Wednesday, July 6, 2016

SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALLED FOR THURSDAY ON CHS BASEBALL COACH INVESTIGATION FINDINGS

The Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Thursday expected to include a closed session where the board will receive the investigative report on alleged bullying by Columbia High School baseball coach Joe Fischetti.

The meeting agenda can be found HERE and states only that the board will adjourn into closed session to consider, "H.I.B (harassment, intimidation and bullying), personnel and legal issues."

But it appears the months-long investigation into claims against Fischetti, which began in February, will be presented to the board in closed session by Leroy Seitz, the Parsippany-Troy Hills superintendent who was hired to conduct the investigation.

You may recall that the district hired Seitz on Feb. 26 to review its own investigation that had found Fischetti allowed harassment and bullying of at least two former players. 

Seitz was paid $5,000.

Despite that, and a lawsuit filed by one of the former players, the school board on Feb. 22 voted to re-appoint Fischetti as coach this past season by a 6-3 vote. Board members Johanna Wright, Chris Sabin and Elizabeth Baker voted against the re-appointment.

At the same meeting, Ramos announced that an outside investigator would be brought in to review the findings. It was later revealed that investigator was Seitz.

Ramos said then it would take two to four weeks. But it has dragged on for more than four months.

Thursday's meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the board offices, 525 Academy St. and will include a public comment portion prior to the closed session.

There was no notice given for the special meeting on the main district website or emails sent to any parents or residents as is done with other events. The only notice was the agenda being posted on the board's agenda page. 

Ramos announced at the June 20 board meeting that the investigation would take at least two more weeks. At the end of that meeting, Board President Baker also noted a special meeting was likely.

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