Letter To The Editor: Re-assignment of Rye City School District Teachers

Letter to the Editor:

As a duly formed political Committee in the City of Rye, County of Westchester, State of New York, it should be clear that the Committee for Election Equality (W-4178, “Committee”), has little standing in this matter, this matter is somewhat outside of our jurisdiction, where our primary mandate is the keeper of all things righteous in Rye City government.

However, on January, 13, 2013, we became aware of an official statement by the Senior Member of the Board of Education in the Rye City School District, Edward M. Fox, attached herein as Exhibit “A,” where, from our point of view, Mr. Fox has formulated a very direct message.  From our collective perspectives, what Mr. Fox is really saying is: 1) "I am not prepared to vote to extend contracts of leave replacement teachers;" 2) and since he does not support the vote this most Senior Member of the Board, 10 years running, knows you cannot direct children to an empty classroom; and 3) since Mr. Fox votes no to extend leave replacement teachers, and knows that you cannot direct children to an empty classroom, what Mr. Fox is actually saying is "reinstate Carin Mehler, Gail Topol, Dana Copolla, and Shannon Gold," ipso facto.

We understand that, as has been previously reported, by an electronic mail message on May 24, 2013, certain members of the Board sanctioned the actions of the Superintendent to reassign Dana Coppola a 4th Grade teacher at the Milton School, Carin Mehler a 4th grade teacher at Osborn School, and Gail Topol a 3rd grade teacher at the Osborn School, all for alleged “improprieties” in administering the Spring 2013 New York State Exams.  Later, one Shannon Gold a 3rd grade teacher at the Milton School was similarly reassigned for the same set of allegations.

It is our further understanding that, in sanctioning such action, certain members knew that the discussion the Administration had was only with one parent of two children in the Osborn School, knew that the children in the affected classrooms were allegedly improperly questioned without permission of their parents, and knew that when permission to question was asked for and obtained the reason given for such questioning was not even remotely close to the issues at hand.

Similarly, we have been told that in reassigning the teachers, certain members knew that the questioning sessions were not videotaped as is the common practice in such matters, certain members knew that the questioning sessions were not tape recorded as is the common practice in such matters, and knew then and knows now that there is no credible record of the reports of 9 and 10 year old children in the affected classrooms.

To the best of our determination, simultaneously with the reassignment of teachers, the Superintendent filed a report with the Westchester County District Attorney’s office (“DA”), as New York State’s second largest investigatory body.   Recently, the DA’s office announced it would not charge the teachers from Osborn and Milton schools with any legal infraction allegedly perpetrated during the spring math and English language arts tests in question, and returned the complaint to the Administration, where from this action it is clear that no criminal activity allegedly too place.

It has been our information and belief, that certain members have requested permission from parents in the affected classrooms to question their children, five months after the fact, and except for one interview with a child on or about August 24, 2013, has been denied every time.

As has been reported to us, certain members, notwithstanding any credible record of the questioning of students in the April-May 2013 period, notwithstanding the faded memories of 9 and 10 year old children stemming from the April-May “questioning,” notwithstanding the DA returning the complaint to the school district, notwithstanding the Education Department investigation that is purportedly still ongoing, notwithstanding certain members’ failure to garner any further proper evidence from students in the October-present period, except for possibly one other child, certain members perilously pressed on where on November 21, 2013 had the audacity to bring ten (10) counts of alleged improprieties against Shannon Gold, a tenured 3rd grade teacher at the Milton School knowing full well that certain members of the Board need only a majority to institute charges.  Ultimately, Shannon Gold recently resigned for reasons that are not known, made no admission of culpability, paid no fine, and experienced no reduction in going forward benefits until the end of this school year.

While the Committee has no role in these matters, but in living the true meaning of our creed, we have felt obliged to copy on this email and subsequent facsimile - New York State Senator George Latimer, U.S. Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey, Caroline Lynch - Majority Chief Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, and Kristine Lucius  - Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and we have sent private messages to each respectfully requesting that they give you a call  at (518) 474-3852 – there may be violations of constitutional freedoms and civil liberties within their jurisdiction at their determination.  

As a duly formed Committee with a mandate outside of the jurisdiction of these matters, we still respectfully request your consideration, Dr. King, of this matter and return of the Complaint (as did the DA) to the Administration of the Rye City School District stating that the Department of Education deems that these matters warrant no further action, or words to that effect at your discretion.   After spending nearly Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000) in payroll, benefits, and legal expense of taxpayers’ money, we are told that the parents in the Rye City School District see no other course of action but to serve a Notice of Intention to recall the remaining members (except Fox) of the Board of Education, a draft copy of which we have obtained attached herein as Exhibit “B.”

Thank you for your attention to these matters.

Best regards,

Commission for Election Equality