Press Release 9/16/14

PERTH AMBOY – On September 11, 2014, NBC News aired a story regarding a former substitute teacher involved in an illegal relationship with a student in the 2012-13 school year.

A parent and board member interviewed alleged that the Perth Amboy School District did nothing to protect this student and that two high school vice principals provided the Court with supportive letters for his sentencing. The Board of Education vehemently denies these allegations and would never condone acts that are illegal or harmful to children. In early 2013 when this incident came to light, the District protected the student by immediately notifying the police and child protection authorities. This release provides the accurate facts and seeks to correct the recently reported inaccuracies.

The news story failed to report that one of those letters was a job reference written before the substitute teacher was accused. The other letter was written by a former administrator who showed poor judgment in supporting the former substitute. At the time, the District had no ability to predict or control these unknown acts by staff or former staff or the subsequent use of said letters in the criminal Court action. The District also fervently rejects the positions and statements taken by an individual member of the Board who has orchestrated the publicity surrounding this issue despite the fact that he has no legal authority to speak on behalf of the full Board before the press or in any other forum. The District will take the appropriate and necessary action with respect to the transgressions of this board member at the appropriate time. Regardless of the effort to revisit resolved issues to cast us in a negative light, the District will continue to focus on the goal of improving the lives of Perth Amboy students, funding effective programs, building a new high school, reducing class sizes and providing our students with a quality education.