A Successful Reform Agenda?

The Gallon and Plainfield saga is a classic case of local politics and its impact on educational systems serving students who are the furthest behind and have the greatest needs. Based on court documents read that were filed by Gallon’s attorney to the State in defense of tenure charges brought against him by the new Board majority,   “Dr. Gallon arrived committed to providing stability, accountability, and leadership to a district that had experienced a revolving door of superintendents in recent years and had languished academically in its failure to provide an effective, thorough, and efficient education to its students.”

The political demonizing of Gallon during this BOE elections is troubling. One mailer went over the top in characterizing him considering that the Board that selected Gallon went to great lengths to find and hire a quality educational leader and ensure that his background was properly checked. Gallon’s attorney further supports this by stating that Dr. Gallon’s “selection and hiring process required a comprehensive background check that included a review of his criminal history, education, work experience, driving history, credit and finances, a community site visit to his former district, and a media background check. Dr. Gallon successfully met all requirements of this screening which finally included fingerprinting, a medical examination, and a drug screening.”

Gallon seemingly arrived to Plainfield with much fanfare and after a sustained, stable career as a teacher, assistant principal, elementary and high school principal, and district administrator. They had in their new superintendent a published author of several books and one who had served as a university Professor of Educational Leadership, preparing prospective students for school leadership positions. By all accounts, Dr. Gallon seemed to be type of leadership that a failing district such as Plainfield needed---young, well educated, charismatic, energetic, and proven. A review of his experiences in Miami-Dade County shows that he was assigned to some of the most challenging schools, leaving a documented track record of success in student achievement and community involvement.

His formula and approach for improving schools as he had done for nearly twenty years in Miami-Dade seem to had been working and paying great dividends to the Plainfield School District. Noted among his achievements reported in court documents, state reports and the local media, who initially embraced him as Plainfield’s educational messiah, included the development of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan with accountability measures, the launching of K-8 Centers, the creation of a School for the Arts and Advanced Studies, Districtwide Mandatory Student Uniforms, increased community involvement and access through Town Hall Meetings, and the development of an evaluation system for administrators. Based on a State Quality Schools Accountability Continuum (QSAC) Report, principals and district administrators, though required by law, had not been evaluated for nearly four years prior to Gallon’s arrival. This resulted in many earning what has now become highly controversial tenure rights although never having their performance properly evaluated.  I read a recent blog which indicated since Gallon's departure principals again have not been evaluated as required by law. I will look into this further.

After only one year, Gallon’s initiatives and approach had shown improvements in the district and according to many, gained positive attention at the State level. In his first year, he had increased student enrollment, student attendance, grant dollars, the graduation rate, and courses and programs for gifted and honors students. Audit findings at the district level had decreased from 37 to 5 over the course of his tenure. Gallon inherited a high school that had been labeled the State only persistently dangerous and a district that had been classified “In Need of Improvement” for several years under the federal guidelines of No Child Left Behind Act. Both labels would be removed from the district after only 18 months of Gallon’s leadership as Plainfield’s Superintendent of Schools. There would also be double-digit gains in each of the five QSAC categories, with Curriculum which had scored the lowest---a sad 8%---realizing the highest gain. This was an area that curren BOE Member Wilma Campbell was listed as the Committee Chairperson for the past several years.

There has been no debate about Gallon’s positive impact on the educational programs for students and operations of the district, and his unique ability to lead. His efforts to lead a positive reform agenda had proven successful. It has been said among certain inner circles that he refused to play "political ball" with old and new power brokers in Plainfield and at the BOE.  

For a district that was seemingly headed in the right direction in its overall operations and education of its students, many are still left to ponder want went wrong. Most have resigned themselves to the sad reality that this episode is just another chapter in the book of New Jersey Politics, and even sadder, the persistent problems in the City of Plainfield, New Jersey.

GRAND SLAM REDUX-WHAT NOW?

The low voter turnout in the Plainfield School Board elections resulted in another sweep by what is becoming infamously known as the Grand Slam Team. This slate headed by Board Member Wilma Campbell has become the power broker of the Plainfield Board of Education since they launched their successful campaign to oust former Superintendent of Schools Steve Gallon and incumbent Board members Martin Cox and Christian Estevez. Even though we are now learning a year later that that the rhetoric about Gallon and his leadership was more smoke than mirrors, the damage seems to already be done the district and our students.

Yesterday's sweep and recent ouster of incumbent Board Member Lenny Cathcart was fueled by more negative campaigning and lies. I will posting more about the facts in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. Their sweep was also fueled by voter apathy and a biased media in the name of the Courier News. Jay Jefferson's Cooke editorial is an example of why readers and subscribers to the Courier News has been reduced by over fifty percent over the past several years. His all out assault on Cathcart seem childish and personal. Cathcart may even wise to consult an attorney to see if Cooke's views are libelous or the Courier's bias crosses the lines of an unfair political endorsement. Further his reference to Gallon over nearly a year ago seems to be sign of desperation in holding on to a person who is long gone and whose educational work was among the best the district had ever witnessed.

