Rescuing Highville

Parent Robin Godwin arranges a capitol trip. Photo/Sharon Bass

Highville board does a no-show; parents organize to save the school

By Sharon Bass

The roughly two dozen parents who came for the meeting stood in front of a locked school. Instead of retreating, they held their own meeting outside. They signed a petition and decided to march to Hartford July 2 to beg for the survival of an educational facility that has meant so much to them and their children. (Click here to read students’ letters to state officials.)

“How can four people hijack a school of 300 kids?” said parent Cecilia Thomson.

July 2 is also the latest deadline for the board to give the state its corrective action plan, required since Highville is on probation (for the second time). But the board seems to be ignoring it and refused to discuss the plan at Tuesday’s meeting. Without the CAP in state hands, the Leeder Hill school could lose its charter and thus cease to exist.

However, other deadlines for the plan were not met. And each time the state issued an extension instead of revoking the charter.

Tom Murphy of the Department of Education said the board has asked for yet another extension. “We’ve tried and tried to give them second and third and fourth and fifth chances but it doesn’t appear to be working out. But Monday is the day,” he said.

And if like every other time, the Monday deadline isn’t met?

“I can’t tell you what’s going to happen,” said Murphy. But “if they don’t transfer the authority [of the school to the newly selected board] by Monday, that will trigger action.” Such action could be charter revocation and withholding the $700,000 the school is due to get July 15, he said.

The current board of Pitter’s handpicked loyalists was supposed to be replaced by a new one by May 31. That didn’t happen. (New board members’ names are being kept quiet for now.)

Parents congregated in the humid evening air yesterday said they are now more frustrated with the state for not acting quickly or aggressively enough. They signed petitions to be sent to the secretary of the state, attorney general, Highville board attorney Stephen Sedor, the Highville board and the superintendents of Hamden and New Haven schools. As of last night, there were 27 signatures.

The petition calls for the “immediate resignation” of the four: Fatima Ennis-Grant, Rev. David Lee, Richard Riley and Rohan Stewart. “They have systematically worked toward the demise of the school. Their actions are reprehensible, unreasonable and negligent … We are requesting the state to act as a receiver on behalf of Highville Mustard Seed Charter School,” read the petition.

“I’m really disgusted because what’s happening is this is good versus evil,” said parent Rona Scott. “What’s been done is done out of greed.”

“He [Pitter] had everyone duped,” said parent Allen London, echoing many. “He knew well in advance what his intentions were. Greed. To make money.”

“Lyndon is continuing to run the school,” said Scott. “I hope the state indicts the current board. My understanding is [Pitter’s] intention is to take this same curriculum to Texas.”

“He should be made to suffer for what he did to these kids,” said London. “Everyone is awakened now. We’re no longer being fooled by him. He lied from day one to everyone. Now he’s running like a dog with his tail between his legs. He is no Marcus Garvey.”

“I’m nauseous, truly nauseous,” said Scott. “My daughter said to me the other day, ‘Is it really true about Mr. Pitter that he stole all that money? I really liked him.’”

The Hartford Plan

Parent Robin Godwin took the lead in cementing the plan for next Monday. Parents, teachers and students will meet at Highville at 7 a.m. and carpool to Hartford. They planned to see Attorney General Richard Blumenthal at 8:30 a.m. and then appeal to the Department of Ed to take receivership of the school.

“Time is running out on us,” said Godwin of the July 2 corrective action plan deadline. “We have to act as quickly as possible.”

But Blumenthal told the HDN later last night that he has a speaking engagement outside of Hartford at 8 a.m. next Monday. He said he could meet with the group later on that day.

Besides not being available early Monday morning, Blumenthal said the Highville group should first talk with the state ed department “because their conclusion about the compliance of the corrective action plan would be significant. We will take appropriate and necessary action after the Department of Education makes a judgment as to whether the school is complying with the corrective action plan.”

Blumenthal would not comment on the action “we may take because it will depend on the factual issues and possible violations of law.”

The attorney general also wouldn’t comment on the parents’ wish for the state to take receivership of the charter school, except to say it is possible.

“We believe there is authority under appropriate circumstances for the state to assume receivership responsibilities,” he said. “We have said from the very beginning that the school has made enormous accomplishments and provided tremendous educational contributions and our goal is to preserve and enhance the school -- not harm it.”

