Ethic Charges and The Union Boss at the West Orange Board of Education

I will start off my by stipulating that I am not huge fans of the way Megan Brill and Laura Lab in regard to how they run things at the West Orange Board of Education from a policy and fiscal perspective.  In fact, I lost a board of education election to Laura Lab and I lost two school board elections to Megan Brill. What may surprise certain people is that despite the election losses, I view both Mrs. Brill and Mrs. Lab as ethical individuals.

Thus, the ethic charge brought against them were troublesome.  I have refrained from making significant public communications on the charges as the adjudication process was on going.  Now the ethic charges are resolved and fully adjudicated, I can communicate about it publicly with out fear of impacting the process.

Mr. Nicolas Galante, a recently retired West Orange Teacher and Leader of West Orange Teachers Union filed ethics charge against Ms. Brill and Mrs. Lab.  When push came to shove and a hearing to substantiate the charges against Lab and Brill came before and administrative law judge, Mr. Galante withdrew the charges.  

As a result of the charges being made and subsequently withdrawn the West Orange taxpayers were burdened with legal fees.  Also, two basically good individuals needless and unfairly had their reputations tarnished.  The board education had to focus on ethic charges, instead of focusing on educational and fiscal issues.

At this point Mr. Galante could do the honorable thing repay the taxpayers for the legal cost at issue. He could offer a public apology to Ms. Brill and Mrs. Lab. However, from what I know about the union boss it is very unlikely that he will fund the school board for the cost of the mess, he made, form his own pocket nor is it likely that he will offer a public apology.

An other unfortunate thing about this situation with the ethic charges is that good and ccompetent people who might want to run for board of education and thus perform some admirable service for the community at no salary are scared off by and will not run for school board as a result.

Mr. Galante received a salary and benefits from the taxpayers for forty-three years. Furthermore, he will receive a pension and health insurance for the rest of his life from the taxpayers.  Maybe despite his tenor as a union boss, he should show a little respect and gratitude towards the taxpayers and the individuals who serve the community on the board of education for zero in salary.