By MIKE CAPUTO
Without specifying a reason, DeVito filed a letter with the district on June 11, and said the resignation was effective immediately. She did not appear at the school board work session that evening.
When reached by the Herald, DeVito declined comment, and did not elaborate on her decision.
DeVito was elected to the school board in May 2008 with Trustee Al Semonella. She leaves the school board with two years left on her three-year term.
DeVito, an East Meadow resident for about 10 years, is an administrator with the New York City Department of Education, and is an active volunteer with the non-profit organization Horseability.
In the meetings leading up to her resignation, DeVito expressed a desire to hire an outside search firm to conduct the district's third attempt at finding new superintendent.
The school board has the option to appoint a member to fill the newly vacated seat. Board officials said discussions about a possible appointment have not yet been held.
Currently, six school board seats are filled. It takes four affirmative votes for a motion to pass.
Kushners reinstated as eleciton inspectors
In a rare move, the East Meadow school board decided at its June 11 work session to reverse its decision to remove Robert and Edith Kushner from their role as district election inspectors.
The couple was ousted from their post on May 18, the night before the school budget vote and trustee elections were to take place.
Board members who initially supported the removal expressed concern that the Kushners could break electioneering laws by lobbying for candidates inside the polling place. That vote passed 4-2.
The Kushners had been inspectors for the Nassau Board of Elections for about 40 years and had been serving a similar role for the district for more than a decade. Robert Kushner is also a former school board member who served for 18 years.
Rothschild-Kaplan, who originally voted to remove the couple from the list of approved election inspectors, introduced the resolution to overturn the board's previous decision. It passed 5-0, as Steven Jacobs was absent because of a death in his family and DeVito's seat was vacated because of her resignation.
"It takes some courage to admit an error and I know that there was a miscarriage of justice initially and the Kushners were victims of that injustice," said Superintendent Leon Campo, who opposed the board's decision to remove the Kushners from their post. "And unless it was corrected by those who brought it about, I know of no other remedy."
Within the resolution, Rothschild-Kaplan admitted that she made an error, and apologized to the Kushners.
"Quite frankly, I believed that the rules of electioneering meant that one could not be actively involved in the campaign for certain people for election to the Board and then be object on the day the votes were counted," Rothschild-Kaplan said. "The vote on June 18,
2009 wasn't against the Kushners for anything personal, but for what I understood to be a violation of the laws and the rules of impartiality."
The Kushners were not present at last week's work session, and were not aware about the vote until they received a call from a friend over the weekend.
"We are absolutely elated, this completely vindicates us and restores our rights as citizens to exercise our choice of candidates," Robert Kushner said. "We never did anything wrong, we never electioneered - we did our job and we are happy and pleased to do it for the community.
"We hold no grudges at all," he added, "and we thank Abby, whom we have known for many years, for her apology and accept it graciously."
Readers can view the full text of the resolution online scrolling to the end of the posted article at www.liherald.com.
Meeting moved up to address superintendent vacancy
The school board moved up its work session to this week to address one agenda item: the vacant superintendent position.
With the contract to expire on June 30 for interim superintendent and retiring longtime administrator Leon Campo, the board is expected to make progress on what has become a stalled search for a new leader for the district.
"I think this will be a good chance to get the ball rolling," said Brian O'Flaherty, president of the East Meadow school board.
The meeting was scheduled for Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Campo Salisbury Center.
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
Resolution
To: my fellow board members
From: Abby Rothschild-Kaplan
Date: June 11, 2009
"I recently asked the Board of Education to removed Mr. and Mrs. Kushner from the list of election inspectors because they engaged in electioneering during the campaign of seats on the school board.
Quite frankly, I believed that the rules of electioneering meant that one could not be actively involved in the campaign for certain people for election to the Boards and then be objective on the day the votes were to be counted. The vote on June 18, 2009 wasn't against the Kushners for anything personal, but for what I understood to be a violation of the laws and the rules of impartiality. Although it has taken me a bit of time, after talking with a number of knowledgeable people, I realize that I was wrong in my opinion and therefore wrong in my actions. What I thought to be common sense and fair play is not supported by the law.
It is clear that other election inspectors were also active in the current campaign and now I know they have a right to be involved. Electioneering, as I now understand it, involves bringing the campaign in some way inside the election place or within 100 feet of it.
It is important for me to admit my error, apologize to both Mr. and Mrs. Kushner and to ask the Board of Education to reinstate these individuals as election inspectors in good standing. I wish I could take back my actions, which were based on my own misunderstanding, but I cannot. However, in addition to my apology, I can and am asking my fellow Board members to reinstate the Kushners as election inspectors. Your support in this action to correct an error is appreciated."
Motion: Abby Rothschild-Kaplan
Second: Walter Skinner
Vote:
Yes: 5
No:0
Absent: Steven Jacobs
Motion carried.
