Letter to Mayor on what to do about Paul Ruseau and the School Committee

 1,694,829 @ 7:15 pm
1,694,700 @ 4:45 pm
1,694,644 @ 2:53 pm Saturday 9-12-2020

Residents, What is Statute for Convicted Felon on School Committee?

Sat, Sep 12 at 2:50 PM

Mayor Lungo-Koehn

Chair of the Medford School Committee

489 Winthrop St, Medford, MA 02155

Number of students: 1,413 (2017–2018)

To say there's a lack of transparency regarding Paul Ruseau's felony conviction(s?) - a story that this investigative reporter's blog scooped the press on - is an understatement.

Equally troubling this week is the use by Mr. Ruseau of the "F" word (all four letters) on Facebook when, purportedly, Ruseau stated at the last school committee meeting that

students are not allowed to use vulgarities.  Isn't that a state law?

Whether or not it is - WHAT is the oath of office for a school committee person and is there a contract which contains language regarding moral turpitude?

The problem with Mr. Ruseau is that he does not lead by example.   Given the suspicious and questionable members of the Medford City Council, the Brady-listed police officers at MPD, and the DPW's sullied

reputation, when is Medford going to get its act together?   Start with the school and resolve this Ruseau situation.

HOW DID THE STORY COME TO LIGHT?

My guess is that someone was upset enough about the vote on the Columbus School that they tipped me off via U.S. Mail and - voila - here we are.  An attorney as Chair of the School Committee

should know the law better than a reporter.

Enclosed is an article on the chair of the Melrose committee being a convicted felon; Massachusetts General Law Section 37H - Policies relative to conduct of teachers or students; student handbooks

and a look at an article reporting on a Florida school board.

CHAIR OF THE MELROSE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IS CONVICTED FELON

Ed O’Connell, Chair

ADDRESS: 20 Cleveland Street
PHONE: 781-854-2903
E-MAIL: eoconnell@cityofmelrose.org https://www.melroseschools.com/district-home/school-committee/pages/meet-committee

 

CONVICT RUNS FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN MELROSE, 2013

Check out this 2013 story in WickedLocal/Melrose

By Jessica Sacco/ jsacco@wickedlocal.com Posted Oct 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM

A Melrose man isn’t letting his past criminal conviction stop him from campaigning for local office.

Edward J. O’Connell is on probation after serving seven months in prison for stealing more than $1.5 million during his time as an attorney in Boston and Cambridge. He is a candidate for the School Committee in Melrose.

He was disbarred on Sept. 18, 2003 (effective Oct. 18, 2003) for his crimes. The case was referred to the Attorney General’s Office, and soon after, O’Connell was indicted on the criminal charges.

O’Connell said he’s been forthcoming about his past and is aware of the potential ramifications it could have on his run for public office. However, he thinks most people in Melrose believe in giving second chances.

The naysayers or anyone looking for an easy way to dismiss my candidacy will say, ‘look at this, we can’t have this guy on the School Committee,’” he said. “I think it’s shortsighted and narrow-minded. I would say to people that it happened. I have to own it. I have to take responsibility for it, but my conviction is behind me, not ahead of me.”

Mayor Rob Dolan and Superintendent Cyndy Taymore declined to comment on the issue.   https://www.wickedlocal.com/x511632454/Melrose-School-Committee-candidate-addresses-past-felonies

_____________________________________________________

MASS STATE LAW STATES

Section 37H: Policies relative to conduct of teachers or students; student handbooks

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter71/Section37H

Section 37H. The superintendent of every school district shall publish the district's policies pertaining to the conduct of teachers and students. Said policies shall prohibit the use of any tobacco products within the school buildings, the school facilities or on the school grounds or on school buses by any individual, including school personnel. Said policies shall further restrict operators of school buses and personal motor vehicles, including students, faculty, staff and visitors, from idling such vehicles on school grounds, consistent with section 16B of chapter 90 and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and by the department. The policies shall also prohibit bullying as defined in section 37O and shall include the student-related sections of the bullying prevention and intervention plan required by said section 37O. Copies of these policies shall be provided to any person upon request and without cost by the principal of every school within the district.

_________________________________________________________

The state of Florida's office of the attorney general appears to remove board members of PUBLIC school boards if they have a felony on their record.  For private schools it is a bit tricky.

FLORIDA

Florida lawmakers made modest changes to rules that govern private schools that take state scholarships, or vouchers. But they don't prevent some schools from hiring teachers with felony convictions.

Shanqual Marshall-Gunn, banned from teaching in Florida public schools because of a Medicaid fraud conviction, was hired by a private school in Pine Hills a month after her release from prison in 2016.

She's still teaching at Winners Primary School, where she was recently recognized at a "rising stars" reception for private school employees and students in Orange County.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-felon-exceptional-teacher-20180320-story.html

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1001/Sections/1001.42.html

 (6) STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL, AND SCHOOL OFFICERS.—Adopt policies establishing standards of ethical conduct for instructional personnel, administrative personnel, and school officers. The policies must require all instructional personnel, administrative personnel, and school officers, as defined in s. 1012.01, to complete training on the standards; establish the duty of instructional personnel, administrative personnel, and school officers to report, and procedures for reporting, alleged misconduct by other instructional or administrative personnel and school officers which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student, including misconduct that involves engaging in or soliciting sexual, romantic, or lewd conduct with a student; require the district school superintendent to report to law enforcement misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators that would result in disqualification from educator certification or employment as provided in s. 1012.315; and include an explanation of the liability protections provided under ss. 39.203 and 768.095. A district school board, or any of its employees, may not enter into a confidentiality agreement regarding terminated or dismissed instructional or administrative personnel or school officers who resign in lieu of termination, based in whole or in part on misconduct that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student, and may not provide instructional personnel, administrative personnel, or school officers with employment references or discuss the personnel’s or officers’ performance with prospective employers in another educational setting, without disclosing the personnel’s or officers’ misconduct. Any part of an agreement or contract that has the purpose or effect of concealing misconduct by instructional personnel, administrative personnel, or school officers which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student is void, is contrary to public policy, and may not be enforced.
(7) DISQUALIFICATION FROM EMPLOYMENT.—Disqualify instructional personnel and administrative personnel, as defined in s. 1012.01, from employment in any position that requires direct contact with students if the personnel are ineligible for such employment under s. 1012.315. An elected or appointed school board official forfeits his or her salary for 1 year if:

(a) The school board official knowingly signs and transmits to any state official a report of alleged misconduct by instructional personnel or administrative personnel which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student and the school board official knows the report to be false or incorrect; or

(b) The school board official knowingly fails to adopt policies that require:

 

Medford wants to know what Medford is going to do, either decision.  This is of great public interest, so the high school AND city hall need to both step up to the plate and make an announcement

Joe Viglione