There is no law preventing Jordan-Elbridge school officials from talking about disciplinary action against two school administrators, according to the state’s expert on open meetings and access to government records. “The myth of confidentiality is just that, a myth,” said Bob Freeman, executive director of the state Department of State’s Committee on Open Government. “It’s crap.” School officials have...
There is no law preventing Jordan-Elbridge school officials from talking about disciplinary action against two school administrators, according to the state’s expert on open meetings and access to government records.
“The myth of confidentiality is just that, a myth,” said Bob Freeman, executive director of the state Department of State’s Committee on Open Government. “It’s crap.”
School officials have refused to say why two administrators — Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance William Hamilton and High School Principal David Zehner — have been suspended with pay.
Hamilton says he was placed on paid administrative leave in July; Zehner said he was suspended with pay on Monday.
Freeman’s legal opinion runs counter to that of Danny Mevec, the district’s lawyer.
“I think the board and superintendent would like to provide a lot more information than they can,” Mevec said. “Under the (state) education law they are prohibited from doing that. That’s just the facts of the matter. It’s confidential, and we can’t release any kind of information.”
School Superintendent Marilyn Dominick and board President Mary Alley both have said they cannot discuss personnel matters handled by the board in executive session.
“There’s no law that says that,” Freeman countered. “What they’re saying is we choose not to talk about it.”
Freeman said that the word “personnel” never appears in the state’s open meeting law. The only things the board cannot discuss, he said, are matters that would identify a specific student or things that are specifically prohibited by law.
“These other things are not inherently confidential,” he said.
Other administrators apparently targeted for action by the district include Janice Schue, former principal at Elbridge Elementary who was moved involuntarily last year to a new position in the district office as special projects administrator, and Dominick herself, who leaves Nov. 1 even though her contract runs until June 2012.
In addition, Anthony Scro, who as district treasurer was a Civil Service employee, was fired Sept. 15.
Contact John Stith at jstith@syracuse.com or at 251-5718.