Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Excuse Me Teacher, What Is "Evidence?"

Simon Says - Any Evidence, Perhaps???

Anybody who knows anything about Manalapan's school district knows two things - Great Teachers and James Wasser. Now, add a third - Tenure-Gate.

It seems da principal of Manalapan High School has not been behind his desk lately. In fact, Principal Jeff Simon hasn't been allowed to walk the halls of his high school since December when he was put on paid leave. Why was Simon put on paid leave? Da problem was - nobody knows why - apparently not even Simon's lawyer!

So, Simon says, I'd like to know why I can't work but am still getting paid to do nothing. Simon says - Hire a Lawyer. Da question is - who should Simon hire?

Simon says - get da best lawyer available? Simon says - Hire da Mosked Man!

Does Simon really need a lawyer? Simon says - You Bet'cha!

Da other day, it was reported in da local online newspaper that da Board of Education voted in CLOSED session after a meeting to certify tenure charges against Simon, and then walked into a crowded B of E meeting to let everyone know what they did without public knowledge, to da dismay and ire of da people in attendance. It seems, in reality, da board had no choice, as da Mosked Man had done what any good legal eagle would - asked them if before da Mayan calendar predicts a doomsday that they might find in their hearts to actually charge his client with something!

So, not only did da B of E announce three tenure charges that have been filed against Simon by the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education - they also announced they have a high-powered (and guess who's paying for this one) law firm of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein & Celso handling their case!

Now, da even bigger question -- Did Simon deport children? Did Simon leave his wife like that California teacher for a student? Were "Birthers" looking into Simon's birth certificate? Is he daTruthSquad?

As far as can be determined, none of these claims were made, although da process is still young.

Here's what Simon has allegedly been accused of --- (1) alleges mishandling of student activity funds and accounts --- (2) alleged missing money from a Manalapan High School event --- (3) alleges he took $2,000 from da till of a high school play, and (4) placed kids at risk.

Now, to be fair, these are all serious charges on da surface. Also, to be fair, in one of these charges, Simon had originally made whistelblower claims against da very person who now claims he took da money.

Simon claims, and it was apparently done 2 years ago, according to da Manalapan Patch, "Simon alerted Board Secretary and Business Administrator Sean Boyce about Louise Dellasala, who had opened a checking account in both her name and “Manalapan High School” as well as gained a debit card from the account and established a credit card in her name and the high school’s name."

According to da Mosked Man, "She had access to all of the money, she handled all of the money, she’s got these bogus accounts and she’s the accuser saying he stole the money." Could this be a "he said 2 years ago/she now says" situation? Moskovitz adds, "all play funds are collected after the play has completed its run. Dellasala approached the play director and asked for the money before the play completed its run; the play director did not comply and rather gave Simon the funds once the play run had ended. Simon later gave the funds to Dellasala when she requested it. In Dellasala’s affidavit, she indicates that Simon provided her with money to deposit, but she later found envelopes in a plastic bin drawer beneath Simon’s desk that listed the amounts of the funds on them and she is alleging that Simon provided her with $2,000 less than the amount listed on the envelopes."

Now, it appears both Simon and his extremely highly competent counsel are not going to take this sitting down - and while we're at it - what was she doing looking under his desk for things?

Simon and da Mosked Man attended da B of E "surprise," and tells da newspaper he is “unfairly being victimized by a retaliatory, revengeful act in violation of the Conscientious Employee Protection Act”. Simon went on to say that “not a single one of the 12 charges is valid, truthful, substantiated with evidence, warranted, legitimate, or reason for tenure charges to be brought against [him].”

To be fair, da B of E released a statement of their own, including "Many of the comments and allegations (made by Simon) are highly inappropriate and wrongly impugn the credibility of employees in good standing." So, they are standing with da people Simon accuses.

Of course, da Mosked Man would never let an inflammatory statement like that sit by, sending out one of his own from da Patch that says "Not one word of Mr. Simon's certification is untrue. Not a single word. Had the District truly wished to 'take the necessary steps to preserve and protect the integrity of this institution'as they claim in their press release, they would not have maliciously impugned the character and reputation of a highly respected principal with not a shred of evidence other than the bald statements of those with an improper ax to grind, they would have taken action against those who in fact have perpetrated misdeeds at taxpayers expense, they would not have insisted on voting to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on this witch hunt prior to hearing the public, knowing hundreds of people were in the auditorium waiting to be heard on the matter, they wouldn't have chosen to cavalierly jeopardize the admissions to the colleges of their choice of dozens of students who deserve better from their school district, and they wouldn't do all of this at the direction of a law firm they had removed as Board counsel due to bad advice, poor judgment and questionable billing in the past."

