By JOSEPH KELLARD
Frank Nappi, a high school representative of the Oceanside Federation of Teachers, speaking on behalf of Mooney, said that on Thursday, June 21, outgoing athletic director Dave Zawatson delivered to her a formal letter from Superintendent Dr. Herb Brown¹s office stating that the district was not going to renew her contract for the following year. Mooney had nearly completed her second year teaching in Oceanside.
Teachers usually undergo a three-year probationary period before earning tenure, which would then make it much more difficult to dismiss them.
³Her dismissal, at best, is thinly justified,² said Nappi, who declined to reveal the particulars of the case. ³Each indiscretion cited by the school administration [was] precipitated by a dereliction in responsibility on the part of those same administrators, especially the school principal [Dorie Ciulla] and the athletic director [Dave Zawatson]. By that I mean, a failure on their part to supervise, guide and mentor a new and very promising young teacher. ...The way this was handled is just deplorable.²
Contacted last week, Dr. Brown and school board President Allenby Lyson said they are forbidden by law to discuss personnel matters. But Lyson did deny that she had been fired.
³She has not been let go,² said Lyson. ³The school board has not acted on it.² He added that if such a personnel issue would come up for board action, it would most likely be during the next regular board meeting, on July 23. But Lyson said he¹s not aware of it being on the board agenda.
Brown added, ³I have nothing to say about it. It¹s not appropriate.²
Zawatson did not return a call for comment.
A source who works in the district told the Herald that Mooney was dismissed because she allegedly failed to fulfill her responsibilities as advisor of an AIDS Awareness club, in which OHS students traveled to the middle school to talk with their younger peers.
Asked about this information, Nappi said, ³That was a minor part of this. There are other matters, too, but each one of those minor things certainly did not warrant dismissal. And [the district] certainly could have, if they felt any kind of concern, asked her back, as we requested, for another year, as a way of allaying any of their concerns. At that point, if something had happened that they did not want to, and they didn¹t ask her back, then that¹s fine. But to let someone go two days before the end of the school year, also is a little antithetical to how we like people to be treated.²
Jeff Lipton contrtibuted to this story. Comments about it? JKellard@Liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
