Continued Subterfuge

ABG has just recently discovered that the suspension of a Woodlands teacher accused of alleged inappropriate conduct may not be true. Our sources informed us that the issue was over a grade the student received from the teacher who works/worked at the school. We have yet to be able to verify this information with theGreenburgh Central School District Board or Superintendent Chase. And if it truly was over a grade, why the subterfuge? Didn’t we have enough of that during the school consolidation proposal that was overwhelmingly defeated by a 2-to-1 vote?

You’ll recall that the teacher who works at Woodlands Middle/High School in Hartsdale, was placed on leave on Thursday, April 4. Greenburgh Central School District Superintendent Tahira A. DuPree Chase said in a statement, "The matter has been referred to the proper authorities, including the Greenburgh Police Department. However, please know that the District places the utmost importance on our students’ safety and well-being and that all of our actions in this matter have been for the purpose of ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of our students," she added. But was safety really the issue?

The superintendent went on to say that while many may have questions, she cannot provide further comment as this was turned over to law enforcement and that it is a personnel and student matter. We see another executive session in the School Board’s future. As you know, they usually adjourn to executive session in the middle of their Board meetings, leaving those taxpayers from the public in attendance for up to an hour wondering if they will return and continue. Executive sessions are primarily used to discuss personnel issues. And, while we find the Town Board's meetings reprehensibly convoluted to the public they supposedly serve, at least they hold their executive sessions at the end of their meetings - especially when the audience is in a particularly hostile or disagreeable mood based on the Board’s actions.

The Greenburgh School District recently came under fire for almost secretly crafting a scheme to allow the current school buildings to deteriorate to further their agenda of creating a unified, one-location Warburg campus where the Woodlands High School campus now exists. On top of being derelict in executing their required duties, they rebuff claims that they put the children's lives in jeopardy. Yet their plan was touted by the School Board and Administration as necessary because the new classrooms would affect the students’ learning performance. If that were really true, then well-maintained classrooms would have been vital. 

During this gestation period, we viewed classrooms in several similarly aged schools, such as Sacred Heart in Hartsdale, Pocantico Hills Central School in Pocantico Hills to find condition similarities to the Greenburgh schools. When it comes to student safety, we were told that the NYS Board of Education has safety standards that have to be met but that the Greenburgh schools were deficient. If this is the case, obviously these standards are simply recommendations. Otherwise, wouldn’t the NYS Board of Education intervene and make sure these safety standards were being met? Isn’t it always about the children?

Legacy dreams were openly discussed by the Superintendent and long-time Board members later on as resistance to their dream grew. Perhaps that was the issue all along: the dreams of the few were pushed regardless of the requests many people made, asking to slow the bus down and provide answers that had to be acquired elsewhere. It seemed they even "doubled-down" as opposition grew. An example at one of the meetings was made of a superintendent who made changes to his district from the west coast. Dr Chase said that person was his own "brand" when it came to the transformation he was able to perform. It seems as though Dr Chase might be trying to create her own brand - not for anything as noble as the children, the taxpayers she answers to or anything else.

During the entire discovery of, and resultant exposing of the consolidation plan that had been kept well-hidden from the taxpaying public and the information people requested, the questions that remained unanswered and the lacking nature of the presentations and subterfuge ultimately led to the downfall of the proposal. The fact that we saw the same Board members speaking out in favor of the proposition and one Board member violating the law and illegally sending an email pushing the proposal only later to apologize to say he used the wrong email account speaks volumes. Those Board members not in attendance speaks volumes as well. Now we wonder if the suspension of this teacher has to do with something else going on that we’re not being told. Security at the schools has been increased and their security programs have been reviewed by other school districts according to Superintendent Chase. Was this really a safety issue or an excuse to address a personnel issue of a different nature?

Our school district seems in turmoil and begging for real leadership, accountability and results. While teaching Mandarin and STEAM/STEM classes may be all the rage, getting our students English and Math proficiency up from 35% should be a priority. Truthfulness, openness, and a willingness to improve the buildings we own, improve the education our students receive and work with the community to effect a competent change should be their agenda. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh School District.