Now, if you didn't think this would get even more interesting, you probably don't know much about Manalapan buearacrats.

First, you have one person alleging a crime was committed by Simon - a person who Simon alleged some wrongdoing about that person 2 years ago. Then, you have another school individual who claims Simon walked off with a couple of hundred dollars - and that person too was once disciplined by Simon!

Oh, and then there's da other "wrongdoing" alleged committed by Simon which includes "alleged mismanagement of several fire drills." Yes, that's not a typo. He allegedly "risked the safety of students and employees" during those fire drills."

DaTruth is, you have in Simon a highly popular and hard-working leader, who now faces charges against him brought by someone he had already whistleblew on and another whom he once reprimanded. And, you have da district now contending that he ran fire drills that somehow put kids at risk - an allegation that yes, we have to admit, even shocked daTruthSquad!!! By da way, they have apparently not yet released why they believe there was "alleged" fire drill "mismanagement." Was he not wearing a shiny red fireman's hat?

For that, untold "hundreds of thousands of dollars" will be spent at taxpayer expense to go after Manalapan's High School principal, who, ironically, is now is on unpaid leave after his lawyer demanded to know da charges against his client.

DaTruth is, and this is from da Manalapan legal eagle's themselves, claiming their charges might be "perhaps, criminal in nature.” Note da word, "perhaps." "Perhaps" they are, "Perhaps" they are not. Here are some other questions to "perhaps" consider - Who "perhaps" directed the secretary to go through da office of da principal to locate alleged envelopes? Did these alleged envelopes actually "perhaps" exist? What "perhaps" was the status of the whistleblower claim made by da Principal against da secretary prior to "envelope-gate? How far did da "alleged investigation" into Simon really go? Who actually did da "investigation, who "perhaps" ordered it, and were actual crime-fighting investigators even "perhaps" involved? Did da board "perhaps" just take da word of employees who were either disciplined/and or whistelblew on?

Any lawyer will tall you it's not whether you are guilty or not - it's what you can prove. In this case, are the charges actually able to be proved against Principal Simon? Is da B of E's 120-minute closed-door meeting worth a six-figure taxpayer-funded investigation? Is it possible da B of E is either, knowingly or unknowingly, moving forward without all 100% of da facts proven in da allegations?

DaTruth is, we have seen in da last five years well-over six-figure taxpayer-funded lawsuits fought by da Township of Manalapan against daTruthSquad, against da Mosked Man, against da former Police Chief, and also ridicule heaped on Manalapan and da Manalapan-Freehold Board of Ed over "Diploma-Mill-Gate." Now, we have da principal of Manalapan High School facing charges, with allegations in part brought by someone he whistleblew on, and another he once reprimanded. There are too many questions indeed that are going unanswered, and those are just in this blog!

Now, to be fair, nobody is saying that da teacher and da secretary have done anything improper, and we will not be saying anything regarding that nor should we. What is being asked is - is da "evidence" that has been submitted bonafide, da character of da witnesses completely unquestionable, and is this a case that deserves to be given merit? Those are questions any lawyer representing a client would in all liklihood ask. Have those questions been asked?

Maybe it's time da state performed an impartial investigation into this. Otherwise, taxpayers could, "perhaps" be potentially on da hook for a six-figure fishing expedition.

Simon says - do da right thing and properly investigate this matter. Let daTruth be told.

And that's daTruth!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's another lawsuit in Manalapan. As a taxpayer I'm actually getting used to my local government spending hundreds of thousands each year on fishing expeditions. If we didn't have an annual witch hunt, I wouldn't think I lived in Manalapan.

Anonymous said...

I know Jeff Simon. What the Board of Ed is doing is reprehensible. This is a man who thinks only of the kids. For them to do this, with character assassination witnesses is beyond descency IMHO. At least Mrs. Sutera hasn't compromised her principles.

Anonymous said...

