Former Wayne School Administrator Awarded $300,000 in Lawsuit Against Board Of Education: Report

A former Wayne Public Schools administrator was awarded $300,000 by a jury this week after she sued the district, alleging she was terminated after she blew the whistle on the mistreatment of administrators by school board members, political appointments, and nepotism, The Record reported.

The state Superior Court jury found 6-2 that Pat Brown-Kneisel proved the Wayne Public School District and the Board of Education wrongfully transferred her and eliminated her position in retaliation for the whistleblowing, the report stated. She was the director of human resources from 2009 and 2011. Her position as coordinator of community programs for the Wayne Adult School was not renewed for the 2012-13 school year because the board closed the adult school.

Also in a 6-2 ruling, the jury decided that Brown-Kneisel did not prove that she suffered any emotional distress as a result of the incident and awarded her no money on that count, the report said. However, it ruled 8-0 that she is entitled to an award of back-pay damages totaling $300,000.

As the board’s human resources representative, she had objected to what she claimed was teacher over-staffing, illegal discussion of staff members’ jobs without properly notifying them, and board members’ alleged mistreatment of administrative personnel, according to the lawsuit, the report stated.

Brown-Kneise also allegedly claimed a board member used her position to get tutoring for her child, the report said. She was told that “shortly after” the email, she was notified that her position would not be renewed.