By Jeff Lipton
Petition filed to dismiss results of Hew-Wood rehab borrowing
A petition has been filed to dismiss the results of the June 20 vote approving a $22.6 million bond issue to rehabilitate the school buildings in Hewlett-Woodmere because of alleged questionable practices used to turn out the vote.
At issue is a letter by District 14 union leaders instructing staff members to phone parents of students from school, urging them to vote on the district-wide building improvement plan. The letter contained a confidential phone list of parents of Hewlett-Woodmere students. The petition contends that's an illegal practice and the June 20 vote should therefore be null and void.
Corinne Boni, president of the Citizens Committee of Hewlett-Woodmere, has filed the appeal with the State Commissioner of Education against the Hewlett-Woodmere school board, arguing that the vote results should be tossed out and demanding a re-vote. She also has urged the commissioner to put an end to the alleged long-standing practice of District 14 staff calling parents using these confidential phone lists. She added that a district employee reportedly said the practice of asking staff to call parents and encourage them to get out and vote has been in existence for at least 29 years.
In her appeal, Ms. Boni, a long-time adversary of the board who has opposed a number of bond issues, said the vote should be "invalidated" because the school board "engaged in several impermissible acts. Specifically, that staff and administration acknowledge routinely making partisan telephone calls to residents, improperly using district funds, facilities and resources to influence the June 20, 2000 bond vote with permission of the Board of Education."
She added that "partisan videotapes stressing needed repairs to the building were played in at least one school," the Franklin Early Childhood Center, to influence the outcome of the vote, with school board permission.
She asked the education commissioner for a stay of the June 20 bond vote, which school officials said has already been denied. District officials said they are moving ahead with the sale of the bond. The District 14 school board and administrators presented voters with an $85 million bond package on March 14. That bond was overwhelmingly defeated and a new, significantly pared-down bond costing $22.6 million was then placed on the ballot on June 20. The re-tooled bond passed by a vote of 984 to 856.
Days before the March 14 vote, a staff member at Franklin Early Childhood Center, who was upset over what was going on, handed Ms. Boni the union letter, she said. The letter, addressed "Dear Staff Members," and dated March 7, contained the logos from the Hewlett-Woodmere Administrative and Supervisory Association and the Hewlett-Woodmere Faculty Association.
The letter stated: "Here is a list of parents for you to call about the Bond Vote. Call on Monday March 13 or Tuesday March 14 from school as we have permission to do so." The letter then provided staff members with a phone script of what to say: "...I am a staff member in the Hewlett-Woodmere School district. I am calling to encourage you to vote on district-wide building improvement plan for our schools on Tuesday, March 14. This is an important plan for our students and our schools..."
Ms. Boni said that if this practice occurred before the March 14 vote, odds are it probably took place before the June 20 ballots were cast as well. She said the letter infuriated her and decided the best route for her to take was to file an appeal with the commissioner's office.
"Taken altogether, these practices are illegal, improper and partisan and can only be construed as meant to skew voter reaction," Ms. Boni said. "No parent should feel that their children's records are being used to get them to vote 'the board's way.'"
Others were also upset that staff members were encouraged to place calls on school days from school buildings.
"I think that every minute the staff has to facilitate the education of children, to facilitate the development of programs, it should be used in that direction," said Dr. Bonnee Linden, who is not a district resident but whose office is located on West Broadway in Hewlett and has been assisting Ms. Boni in her efforts. "If they have any extra time, it should not be used to call parents. I feel that if they don't vote the board's way, it should not be taken out on the children. It's all about the children and the best use of time for the staff.
"And it's illegal electioneering to do it on school grounds," she added.
In his affidavit school board president Richard Braverman said, "The board has always encouraged all citizens to vote on all district matters. Therefore, it supports any effort by district staff to get voters to come to the polls.
"However, at no time during my period of service on the board has the board ever authorized, requested or demanded that district employees communicate with voters either on or off school time, in order to influence them in the way they vote."
When reached on the phone, Mr. Braverman said, "I am very sad because what it does, obviously, it requires the district to expend a considerable amount of money for legal fees for no reason. By the time it is finished, there will be a lot of money coming right out of our children's education. It is a pity that we have to waste money in this way."
Dr. Charles Fowler, District 14 superintendent, said, "To the best of my knowledge no one within the school district did anything that is contrary to state law or regulation"
Both Mr. Braverman and Dr. Fowler said they doubted the commissioner would rule in Ms. Boni's favor.
Ms. Boni said the vote should be thrown out because of the "improper and partisan use of district resources, staff and funds...Encouraging residents to vote by telephoning parents during school hours or by staff on personal time, using restricted and confidential student records, constitutes improper advocacy and resulted in a record low voter turn out which vitiates the fundamental fairness of the vote."
The commissioner is not expected to rule on Ms. Boni's petition for several weeks.