The law firm pressing on with this matter, Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein and Celso (SSE&C), was the same law firm that was involved in questionable advice to the Board. They are the same law firm that defended ex-Dr. Wasser and the other 4 employees by stating they had every right to retain their illegal doctorate degree (and extra stipend); they wanted to place Wasser in a low-show job without benefit of a state law required hearing; this is the same law firm that urged the Board to pursue anonymous bloggers on NJ.Com because they were critical of district operations; This is the same law firm, that unlawfully suspended without pay a teacher who was neither placed on tenure charges or was indicted by a grand jury. Yet, they got paid for all of these follies!!!

The BOE told the public they were getting rid of this law firm by accepting RFP's for another law firm--THEY LIED!!!

Its time to go to the BOE meeting this monday, and demand this law firm be showed the door.

Anonymous said...

If they can do this to Mr. Simon, they can do this to any teacher for any reason with or without credible evidence. Somebody needs to look into this further.

Anonymous said...

Simon Says, ANOTHER MANALPAN LAWSUIT!

Anonymous said...

I heard that Manalapan's representative Jennifer Sutera voted against the tenure proceedings against Simon. She was seen crying during the break. Did someone also threatened her?

Anonymous said...

http://www.llrx.com/features/pretexting.htm


cc: edelman firm

Anonymous said...

I don't know if Jennifer voted yes or no, but I do know she was insulted by an individual that obviously doesn't knoe the first rule of engagement....FACTS BEFORE ACTS!

Anonymous said...

the attorney representing the school board is named Edelstein. Larry EDELMAN is one of Fred Stone's co-defendants in the mutual fund scandal. Looks like Fred may have given himself away here.

TheTownFrightsBack said...

I applaud Mr. Simon for calling a real, honest and dedicated attorney to handle his case. Stuart Moskovitz has proved time and time again he can fight partisan politics and stand by the victims and win their cases. Kudos to Stuart for taking on another persecuted political victim.

Anonymous said...

stu sat right down and wrote himself another letter.

TheTownFallsDownDrunk said...

If Stu doesn't work out, I know a great lawyer who can do the job. Would an SEC violation hurt his chances?

TheRealTownFightsBack said...

Since I'm too cheap to have my own blog, I'm also officially changing my name to TheClownFightsBack!

Print this Squad, If you dare.

thebrownbitesblack said...

Stone is a great lawyer, and his settlement with the SEC is a distant memory, but Stone is admitted in NY and not in NJ. But I think Simon is better off with a lawyer who blogs anonymously, which enables Simon's case to be tried in the press.

TheTownsOnCrack said...

Can't wait to see what happens when Simon wins his lawsuit, thanks to Stu, and both he and Stu will be richer for it. Stu has beaten Shapiro and the Township Committee (more than once) so the Board of Ed should be easy.

TheClownFightsBack said...

I'd marry Stu Moskovitz if he didn't find me so repulsive.

Anonymous said...

"Stone is a great lawyer," Seriously? I don't think so. Check this out: http://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/33-8639.pdf

Does having your client end up paying $180,000,000 in fines because of your actions sound like a "great lawyer?" I think there's only one lawyer blogging anonymously, and he's not very good at it since we are all aware of his obsession with Stu and we are all aware of his personal history as an attorney. The color green may be good for the environment, but it's not good for an attorney "green with envy" as the anonymous blogger obviously is.

Anonymous said...

What makes no sense to me is according to both the DTS and the newspaper accounts, why was the secretary going through the principal's office, and is there actual proof about the envelopes of money even being in there? The case seems to be based on the accusations of two people the principal either reprimanded or accused of wrongdoing. I hope the school board really knows what they are doing, because if they're wrong Manalapan taxpayers will be on the hook for very big and unnecessary legal bills and settlements.

TheIdiot'sOnCrack said...

I tried on numerous occasions to send an email to The Town Fights Back in order to comment how I don't believe the Squad's blog is bad, and I never once received a reply.

Of course, when I sent an email saying he couldn't be more right, she sends back a note saying she's just posting for a friend and doesn't even live in Manalapan!

What an absolute hypocrite the Town is, paying someone to post messages of hate. Pathetic to say the least IMHO.

Anonymous said...

I had the same problem. It seems that the supression of freedom of speech is alive and well with The Town Fights Back. If you disagree with her, she never posts your comments. No wonder she has NO comments. Nobody agrees with her. "Pathetic" is a good word to describe her.