Mullica teacher's suspension / Public still in dark
In one way, the
ordeal of Mullica Township kindergarten teacher Kelly Mascio has had a
happy ending. Mascio, who was suspended and faced losing her job after a
September incident in which two 5-year-old students may have undressed
in a bathroom, has been reinstated. The popular 16-year teacher will be
back in the classroom in the fall.
Unfortunately,
Mullica residents may never know why Mascio came so close to losing her
job, because there is no record of the discussions members of the
township Board of Education had about her case.
On
Sept. 30, two of Mascio's young students briefly slipped into a
classroom bathroom without her knowledge. Each told her that the other
had wanted to "have sex." Mascio immediately reported the incident. A
report by the state Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit concluded
that no harm had come to the children, and there was no evidence of
neglect or inadequate supervision.
But Mascio was suspended, and, in February, the school district filed tenure charges against her, a step toward firing her
.
.
In
June, State Arbitrator Daniel F. Brent ruled that Mascio's five-minute
lapse of attention merited a 10-day suspension, but that she should be
reinstated with back pay.
In
other words, he came to the same conclusion that so many people in
Mullica came to - that the school board had overreacted and was unjustly
trying to punish a good teacher
.The township residents who stood up for Mascio and helped pay her bills when her salary was cut off should be glad that common sense has prevailed. But they are also left to wonder how their school board could have made such a bad decision in the first place - a decision that cost them $40,000 in legal bills and $51,000 for a replacement teacher.
.The township residents who stood up for Mascio and helped pay her bills when her salary was cut off should be glad that common sense has prevailed. But they are also left to wonder how their school board could have made such a bad decision in the first place - a decision that cost them $40,000 in legal bills and $51,000 for a replacement teacher.
And,
unfortunately, they may never know. The board went into executive
session seven times to discuss Mascio's case. At one meeting, the
discussion lasted three hours. But the minutes from those sessions offer
no clue about the reasoning behind the board's decision.
New
Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act allows boards to go into executive
session to discuss personnel matters. It requires, however, that
"reasonably comprehensible minutes" of those meeting be kept and that
they be released to the public when the issue has been resolved.
But,
like the Mullica board, too many public bodies interpret that as
allowing them to keep the barest of minutes - topic discussed, board
members present and vote tally. These bodies forget that they are doing
the public's business and making the public's decisions.
And the public - in this case the people of Mullica -
have a right to know how those decisions are made
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/editorials/mullica-teacher-s-suspension-public-still-in-dark/article_a897a03b-fee3-5c3d-add5-ca7dbab282ab.html
All of the Mascio Case articles are linked under the first Press article at
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2014/02/tenure-charges-filed-against-mullica.html
And the public - in this case the people of Mullica -
have a right to know how those decisions are made
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/editorials/mullica-teacher-s-suspension-public-still-in-dark/article_a897a03b-fee3-5c3d-add5-ca7dbab282ab.html
All of the Mascio Case articles are linked under the first Press article at
http://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2014/02/tenure-charges-filed-against-mullica.html
12 comments:
This is something more that the BOE can deny saying the public does not know the whole story. When in fact they don't know the whole story themselves.When will the BOE members start speaking for the public considering we put them in that position.If they are not able to listen to the public then they should resign.
Me thinks Marro needs to look up the meaning of "transparency" in the good old dictionary! Or don't they teach that to people who are a Phoenix?
Don't blame Phoenix. That's like blaming a teacher because a kid won't do homework or try to learn in class.
I really hope the Press files a lawsuit against the BOE. It will set a precedent for any other boards that are not following the law.
There are so many things to this case that makes me think it was all Marro's premeditated plan to "get" Mascio and the BOE fell right in line. Her false verbal accusations were not in the minutes or on the tenure charges.
I feel that if the arbitrator didn't do such a good investigative job, this would have started Marro's reign of terror in the school with everyone wondering who would be railroaded next.
I agree with 9:16AM.
If members of this board do not have the fortitude to to remove Marro,they need to resign for the benefit of the taxpayers of Mullica. Too many costly mistakes have been made and I fear more to come.
