Below the surface
The hush-hush behind the Board
1: Ms. Ziegelbauer is pleading for student education. It is clear in Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D.pdf, page 11, Exhibit B, that Ms. Ziegelbauer is asking the superintendent, Mr. White, the length of periods. Ms. Ziegelbauer is fighting for an 8 period day of which the union seems reluctant. Ms. Ziegelbauer seems reluctant to accept the terms of the TTA (teacher’s union), she must not have won that battle because Ms. Ziegelbauer and Mr. Rickard both voted NO in accepting the new union contract. Could scheduling and class learning time be the heart at this issue?
2: Maybe Ms. Scariano was dismissed because of this investigation as her name is mentioned in Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D.pdf, page 15, Exhibit C, Ms. Ziegelbauer has written to Mr. Castricone and stated “Via our attorney, we made a request for an investigation to determine how you could have possibly learned about a question we asked in a confidential meeting with school staff regarding our daughter’s performance in a class in the 2020-2021 school year, which you turned into “me as Board President colluding with Nicole Scariano to change our child’s grade”. This could not have been further from the truth, but that’s what you led people to believe. But in the end, it got you the intended result, the board voted to drop the charges against you without even understanding what the specific charges were or what behaviors you exhibited that led to the charges.”
Ms. Scariano’s title during the school year of 2020-2021 was: Director of Student Services, then, Assistant Principal of Student Services, and then in early 2021 Acting Superintendent/High School Principal and would also serve as the alternate CSE/CPSE chairperson.
3: It must be that Ms. Ziegelbauer has a CSE student and grades must have been at the heart of this issue. The public should demand to know the components surrounding this scene. Were grades changed? Are grades changed due to CSE standing? I do know that if a student takes a regents exam, they pass if the grade is 65 and above. For a CSE student, they pass with a 55 and above, but there are caveat’s to that 55 pass.
4: Take note: Ziegelbauer Appeal.pdf, page 6, # 21. There seems to be loose lips within Tuxedo UFSD, especially within the CSE department. Was it Ms. Scariano and that is why she was dismissed, or was it another member in the CSE department or the Guidance Counselor? Maybe Ms. Scariano was dismissed because she knows more about this and it’s easier to get rid of her than not.
5: What ever became of the investigation Margaret Muenkel was involved in? It seems to have gone quietly away, most likely because it wasn’t in the favor of the board and in favor of Ms. Ziegelbauer. How much money was spent on that investigation that the tax payer is paying for? The public should request to hear more about this investigation, what were the roots and what were the results? Did that investigation have anything to do with Ms. Scariano?
Charges against Ms. Ziegelbauer
1: Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D.pdf, page 9, Exhibit A,
CHARGE I — OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT
In that on or about August 9, 2021, Dorothy Ziegelbauer revealed, without authorization, by email, confidential information about the District’s negotiations position in bargaining with the Tuxedo Teachers’ Association (“TTA”), that she learned of in a duly convened Board of Education executive session held on July 28, 2021. Such revelation was made to the TTA’s New York State United Teachers bargaining representative Carienn Broderick.
Was it really that confidential? It seems like it was an on-going topic between the union and the board, specifically about an 8 period day as opposed to what is currently being used.
2: Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D.pdf, page 9, Exhibit A,
CHARGE II — OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT
In that on or about September 15, 2021, Dorothy Ziegelbauer was issued a confidential report prepared by Board appointed investigator, Margaret Muenkel, regarding an alleged breach of confidential personally identifiable student information that was reviewed in executive session and to be collected back from each member of the Board to protect the privacy rights of those individuals identified in the Report. Ms. Ziegelbauer refused to return the report at the meeting and refuses to return the report to date.
Ms. Ziegelbauer’s attorney, Marion M. Walsh, states in document Ziegelbauer Appeal.pdf, if you read on page 7, #24, it is believed that there was no agreement to return Muenkel Report. In the document Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D.pdf, page 6, #20, it is stated that during the closed door hearing, on October 15, 2021, Superintendent of Schools, Jeffrey White said he was to read and return the Report, not to allow any Board Member to leave the meeting with a copy.
Everyone is going to have an opinion. Keep in mind, these are elected officials appointed to work for the benefit of educating our student population and protecting the tax payer and bottom dollar.
How much did it cost the tax payer for the initial investigation?
How much has this trial cost the tax payer thus far?
References:
Affirmation in Opposition to Stay Order – DSS – with exhibits A-D: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Affirmation-in-Opposition-to-Stay-Order-DSS-with-exhibits-A-D-1.pdf
Ziegelbauer Appeal: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ziegelbauer-Appeal.pdf
Appeal 21629 Letter: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Appeal-21629-Letter.pdf
Affidavit in Opposition to Stay Order Daniel Castricone: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Affidavit-in-Opposition-to-Stay-Order-Daniel-Castricone.pdf
Affidavit in Opposition to Stay Order Gary Lee Heavner with exhibits A-B: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Affidavit-in-Opposition-to-Stay-Order-Gary-Lee-Heavner-with-exhibits-A-B.pdf
TTA Union contract 2017-2021: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/TAA-Contract-7-1-17-to-6-30-21.pdf
TTA Union FINAL contract 2017-2021: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/TTAContractFINAL-2017-2021.pdf
MOA for new TTA Union contract: https://kbfortheboe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Signed-MOA-8-26-21.pdf