The minutes include no
information about discussions of the case, nor do they include questions
asked by board members or concerns considered.
They
read more like agendas, listing the topic as “Alleged incident
regarding Kindergarten students and investigation regarding same,” or
“Teacher issue and potential disciplinary action.”
The case, which ended in June when a state arbitrator ruled that Mascio should not lose her job, was discussed in seven executive session meetings of the school board during the 2013-14 school year, according to documents provided by School Board Secretary and District Business Administrator Karen Gfroehrer in response to an Open Public Records Act request.
Gfroehrer said she has been instructed to keep minimal minutes in executive session.
“There is no requirement in
statute that board minutes include details of discussion, in open or
closed session meetings,” wrote Jeanette Rundquist, communications
officer for the New Jersey School Boards Association, in an email
response to questions. “Boards would generally rely on local policy
and/or the advice of their board attorney to interpret statute and case
law, and determine what they include in their meeting minutes.”
The case, which ended in June when a state arbitrator ruled that Mascio should not lose her job, was discussed in seven executive session meetings of the school board during the 2013-14 school year, according to documents provided by School Board Secretary and District Business Administrator Karen Gfroehrer in response to an Open Public Records Act request.
Gfroehrer said she has been instructed to keep minimal minutes in executive session.
But
in a 1998 letter to the acting director of the Division of Local
Government Services to clear up “confusion over the requirements of the
Open Public Meetings Act with regard to the keeping of minutes of closed
session,” then-state Attorney General Peter Verniero came to a
different conclusion.
Verniero
said the “any other information required” clause had been interpreted
by the state Supreme Court to include “sufficient facts and information
to permit the public to understand and appraise the reasonableness of
the public body’s determination,” quoting from a 1991 decision in a case
brought by The Press of Atlantic City in South Jersey Publishing Co. v.
New Jersey Expressway Authority.
One detail that is clear in the minutes is how long meetings lasted.
Entire article at
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/hammonton_egg-harbor-city/minutes-of-private-meetings-reveal-little-about-case-of-suspended/article_38de3806-09ed-11e4-8566-001a4bcf887a.html
All of the Mascio Case articles are linked under the first Press story for your reading convenience.
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2014/02/tenure-charges-filed-against-mullica.html
South Jersey Publishing Co. v. New Jersey Expressway Authority
http://www.leagle.com/decision/1991602124NJ478_1567.xml/SOUTH%20JERSEY%20PUB.%20v.%20N.J.%20EXPRESSWAY
One detail that is clear in the minutes is how long meetings lasted.
Entire article at
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/hammonton_egg-harbor-city/minutes-of-private-meetings-reveal-little-about-case-of-suspended/article_38de3806-09ed-11e4-8566-001a4bcf887a.html
All of the Mascio Case articles are linked under the first Press story for your reading convenience.
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2014/02/tenure-charges-filed-against-mullica.html
South Jersey Publishing Co. v. New Jersey Expressway Authority
http://www.leagle.com/decision/1991602124NJ478_1567.xml/SOUTH%20JERSEY%20PUB.%20v.%20N.J.%20EXPRESSWAY
10 comments:
Now what?
The State Supreme Court says that we should have sufficient facts and information released in the executive session minutes to permit us to understand and appraise the reasonableness of the BOE's determination to put tenure charges on Mascio.
We don't have that information.
Marro,Donio and Gfroehrer made sure nothing was put on record. They also made verbal accusations against Mascio to the Arbitrator which were proven false.
It seems those privileged to be in the ES meetings leaked out that we "don't know the facts" about the case and should withhold judgement until the arbitrator's decision was made.
What so-called "facts"were told to the BOE by Marro to justify their vote for tenure charges?
A clear picture is being formed about how easy it is to railroad employees with lies and secrecy and keep the public in the dark.
Who told Gfroehrer to keep minimal records? When will the BOE wake up and stop defending the Super. I would only assume they do not mind the high taxes that are going to the mullica residents.
Superintendents are removed from their positions all over the country and it's no big deal.
Marro's bad decisions and lack of good judgement are jeopardizing our school and putting our residents at risk of paying for expensive lawsuits.
She has wasted enough of our money and has made so many mistakes.
The staff has voted no confidence in her and the atmosphere at the school is horrible. Parents had their emails released, staff had personal information released, teachers are stressed, nervous and feel harassed.
The public, who are paying tons of money to support the school, are being illegally kept in the dark and not being heard by a Board of Education who were elected to represent the taxpayers and safeguard our school.
If a body contracts MRSA, antibiotics will not help. Amputation is necessary to survive.
The only way to start over is to remove Marro and let the healing of the community begin.
Does anyone know what kind of repercussions the School Board will face for approving executive session minutes that do not measure up to the Supreme Court's standards?
Can Donio be sanctioned for giving bad legal advice?
Does anyone know who recommended Donio's law firm for the school board? Was he brought on board by Marro,like Mazzoni was?
I waited so long to find out why the Board would inflict such harsh punishment on Mascio. We were made to believe that secret "facts" would come out to justify their decision.
That leaked rumor just served to further damage Mascio's reputation in the community.
The board member who leaked the lies to family members,who wasted no time in spreading the secret "facts" theory,should be asked to resign now.
Once again, Marro is taking no responsibility for any of this. Her claim that this is the way Executive Minutes have always been kept is easy to prove - request ES minutes from the years before Marro. Board meetings used to be taped, why aren't they now? Can you say coverup?
I can say coverup. I hear there's a lot more covering up about the leaker that should be investigated. More of our tax money being spent that should be going to Mullica children.
6:51pm
I remember when Larry Angel requested the tapes of town executive meetings and Simon destroyed them. Cover up all around in Mullica
This destroyed someone's professional reputation and life for one year. They will try to take retribution in the coming year. If I were Kelly Mascio I would have my lawyer file professional libel lawsuit. The damages will make the $200,000 wasted so far look like peanuts.
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