Outside

Parents said board member Lee, who is widely rumored to be living with Pitter, cancelled Thursday's meeting because he said “he needed a break.”

“The infamous four requested an insurance and bank rep to be at tonight’s meeting,” said parent Thomson. “They believe the insurance covers their actions,” such as writing checks to Pitter after he was to be entirely severed from the school.

Arlene Hanlan said the news about Pitter has hit his native Jamaica. Hanlan and a number of other parents are also from Jamaica.

“People in Jamaica are talking about Pitter right now,” she said. “What kind of person is this?” Hanlan said her friends in Jamaica have e-mailed here saying “they can’t believe it.”

“It’s not no more about Lyndon,” she said. “It’s the school and the family we’ve formed. We need all the support we can get. We want our school back.”

While driving home after the meeting, this reporter was stopped by Highville parent Toni Foreman. “Here’s my son’s report card,” she said from her car window. And handed over a copy.

Her pre-K son, Logan, got all A’s and A+’s this school year. His subjects were language arts, math, science, global studies, country studies I and II, visual arts, music/drama, physical ed and health and service learning.

His teacher wrote: “Logan is a hard worker and a great role model for all. Logan is doing a beautiful job in school! He always puts forth his best efforts and is a well-rounded student. He should be very proud. Good luck in kindergarten!”

Toni Foreman hopes.

From the Children
To the State

June 27, 2007

Hi my name is maya xxxx. I attend Highville mustard seed charter school. The most wonderful school I have ever been to so far. I have only been attending Highville for one and a half years. I would hate for the school to close down do to difficulties. This school has help me in lots of subjects. For example math, reading, writing, and so much more. The teachers are very funny at times. When they become bitter and mean, I now they are doing it for our own good. So if Highville were to close down, there would be no us good. Thank You for Highville.

June 27, 2007

My name is Heaven Xxxx and I attend Highville Mustard Seed Charter School. I have been attending this school for about 6 to 7 years. I have been there since 1st grade – 6th grade for now. I would love to graduate from this school. I love this school a lot and It would be a shame to see it close down. The learning is excellent and we have many extra curriculum activities that are interesting and fun. Highville is one of my homes and I never want to leave. We learn but have fun at some things during classes. Also, it would be bad for children when they have to go to a new school and have new teachers, new classmates and new friends. The teachers are fantastic. They can be strict at times but that’s only because they care. They would hate for us not to make it to the next grade. This school is very stupendous and tears would be dropping down my face if I was to hear that the school closed down. It is not only a home to me, it is also a home to my fellow classmates, family, and friends. Thank you!

June 27, 2007

Like a Coup D'etat

At the table, Ennis-Grant (far right), Gesmonde and Lee.

At the 11th hour, Highville board members continue to jeopardize the charter school’s future by refusing to let go

Story and photos by Sharon Bass

It may be more uncertain than ever if the Highville Mustard Seed Charter School will go on. It also may be more certain than ever that those still holding the reins are trying to ensure the school goes down with its fallen founder.

The last remnants of the Highville school board -- steadfast loyalists to former director/founder Lyndon Pitter -- insist they want to keep the troubled school in business, however their actions, as exhibited again last night, belie those words. Teachers and parents angrily accused them of trying to take down the school because Pitter has been state ordered to stay away from the Leeder Hill school -- and its money.

The current board is supposed to be replaced by a newly chosen one on July 2, per state orders. But at the last minute the board voted to require its successors to have criminal background checks before being seated. That could take weeks and put the school’s future in even severer jeopardy.

However after the meeting, Tom Murphy, spokesman for the state Department of Education, told the HDN the board can’t insist on those background checks. “They don’t have the authority to do that. They’ve gone beyond their authority,” he said.

Murphy said there is no state statute that would “empower the board to require another board to have criminal background checks.” He said no school districts in Connecticut perform such checks on board members.

But the law doesn’t seem to factor much into the manipulations of the four remaining active board members: Rev. David Lee, parent Fatima Ennis-Grant, Richard Riley and Rohan Stewart. At a circus of a meeting Tuesday evening, they ignored lawyers’ advice. Ennis-Grant, in particular, repeatedly told them they couldn’t talk.

