Oswego, NY -- An Oswego school board member says the board failed to approve four candidates for staff positions because board members want their own candidates to fill those jobs — not people recommended by the superintendent. James Tschudy issued a statement Friday concerning the board’s vote Aug. 24 on whether to hire a special education teacher, English as a...
Oswego, NY -- An Oswego school board member says the board failed to approve four candidates for staff positions because board members want their own candidates to fill those jobs — not people recommended by the superintendent.
James Tschudy issued a statement Friday concerning the board’s vote Aug. 24 on whether to hire a special education teacher, English as a Second Language teacher and differentiated instruction coach and post a school psychologist position for Oswego High School.
“Four resolutions met defeat, each of which addressed the filling of positions (authorized) in the 2010-2011 budget,” Tschudy wrote. “All were strategic to effectively meeting critical student need and presented at the recommendation of the superintendent. Reasons given for their defeat were spurious. At issue is the matter of how positions are filled.”
“I had reason to believe that members of the board wished to circumvent appropriate procedure for hiring by advocating for candidate(s) they knew personally and wanted hired,” Tschudy wrote.
The votes on each position were 3-3 and failed because there was no majority. Tschudy, Kathleen Allen and Thomas DeCastro voted yes and board President William “Dave” White, Fran Hoefer and Samuel Tripp voted against the appointments. Board member John Dunsmoor was absent.
Hoefer said he, White and Tripp voted “no” because the positions were cut from the 2010-11 school budget and “the administration tried to slide them past us and we caught them.”
He said he, White and Tripp did not have their own candidates for the positions.
Tschudy was so upset with the board’s inaction on these positions that he left the Aug. 24 board meeting before it ended.
Tschudy said he believes the three board members voting against the hirings were “meddling based on personal connections.”
“The district has a process, however, allowing for deliberate and critical assessment of abilities and promise possessed by each candidate,” Tschudy wrote. “When that process is disrupted by board intervention/meddling based on personal connections, it is a misuse of responsibility.”
To read Tschudy's letter about the Aug. 24 school board meeting click here To the Editor.pdf
If you go ...
What: Oswego school board meeting
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Lower level of the education center, 120 E. First St., Oswego
Why: Regular meeting including an update on the search for a consultant who will address future enrollments in the school district and an update on state Education Department requirements for testing. Residents may attend to discuss the failure to fill staff positions at the Aug. 24 board meeting.
Contact Debra J. Groom at dgroom@syracuse.com, 470-3254 or 251-5586