Anyway, have things gotten better in the Queen City when it comes to educating students? That is the main question.

Scores have been at the bottom for years. So if it is time to sweep the "slate" clean of incumbents and start anew, Board Member Wilma Campbell who also headed Curriculum since arriving on the Board should be viewed with skepticism. There are major budget problems and many of the positive initiatives of Gallon seemed to have gone by the wayside.

As for Cathcart, many have described him as a caring and sincere Plainfielder who has dedicated his life to the children in this community. I guess his defeat last night is another sign that champions for children no longer have a place in the Plainfield Board of Education. Many I have spoken with share that the new agenda is contracts for lawyers, jobs and promotions for friend, and punishment for enemies.

Was Gallon the Victim of Selective Prosecution?

Selective Prosecution?

Selective Prosecution happens when a criminal prosecution is brought at the discretion of a prosecutor rather than as a matter of course in the normal functioning of the prosecuting authority's office. To many, it seemed that the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office would have hinged on selective prosecution if they had pursued the charges against Gallon, Kemp, an Kelly.

The answer as to why the State decided to even consider charges against Gallon, Kemp, and Kelly, making it the first known case in New Jersey to ever result in an arrest and attempt to prosecute persons for a school enrollment issue may never be known. Though the attorneys for the defendants called it an “aberration” and had planned to vigorously defend the charges, Kemp and Kelly were initially provided access to the State Intervention option but Gallon was denied. Thomas Ashley, Gallon’s high-powered Newark attorney filed an Appeal to the denial. An argument to the appeal was never heard in court and Gallon was provided the option without any explanation from the State.

The fact that Gallon, who was embroiled in a bitter battle with a newly elected School Board majority that campaigned publicly on a platform to get rid of him, yet reached a settlement in which he was paid over $100,000.00 is even more troubling and further calls into question how local and possibly state politics are played at the expense of children in one of New Jersey’s most neediest and troubled districts. The new Board majority after only one week in office took action to remove Superintendent Gallon from office. This action along with the actions of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office call into question the real motives around the Gallon saga. Were they working together? Were in local or state politicians involved?

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office on one end should be applauded for not wasting tax payer’s dollars on what seemed to had been an already resolved, victimless matter. However, the question still looms as to the reason that arrests were made and charges were even considered against the trio in the first place. These are questions that may remain unanswered and left to speculation, rumor, or innuendo. People will continue to ask whether the matter was fueled by politics, power, racism, or a combination of the three.

The Decline of Plainfield Schools

I am a community member in Plainfield, New Jersey. I am concerned about the way politics have destroyed our community. We continueto be robbed and destroyed by politics.

I am going to start posts about the Plainfield school district which has been on the decline for years. We began to see some positive changes the last few years with Superintendent Steve Gallon. But we know how that ended or do we?

I will be sharing public information about this saga that seemed to have been totally ignored by the local bloggers and media, especially the Courier News.

Stay Tuned and Welcome to my New Blog. I hope you find it informative.

Charges to be Dismissed Against Former Plainfield Schools Superintendent Steve Gallon and

Former Schools Superintendent Steve Gallon will not be prosecuted by Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office according to a resolution reached in Middlesex Superior Court on January 31, 2011 in New Brunswick. Those who were following this saga and anxiously waiting for it to unfold in a court room need not wait any longer. The State will not seek to have the matter heard before a Grand Jury. As a result, the charges against him will be dismissed through a State Intervention option in which Gallon’s plea of not guilty to charges involving two children attending school while reportedly residing with him at his South Plainfield residence will still remain on the record according to Superior Court Judge James F. Mulvihill.

Tuition for the few months that the students attended the school was paid at least four months before charges were ever brought against the former superintendent and his co-defendants, Angela Kemp and Lalelia Kelly. Both Kemp and Kelly were two former high-ranking Plainfield district administrators who joined Gallon from Florida when he was appointed Superintendent of the 6,000 student school district in July 1, 2008.

Because of its Tuition Agreement with the two parents, the South Plainfield School district did not bring charges against Gallon, Kemp, and Kelly. The neighboring district, which had been virtually silent through the entire ordeal, never filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Education’s Office.

Most, if not all such cases are directed and handled for resolution through the New Jersey Department of Education. Cases that do not get resolved in the parent’s favor at the Commissioner’s level usually result in an assessment for the payment of tuition being levied against the parents for the cost of educating their child. Even if an allegation of fraud is proven in such matters, according to State law, school cases involving allegations of fraudulent student enrollment are considered Disorderly Persons Offense and are handled at the Municipal Court level.

Nothwithstanding the Tuition Agreement between the parents and South Plainfield, the arrests of the three accused in this case raised more questions than answers.