Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Monday, November 17, 2014
NorCo Grand Jury Calls For Resignations of Three EASD Directors
Although Easton High School football team is undefeated and is marching its way towards a state championship, it's a failing high school when it comes to academics. Instead of focusing on either athletics or academics, the Easton Area School District has been painted by a Northampton County Grand Jury as a "negative culture" in which there exists "severe mistrust" between school board members and administrators that borders on "paronoia." While finding that there is no criminal activity, the 64-page report (you can read it here) is calling for the resignations od school board directors Frank Pintabone, Robert Fehnel and Kerri Leonard Ellison. Jurors also admonish School District Solicitor John Freund to report possible crimes to law enforcement instead of handling things internally. Finally, they recommend that the school district revise its computer use policies to establish clear policies for remote access to employee computers.
This matter first surfaced when it was discovered that Easton Area School District IT Director Thomas Drago was remotely accessing the computers of various school administrators. He was charged with wiretapping when it was discoverred that he had recorded a meeting among school officials. Drago was ultimately placed on ARD, a special prodram for first offenders in which charges are wiped clean after a successful period of probation. Drago cooperated in the Grand Jury investigation.
The Grand Jury investigated whether school board members had engaged in any attemt to intimidate and retaliate against school district employees. School administrators charged that Drago was leaking sensitive information to school board members, but there was no evidence of any criminal conduct. The Grand Jury believes that there may have been some retaliation under the guise of "restructuring", but that is a civil matter.
There was no evidence that District Solicitor John Freund attempted to thwart any criminal investigation, but once the District's own investigation revealed that Drago had unlawfully recorded a meeting, the matter should have been reported.
Why should school board directors resign after being exonerated? "We are concerned that their continued service continues to put a strain on the relationship between school district administrators and the school board and that a newly reconstituted board without holdovers who were involvedin the Drago matter would be in the best interests of the school district."
23 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
let the voters decide if they should be around, that is why we have elections. i am tired of these shadow grand juries convened by our "diminutive DA" telling people to resign every time he does not like something. Go solve a crime! Stop using tax payer money for vendettas and and use grand juries [which aint cheep} for real crimes
ReplyDeleteI agree with 1:12. There's never any drama in an EASD School Board Election. These shifty clowns are exactly what Easton's lever pullers wanted. Let Easton be Easton, for better or (more likely) for worse.
ReplyDeleteThese people work for free and get all this grief? Sheesh! I'd bet Panto pulled some strings to get Pintabone in the meat grinder. No love there as Panto is a vindictive bastard.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why anyone would want to sit on a school board.
ReplyDeleteGood for Morganelli doing something to ensure the sanctity of the processes within the EASD. Pintabone should be removed, whether by his own hand or by voters.
ReplyDeleteFar better that Morganelli is pursuing matters like this and real criminals, than wasting time on a wench who fires off complaints of abuse and violation of privacy at a prodigious rate that exceeds that which I break wind.
Frank Pintabone has the fastest hands of any morbidly obese person I've ever seen. dudes a stud and would take RMM in a stand up gig no problem.
ReplyDelete""We are concerned that their continued service continues to put a strain on the relationship between school district administrators and the school board and that a newly reconstituted board without holdovers who were involvedin the Drago matter would be in the best interests of the school district.""
ReplyDeletethat is a matter for the electorate, NOT the DA's office.
School boards should be PAID. The selection process should set with criteria as to background,for application.Should be no slugs in this pool. After all, they are to manage a $60,000,000 entity. . SO; MBA and no criminal record for starters . Mr. Allen is this one of stupid comments? See they can not even resolve security issues yet . Although I personally would have faith in the NEW security director. Lew was ok - but passive ,gets his free coffee for his trip to school in his Lexis --from WaWa. I see everything walking my dog.
ReplyDeleteIn Fact ,I would suspend any foot ball activities until the District shows an even keel in statewide comparisons . The LACROSSE teams fair much better in GPA than football players and basketball. Spend the money here - we are being stupid. Lacrosse players get into colleges on their own , the football guys are pushed throw. Waist of taxpayers funds -once again.
ReplyDelete4;53-Anon What does big Frank have to do with the Muslim center on Lehigh Street? Does he own it?
ReplyDeleteNo.
ReplyDeleteDid EASD school board hold a press conference at 6:30 as planned?
ReplyDeleteYes, but I am in BT
ReplyDeleteNo indictment from the grand jury again.About time for these Witch Hunts to end.
ReplyDeleteBased on the report in the ET of the press conference, these people are happy to be recognized as corrupt and do not feel compelled to quit their jobs. Typical.
ReplyDeleteThree stooges left on the board from their attempt to crucify McGinley and other administrators. They should be expelled from the board and sent to a charter school for the mentally deranged.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing that needs to be done is to get rid of the law firm like a number of other districts have done.
ReplyDeleteThey should all resign because LV supercop, and failed AG candidate, Johnny "Look at me" Morganelli has not been on the local news for 18 minutes!!! How can he run a PAC if he is not whoring for camera time?
ReplyDelete'Sumbitch!!!
I cannot believe that anon 6:33 Peter, would make these remarks.
ReplyDelete"The LACROSSE teams fair much better in GPA than football players and basketball"
That sounds racist. Since the Lacrosse team is white and the others are of diverse cultures. You sound like a racist teabagger.
So far as I know, the Lacrosse teams I;ve seen are racially diverse. I think you are tying to invent a reason to attack a reader instead of discussing the issues. It is what trolls do.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it any concern of JM? Please inform me what this has to do with the DAs office. Plenty of dirty deals going on were he works....
ReplyDeleteI agree with 11:26 PM. First step is jettison the law firm. That may sound odd, but solicitors get to cozy with those they work for over time. There is evidence of that here, based on his actions and comments. He made out swell with the witch hunt he helped perpetrate over some purple and pink bracelets.
ReplyDeleteThe muppet king is loving all the airtime on his useless grand jury games. I don't blame the school Board Directors. Tell him to piss off!
ReplyDelete