and our entire district. The public has had enough!! You must give respect to get respect. The public has watched as this administration and board have lied, cheated and covered up. Now, that people have been caught red handed, people want to work together. Where was all this unity and can’t we all get along, when the public was being blasted for any question or comment perceived as against the board or CSA? Long before the **** hit the fan, there were people like Laura, Renata, Mss. Campbell and Logan-Leach and anonymous posters, who work in Plainfield schools ,trying to raise awareness as to what was going on. Where were you?
Since you want to discuss people’s behavior, let’s discuss behavior. Ms. Fletcher did not begin showing up to board meetings until she announced her candidacy. She loves to mention how she worked at PHS, but where was she for the last two years as PHS was crumbling? Ms. Hendricks ran for school board last year and lost. Was she or the rest of her team at the November meeting? How’s about the Jan and/or Feb. meeting? I can tell you….NO!!!!! You speak of Ms. Hernandez and Ms. Edwards’ behavior, but remember they both have children in district and have been attending meetings. This nonsense directly affects them! Neither Ms. Fletcher nor Ms. Hendricks has children in the public schools. Maybe that’s part of their disconnect. As far as their other two team members, what have they said? Not much, because their team makes sure either Ms. Fletcher or Ms. Hendricks speaks. I guess that was something Jerry Green instructed, since everyone knows he’s behind that “team” even getting together. Their website talks about working with city officials, read between the lines …. Jerry Green. YAY let’s go from Gallon’s girls to Green’s girls. NO THANKS! But they’ll be riding in on white horses to save us, while the horses’ *** and team’s **** will be all over this city. NO THANKS!!
As for Mss. Burgwinkle and Piles, there really wasn’t anything they could say last night. Their running mates support the CSA all the way. Not to mention they chair the 2 committees most aligned with this hiring mess, HR and policy. Did Mr. Cox check out the credentials of these ladies? He is the HR chair! Didn’t Mr. Estevez realize we didn’t have adequate policies in place, that’s part of the reason why Gallon was able to do what he did?
And as far as Ms. Campbell and curriculum… it’s not her job to write curriculum. That’s the job of paid staff (Angela Kemp and others). But oh yeah, Kemp has had her hands full with Dr. Williamson’s neck, her court case and supposedly forfeiting her job. Guess she couldn’t get around to writing the curriculum. They should’ve just approved the one written under Bailey and Embler. Oh but that would be giving other people credit beside Miami people, and the CSA couldn’t have that happen.
The one thing we agree on 8:52 is that people need to get out and vote. I simply hope they see the Johnny come latelys for who they are as well as the rubber stampers and vote for people who aren’t afraid to ask questions, challenge and stand up for what they believe.
Wonder who wrote 8:52?
Remember the "FRESH" faces of Gilbert and Peterson? That's what you get from people who only show up for an election.
Don't be fooled Plainfield!
It takes a real man to post 8:03AM's comment. It takes a "dunce" and a coward to hide behind "Anonymous said" after he throws around hate.
Keep it coming Dan!
I have been thinking over who to vote for and I still haven't made up my mind. It was much easier to decide who I was NOT going to vote for--incumbents Cox and Estevez, who bear much of the responsibility for getting us into this mess. It's clear that the other two on their slate support them, so I won't be voting for them either.
That part was easy. But who to vote for is still a difficult question. Watching the BOE over the past year I have seen that Ms. Campbell and Ms. Logan-Leach were the only voices of sanity--so voting for Ms. Campbell isn't a hard decision to make.
That leaves three--two for three-year terms and one to fill the term of Ms. Rivers. And I am still undecided. Ms. Hernandez has been a vocal critic of Gallon's actions and I am tempted to vote for her and her running mates in the hope that they can create a majority which can begin to straighten out the mess that has been created. The third slate has been largely silent on these issues. and while I don't doubt their concern I am sorry not to have heard anything from them on the current goings-on.
So I am still undecided to some extent, and I want to learn more about the individual candidates--especially where they stand on the superintendent's actions.
One thing is clear to me. Any candidate who supports the current board majority isn't going to get my vote.
Dan Dan Dan . . .
It seems to me your blog comments are being blown up by one person taking on different names but mostly "Anonymous". Obviously this someone is using your blogspot to desperately campaign to your readers (since your blog is well read) to vote for "WC". Gosh . . . they even got up early this morning just to let you know they haven't made up their mind who they will vote for but they do know it will be "Ms. Campbell". Somehow I don’t believe Ms. Campbell would be the one commenting and blowing up your blogspot, but she definitely has a FAN out there!
And . . . 8:03AM is so very upset you mentioned JG! 8:03 wants to know why are you “mentioning JG in here?” Well, I will say we know who Jerry is endorsing, supporting and funding and that would be . . . Jerry’s Kids. And they will have only ONE VOICE – Jerry’s!
Dan . . . do you feel . . . used???
how about a class action suit by taxpayers to recoup the money we have spent on unqualified, incompetent administrators? Especially those of us who don't even have kids in the schools. This is socialism at its worst!
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