Guest Column
Story is not over; issue is not closed
Mary Ann Mangarella
Guest Column
Story is not over; issue is not closed
I am writing in response to the article, "Board: Investigation Into Allegations Closed," in the Jan. 29 issue of the Sentinel, and also in response to Milltown Board of Education President Terri Shook. Mrs. Shook says that the parents and the board must "move on" and that "The story is over. The issue is closed." Mrs. Shook, the story isn’t over, and it is far from being closed.
An inquiry committee was recently created as a result of the people’s outrage regarding alleged memos "contrived" by Superintendent of Schools Anne Evangelista and placed in the personnel file of former Parkview Principal Thomas Gibbons.
Mrs. Shook states that she doesn’t know why the issue regarding the memos became a question of concern. The concern is that a professional educator publicly stated in a newspaper ("Departing Principal Alleges Wrongdoing," Sentinel, Dec. 24) that the superintendent issued a series of "contrived" memos that were placed in his personnel file and that a board member had informed him of such memos. The board chose to do an internal inquiry of the allegations, though the community had asked for a third-party investigation in order to restore the integrity of this board.
How can the public believe that "policing yourselves" without being thorough and without a third-party investigator is a fair process? Why did this inquiry committee fail to speak to Mr. Gibbons regarding such memos?
Mrs. Shook also stated, "We’re not going to let them come and badger our superintendent." Why do you refer to this position as "your" superintendent? Where is your ability to remain objective concerning the public and the superintendent? Has the public left this group alone too long while inappropriate loyalties developed unintentionally?
Mrs. Shook stated that we are badgering the superintendent. Has she forgotten that the superintendent works for the people who pay her salary? To identify the opinions, questions and concerns of the public as "badgering" is insulting and irresponsible of this elected official.
It’s obvious that this board is not seeking re-election in April or in the near future. How do you and the others expect the public’s support when you constantly turned your backs on hundreds of parents? It’s like a fire that keeps being doused with gasoline, not water. Don’t take this controversy personally — it comes with the position. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
A recent publication from the superintendent and the board, the "Super News," was distributed throughout the Milltown community. This material is to be used to notify the community of the upcoming budget and the highlights of each board member’s area of responsibility. What a super waste at the taxpayer expense. You clearly state to the people that if the budget doesn’t pass, our class sizes will go up and teacher positions will be eliminated. In the next breath, you mock the public’s opinions and praise the superintendent and yourselves.
Here was a perfect opportunity for the board to utilize this literature to begin mediating with the public. You chose to alienate. Not all used this newsletter as a self-serving form of damage control for the superintendent and the board’s integrity. We now hear loud and clear those board members who listen to the public’s concerns.
If anyone or group is being badgered, it is the public. We have been shunned, ignored and mistreated. Many other parents and I are concerned for the passage of the upcoming budget. I am going to do what Mr. Gibbons asked us all to do — not to take out our frustrations with the board on the budget. I will be voting yes for the budget; however, there are many disgruntled parents who do not share the same idea.
My advice to the board is to drop the board attorney and hire a public relations person to stop the bleeding.
At the next board meeting, please leave the stopwatch home. You embarrassed yourselves.
Mary Ann Mangarella is a resident of Milltown