“We don’t want your legal advice,” she told Bridgeport attorney Stephen Sedor nearly every time he tried to speak.

“She is so rude,” parents yelled out, and loudly applauded when Ennis-Grant left the room.

The board voted chair John Gesmonde, a Hamden lawyer, off the board, and voted Lee as chair. They voted teacher rep Wesley Daunis off the board. They claimed the furnishings and computers belong to the Highville Mustard Seed Development Corporation, run by Pitter, and made thinly veiled threats to leave the school bare. They voted to take away check-writing authority from interim chancellor Kim Childress and gave it to Ennis-Grant and board treasurer Stewart. They said they own the student and staff records.

“We will retain all those records until we deem it necessary” to turn them over, said Lee.

“All parents have the right to their children’s records,” Bridgeport lawyer Donald Houston informed the reverend.

“It’s like the French Revolution,” said a teacher, who asked not to be identified.

Gesmonde said the new seven-member board is ready to take over July 2. And Lee et al have contacted New Haven criminal defense attorney Hugh Keefe. Keefe had said he was to meet with them Tuesday, but it’s unclear if that meeting took place. It’s also unclear how the current board would pay Keefe, who isn't cheap. Lee would not comment. Ennis-Grant said twice last night, “We have no money.”

And Pitter’s handpicked board members still have not sent a completed corrective action plan to the state -- after being granted extension after extension -- which they have been told would lead to the charter being pulled, effectively killing the school of 300 children.

“We’re not doing any of this to delay or shut down the school,” Lee said. “We’re not doing anything malicious. This is about making sure we have a clean separation.”

Parents then shot a battery of questions to Lee, who until recently was with the African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Haven. He said he’s started his own church.

“Are you living with Mr. Pitter?” several asked.

Lee had no comment.

“Were you caught embezzling from the [AME] church?”

Lee had no comment.

He and the other board members (except Gesmonde, who disagreed with nearly all the actions the board took) claimed criminal background checks are necessary because the school’s liability insurance runs through mid-July, and the reverend and other Pitter loyalists said they want to make sure the new board is clean. Asked when they found out about the insurance issue and why they're bringing it up now at the 11th hour, no one would answer.

Meanwhile, the state may press criminal charges against Pitter and his ex-wife, Nadine Pitter, on the heels of a lengthy state investigation that found incidents of embezzlement and a host of other financial improprieties.

“Their behavior is setting in motion actions that will likely close the school,” Murphy said of the remaining board members. If the corrective action plan is not submitted by next Monday, he said, “there may be another action that would involve the Attorney General’s Office.” He could not reveal the nature of the action.

Murphy said the state will not send the school another cent until the new board takes over and Highville is legally separated from Pitter’s development corporation. The state gave the school $600,000 in April -- the same month Ennis-Grant wrote two checks to Pitter. He’s not supposed to receive a state dime, which had been made crystal clear to Ennis-Grant and the others, said Murphy..

A Showdown

The foursome tried many tricks last night. They voted to go into executive session on items that do not fall within the Freedom of Information Act’s definition of needing such a session, as the lawyers told them. But they ignored that and most of the other advice they were given. Or that was attempted to be given.

Cutting off Sedor again, Ennis-Grant said she wanted the names of the new board members in order to conduct the criminal checks.

“No one should be named chair [of the new board] until this board agrees,” said Lee.

But Michael Brown, the board’s corporate attorney, said, “Anyone can form a corporation tomorrow and select a board of directors.”

The reverend replied that he will withhold information from the new board. Brown said he can’t do that. Lee begged to disagree.

Arlene Hanlan said she's fed up and scared.

“This is terrible,” said parent Arlene Hanlan of Hamden. “I think that all of these people are going under Mr. Pitter’s umbrella.”

Hanlan, who worked at the school for five years, has two children at Highville and like the other parents, she said she doesn’t know what to do. Some have enrolled their kids in other schools, but others are hoping Highville will see the ’07-’08 school year. Also, they said they don’t want to give into Lee, Ennis-Grant and the others, whom they claim are doing Pitter’s final work by trying to get the school shuttered.

