According to a report released late January, the Grand Jury investigated why the Susquehanna School District took so long to notify police about a sexual relationship between a teacher, who was later charged, and a 16 year old female student. The bureaucrats looked at it from the perspective that someone was spreading false rumors instead of determining whether there really was abuse. As it turns out, there was, and it continued for months despite the administration's knowledge of these allegations. They refrained refrained from making a report to the police on the advice of their solicitor. The King Spry firm.
According to the Grand Jury, which filed no charges, "This advice unnecessarily delayed discovery of [the teacher's] criminal conduct ... and potentially endangered other students."
Amazingly, King Spry partner John Freund defended keeping police out of the loop, called the Grand Jury's findings "unfounded" and denied that students were at risk. They weren't just at risk. One of them was being abused.
The King,Spry firm, which loves to contribute to the politicians, was promptly fired.
33 comments:
Anybody check to see how many school districts have gotten rid of this bunch?
They are still with Allentow School Disrict.
One of the worst law firms in the valley- average attorneys- at best- with only one motive- money. Don Spry should be in jail.
So who was the actual attorney from King Spry involved in this fiasco?
Is this the same John Freund that was a member of the Saucon Valley school board? Kind of odd he would sweep such allegations under the rug at another school.
Someone got an ax to grind?
BASD has used King Spry for 6 years. In my time they have been extremely professional, provide sound opinions, and charge reasonable rates. I certainly can't speak for other districts but in Bethlehem we have been, and continue to be well served by the firm.
The firefighters and police in Bethlehem have to be drooling over having this firm represent the City in the upcoming contract negotiations. All the hard work the Callahan administration did in getting contracts under control will be gone. Hello 70% pensions again!
"Someone got an ax to grind?"
Oh, You would prefer not to know that the Solicitor to many local school districts, including Allentown and Bethlehem, was advising school administrators NOT to report allegations that a teacher was sexually abusing a student. Pointing that out means I have an ax to grind. OK.
Mike F,
How much do they charge the school district? I don't do school districts as a rule, but my guess is the firm is overpaid.
I heard the same thing in ASD. A director there tells me how much he likes the firm, but when I ask how much they are paid, he does not know.
"So who was the actual attorney from King Spry involved in this fiasco?"
I linked to the report. You can read it and learn.
Attorney Freund appears to very arrogent ln his responses to parents in the past. This current statement seems to bear that out
Act 126 requires school employees to report suspected child abuse. How could they be advised otherwise and it be considered "sound" legal advice? Quite disturbing.
@Mike Faccinetto:
Perhaps it's time you did something for the taxpayer instead of raising their taxes and shop around to compare rates?
@Mike Faccinetto:
Unless you are their insurance carrier and have skin in the game?
There is no excuse for covering up the sexual abuse of a student- period. Freund, like Spry, should be investigated- immediately. At the Bangor School Board meeting, it was disclosed that Don Spry charged the taxpayers $350 for a 3 MINUTE PHONE CALL !!!! When school director Bob Cartwright confronted him, Spry stumbled and fumbled- he needs, as the least, to be fired immediately and at best, be in jail. THE Auditor General needs to investigate this entire firm.
Not sure if they were fired as the minutes stated that the board would consider the "resignation" of King Spry blah blah blah so to me, they bailed instead of facing the heat and bad publicity, pussies!
Sorry, didn't see it when I first read the post. I figured it was Paul Blunt. It's not the first time he's gotten into hot water as a school district solicitor. Not sure why King Spry would keep this guy around.
Bernie, Below is a link to our current KS contract. We have sought RFP's several times in the past but this year opted to extend another year. Our rates have only been raised once in the past 6 years. They are more than fair IMHO.
https://www.beth.k12.pa.us/District/SchoolBoard/agendas/2013/130520/130520_Reg_Minutes.pdf
Should have mentioned the contract starts on page 147 of 193.
Thanks, Mike. I was struggling to find it.
This really doesn't answer my question. It shows you voted to keep them, but I have no idea what they were paid. They bury that sort of thing. That should be front and center on all contracts.
Are you seeing the actual contract? I think it's clear. $16K retainer, nonlitigation $125/hr for partners and $80 for paralegal. Litigatin $150/hr and $80 for paralegal.
I did not see that, Michael. I am missing a lot of things today. But I am correct in concluding this does not really give us an idea what you pay this firm annually? $100,000? $200,000? Also, I realize this is a professional service, but did you seek proposals?
Approx $400,000 total for the fiscal year. We did not seek proposals this year. We have in the past.
That bill is high. The hourly rate, however, is lower than I expected. But you are happy, and so is an Allentown School director that uses this firm.
If BASD is charged $125/hr., which is a fair rate, why was the Bangor School District charged $350 for a 3 minute phone call? Outrageous!!!
You have sparked my interest now. I want to see what other districts similar in size to BASD spend. $400K sounds like a lot but with 14,000 students and a $230 million budget I'm not sure it is?
Mike, It does seem high, but there could be lots of reasons like litigation.
EASD and WASD also use that firm...what have they paid?
It might be RTK time.
The Bangor school Board is right on the money with this one. Why would we ever pay such an ungodly amount of money for legal service when you could hire someone in house or set a set amount for legal fee's and let them bid on it. It seems in "professional" services that the client's checkbook (in this case the taxpayer) are at the mercy of the professional.
WAKE UP BANGOR you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that we are paying way to much for legal services. Now lets see where the "Good Ole Boys" go with this. The legal fees are outright SKETCHY! Doesn't our school Administration and School Board Members have any integrity?
I for one will watch the papers to see how this plays out.
For god sakes you cut SEWING and let your lawyer take you to the cleaners?
The news report provided by Pennlive was not accurate. The district administration had no evidence of a sexual relationship and the police knew before administration about rumors going around the high school and decided not to investigate. If you check the followup articles, you will also find that a federal court ruled that the advice given by King Spry given what they knew was absolutely correct. In fact, I suit filed by the victim against the District was dismissed because, according to the federal court, " no reasonable person could conclude that the District Admin acted improperly in the handling of the matter." I couple of facts: Pensive editor was a member of a Facebook group who was trying to get rid of the Superintendent and he was good friends with the DA who used a Grand Jury to propagate false information about what had actually happened.
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