This is NOT an official statement from the Suffern Central School District Board. For the record these are personal statements we received from three board members. As always we welcome and publish different viewpoints.
“The suspension of Dr. Adams by the Board of Education last evening pending a hearing on
certain charges against him had nothing to do with his Petition to the Commissioner of
Education to remove the Board President, as those charges were prepared before he filed his
case with the Commissioner,” said Board Vice President Angus MacKenzie. “The second
Commissioner’s appeal filed by Dr. Adams seeks a determination from the Commissioner
regarding the rights and duties of the Superintendent of Schools and to deem null and void
resolutions passed by the Board of Education at its February 5, 2019 meeting to appoint a
special auditor and permitting the president of the Board of Education to sign a cross contract
with BOCES. With respect to this matter as well, the Board of Education had been kept in the dark and certain processes that were expected to have occurred apparently did not,” according to MacKenzie. “The Board was hopeful that Superintendent Adams would forge a harmonious relationship with the Board this school year. Instead, however, we have experienced the fostering of divisiveness and an executive trying to usurp the Board’s authority,” said MacKenzie.
“For months, Superintendent Adams kept the Board in the dark regarding matters essential to performing our fiduciary duties,” said Board Member Melissa Reimer. “As elected officials, the voters of the Suffern CSD have entrusted us to protect the district’s children and taxpayers. That is exactly what we are doing,” said Reimer.
During the past year, the Board of Education has questioned Dr. Adams regarding matters central to the safety and well-being of certain students in the Middle School and High School with respect to allegations of wrongful conduct against them by a school district pedagogical employee.
The Board of Education has been asked to reveal the charges that have been brought against
the Superintendent of Schools. Out of respect for his privacy rights and consistent with our
protocols, we will not reveal the content of charges until they are finally adjudicated. However,
Dr. Adams is free to release that information to the public.
“We hope to get this District back on track and ask that there be support from everyone in the
school community for Acting Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Castaldo, in the weeks to come,” said
Board President, Dr. Amany Dgheim.