I agree with10:53 post, this would have started her reign of terror. There would have been so more removed without the arbiter not standing up for Kelly there were other veteran teachers( high cost) moved this past year who didn't "volunteer".
A new teacher was hired so why move all these teachers? So they could use Danielson to "evaluate" negatively an expert teacher teaching for the first time in Kindergarten or second grade
This has smelled from the beginning
No wonder Mazzoni was after so many teachers and Lesher was also giving poor evaluations to many very skilled teachers.
The Sunshine Law was supposed to open the process after it was finalized. Marro circumvented this by the way she kept her minutes
She is still there and will continue to harass the teachers. She has 4 proven henchmen/ women who do as she commands
Let's clear out this BOE (except for Mr Stollenwerk) who saw this as overreaching
I do hope Kelly sues, if only to protect herself and others marrows retribution will not be delayed if Kelly turns the other cheek. Only the threat of a financially damaging lawsuit will keep Marro and her followers at bay. This Marro Mazzoni team need to go!
Do you really think the BOE members read this? Or even listen to taxpayers who show up in person? They do not. They haven't listened from the beginning. Marro picked on the wrong teCher to railroad first if it had been another of her disliked non-favorites this community wouldn't have responded or even noticed. Marro used the target of opportunity and the sensationalized headlines made citizens take note.
If it had been another teacher Marro's reign of terror with the help of Mazzoni would have succeeded.
8:43 am
Yes the board members do read it or Maryann Wild does to report back to them. Dont think for one minute that our words go unheard.
Is it required that Board members know how to read? All I've seen is a requirement to stare blankly at the public,play with their cell phones during meetings and automatically vote the same way as the person next to them which was predetermined in secret ES meetings. They don't even have to worry about reading and approving ES session minutes. They're just empty pages.
They have to know how to read.
Legal Requirements
To become a member of a local board of education in New Jersey,
you must—
• Be able to read and write
• Hold U.S. citizenship and one year’s residency in the school
district
• Be registered to vote in the district before filing the nominating
petition
• Have no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the
board
• Not hold office as mayor or member of the municipal govern-
ing body or, in the case of county school districts, the county
governing body
• Not simultaneously hold two elective offices
• Not be disqualified from membership for the conviction of cer-
tain crimes. (Within 30 days of election or appointment to the
board, a member must undergo a criminal history background
investigation through the state Department of Education.
If the Press is sueing the BOE it means more legal bills the taxpayers have to foot. The BOE would be a lot more careful if they had to dip into their pockets for this.They don't care.
Isn't it sad that part of the BOE's reasoning behind pursuing the tenure charges against Mrs. Mascio was based on a false allegation that she was on her cell phone during the incident? However, at the BOE meetings, when the members are supposed to be paying close attention to matters that affect the school children of Mullica, more than one BOE member can often be seen on his cell phone. I understand that they are volunteers, but, a volunteer still has the obligation to to perform their job to the best of their ability.
Money talks, and we all know the NJEA has lots of MONEY!!!! Mascio did not do her job. She failed to watch the children. Say what u must but that's a fact!
as for Marro, remember, she's not gone yet! Maybe she's not leaving. Rumors start so fast.
TO 2:44 pm
It's not rumor that Marro applied to Atco and was hired as their principal. We don't know if she gave her notice to Mullica or if she can change her mind about leaving at this point.
Mascio lost track of two sneaky kids in a dark room for less than 5 minutes with no aide present.
She reported it immediately and followed all school procedures.
She received 10days suspension by the arbitrator, which I feel was too much.
Truth, Facts, and Evidence talked in this case. Marro and the Board wasted $91,000 of our tax money and who knows how much money was spent by the NJEA, which is supported from teacher dues from all over the state. They have an obligation to represent their members.
You seem to be very angry that all the lies,false reports,and covert actions didn't work to ruin someone's life.
I hope you're always perfect in everything you do. The day you innocently have a lapse of attention or a distraction, you deserve to have your career and life ruined forever.
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