Saturday, October 27, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
School board member must face judge on son's principal's accusations
A Jersey City school board member
is to go before an administrative law judge on allegations that he attempted to
use his official position to benefit himself and his child due to a ruling by
the state School Ethics Commission.
The commission also found probable cause to believe Sterling
Waterman, the board’s vice president, involved himself directly in the
day-to-day operations of his son’s school, another alleged violation.
The panel tossed two other charges alleging misdeeds by
Waterman, saying it found no probable cause.
Waterman called the accusations “frivolous.”
His accuser, Terry Watkins-Williams, is the principal at School
16 on Sussex Street. Waterman’s youngest son is in fifth-grade at the school,
where he has been enrolled since pre-K.
Watkins-Williams claims Waterman repeatedly tried to intimidate
her, requested special favors, and ignored rules the school imposes on other
parents, according to the seven-page ruling.
The ruling details a number of Watkins-Williams’ claims,
including that Waterman “intentionally tries to unnerve her and harass her by
standing behind her for nearly 15 minutes at dismissal time,” instead of with
the other waiting parents.
The principal claims that in November 2011, Waterman demanded
his son attend an afterschool program without proper authorization, and began
to shout at Watkins-Williams when she wouldn’t allow it. That same month,
Waterman entered a meeting of principals and “stared at” Watkins-Williams, she
claims.
“Staring at someone are you joking?” Waterman said to The Jersey
Journal. “If that’s the best they can do, then come on with it.”
Waterman said the accusations are retaliation over his previous
battles with the principal.
A phone call to Watkins-Williams’ office at School 16 was not
returned.
New Jersey School Board Association spokesman Frank Belluscio
said once the School Ethics Commission forwards a complaint to an
administrative law judge, the judge will then preside over a hearing and make a
recommendation to state Education Commissioner Chris Cerf.
Cerf decides whether to reprimand, censure or suspend the
accused, or to remove the board member from office, according to Bellucio.
Waterman said he hopes his personal relationship with Cerf
doesn't color the commissioner's eventual decision. The two are former
colleagues.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
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