“I heard Lee took church money and mortgage money,” said Hanlan. “He lives with Mr. Pitter.” Her words were echoed by a dozen parents and teachers last night.

“They’re sabotaging the [next] school year,” said Hamden parent Yvonne Sourragh.

“It seems like they’re trying to shut the school,” said another Hamden parent Toni Foreman. “You say you’re looking out for the kids. If you were, you wouldn’t be taking furniture out of here and firing teachers. You guys sitting on this board are doing crazy stuff. I’m disgusted.”

“This whole process has ripped everyone apart,” said departing chair Gesmonde. “It’s taken its toll.”

“They’re running out of time and they’re running out of money,” said Murphy of the department of education. “There’s no budget, there’s no funds, there’s no school. This is the end game. We gave them more than second chances. Our interest was in trying to continue a school that seemed to have some value for students.”

Highville to Hire Attorney Keefe

By Sharon Bass

By May 31, the state demanded that the current Highville Mustard Seed board be forever separated from the Hamden charter school and a new board created because of a long string of stinging allegations against the former school director and his ex-wife, which the board seemingly ignored. (Click here and here and here for related stories.)

But the same board is still running the show and held three meetings last week, of which at least one was illegal because it wasn’t publicly posted. Enter powerhouse New Haven lawyer Hugh Keefe.

“They called me to ask,” said Keefe, well know for his high-profile criminal cases. He wouldn’t say who on the board called him. “All I know is I’m having a preliminary meeting.”

Keefe said he’s scheduled to meet with the board on Tuesday in executive session, though it’s unclear if a meeting has been legally scheduled to allow an executive session. Messages left with several board members were not returned.

Councilman Curt Leng, whose wife, Stephanie Cervoni Leng, teaches at Highville, attended last Friday’s meeting. Because it was deemed illegal, the state Department of Education plans to file a complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission.

Leng said board member Rev. David Lee made the motion to hire Keefe, which was approved unanimously at the June 22 meeting by the five of the 10 members who showed: Fatima Ennis-Grant, Richard Riley, Eugenie Pitter, Rohan Stewart and Lee, who was voted in as co-chair to serve with Hamden attorney John Gesmonde.

That was news to Gesmonde, who boycotted the meeting.

“I didn’t know there was going to be a meeting until Friday at 10 a.m.,” he said, calling it illegal. “I had no input on the agenda. I didn’t know that Keefe was hired. I know they’re getting advice from someone but I didn’t know it was Keefe. I know it’s not from [Bridgeport attorney Stephen] Sedor [the board’s current attorney].”

Gesmonde said he doesn’t “endorse” the direction the board is taking.

The five members who quietly arranged last Friday’s meeting have vigorously defended disgraced former director Lyndon Pitter, even suggesting he should be paid for a “damaged reputation” because of myriad state findings that he embezzled money from the school, gave out no-bid contracts to friends and committed other infractions. Consequently, Pitter and his ex-wife, Nadine Pitter, are not allowed to have anything to do with Highville or receive any money from the school, although Ennis-Grant signed two checks to Lyndon in April. The state is investigating.

One of the state’s conditions to keep the school open is that a new board be selected by a committee that didn’t include any current board members. Hamden Assistant Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez, a parent, a teacher and Claudette Beamon of ACES, the chair, serve on that committee.

According to an inside source, a new board was selected last week but the names were not being released. Hernandez said he only attended one committee meeting and missed one on June 18. He said he didn’t know what transpired then or if new board members were chosen.

The source also said "certain members" of the board made a list of school equipment such as teachers’ desks, the phone system and computers, which they allege were purchased with non-state money. The board insisted those items belong to Pitter’s development corporation, not to the school. When teachers learned their desks might be taken away, some tried to retrieve their belongings on June 20, but were locked out of the Leeder Hill Drive school. Upon orders from the board, their keys were taken and only the custodian was allowed to have a key, the source said.

Also, according to folks who attended the meeting, the five members voted to require new board members to have background checks before they’re seated -- something virtually no school does. They also agreed to have the board attorney [unclear if that would be Keefe or Sedor] prepare COBRA letters to school employees because their health insurance is expected to expire on June 31. The board tacked on a 10 percent administrative fee.

Despite the ongoing problems and the resistance of some board members to step down and away as ordered by the state, Leng said he’s hopeful for a good outcome. He said he’s been a supporter of Highville for the school’s nine years of existence, and recently worked as a consultant there until this April.

Highville Suicide?

Documents reveal the school board’s agenda may be to see the charter school's demise

By Sharon Bass

It sounds so simple.

Lyndon Pitter and his ex-wife, Nadine Pitter, are not allowed to have any dealings with the school they founded. They are not to get a penny from it. The state found they had embezzled money, gave no-bid jobs to friends and committed a whole bunch of other improprieties, if not crimes, and demanded the Pitters be totally severed from the Highville Mustard Seed Charter School on Leeder Hill Drive.

But that school board -- carefully handpicked by Lyndon -- has refused to comply knowing the charter will be revoked and the school shuttered if it doesn’t. While the school needs $150,000 to finish out this school year and is having a tough time getting the money because of its fragile state, documents requested by the Hamden Daily News from the state Department of Education show that board members signed checks made out to Lyndon Pitter as recently as April 23, with no stated reason for the payments. Two checks given to Pitter on April 23 totaled over $100,000, according to Tom Murphy, department spokesman.

Meanwhile, teachers were not paid for this past week. The Highville cupboard is bare.

According to a May 30, 2007, report from public accountants Bailey, Moore, Glazer, Schaefer & Proto which just audited the school, Board members “were always talking about how much they owed Mr. Pitter on his claim and for the damage done to his reputation.” E-mails obtained from the ed department strongly suggest that the majority of the Board wants the school closed.

“We are concerned about the future of the school. We’ve done our utmost to be flexible to support the school in its efforts to recover,” said Murphy. “However, we’ve received some copies of e-mails from board members that make us question the ability of the board to function in the future.”

The charter school is on probation for the second time and the state has been perhaps too patiently awaiting an acceptable corrective action plan to show how Highville practices will be cleaned up with the promise that the Pitters will have no involvement and there will be a new board. That plan was approved unanimously by the board May 16 and got to the Department of Education right on its May 31 deadline.

Murphy said the plan does address the main problems and includes interviews with board members who signed the April 23 checks. “However there are a few areas that need to be revised,” he said. Murphy said he will send a letter to the board chair, Hamden attorney John Gesmonde, on Monday to advise him.

The Resistance

Gesmonde called an emergency board meeting at 7 p.m. on May 30 -- one day before the state deadline for the action plan -- to vote on new policies and to select an interview committee to choose a new board, to add to the corrective plan that was voted on May 16. The meeting took place over the phone. Board member Richard Riley, a fiery defender of Pitter’s, was in Jamaica -- Pitter’s homeland.

Board members Riley, Fatima Ennis-Grant [parent rep], Eugenie Pitter [reportedly no relation to Lyndon Pitter], Fred Anderson, Rohan Stewart and Wesley Daunis [teacher rep] and Gesmonde and board attorney Stephen Sedor were present. (The board subsequently fired Sedor.)

Gesmonde opened the meeting saying the revised plan must be approved “so the state will let us keep our charter for next year. By the state approving this, we can go to our lender and ask for more money to finish the current school year. The more problematic issue is that we have to provide the state with a process by which we will elect a screening committee and the new board.”

But some members wanted to rescind their May 16 vote.

According to the meeting minutes, “Richard Riley states that he never agreed with the first Corrective Action Plan and inquires where it is in writing that the state says we cannot have a current board member on the new board. John Gesmonde says the state made it clear that no board member can sit on the new board … Richard Riley then states that the sub-committee consisting of Rohan Stewart, Richard Riley, and Fatima Ennis-Grant is responsible for making the recommendations for the new board. Mr. Sedor then states that when he spoke to Attorney Flannigan [sic], the state board of education’s attorney, she said that no individuals who were involved with the writing and signing of checks to the Pitters can be on the committee to elect the new board.

“Richard Riley states again that we do not have to do what the state tells us, Rohan Stewart agrees … John Gesmonde states that if we continue on this path and do not approve this plan, the state will revoke our charter and the school will be closed … Fatima Ennis-Grant then states that she wants to be the parent on the board selection committee. John Gesmonde then states that if Fatima Ennis-Grant insists on being on this committee, the state may inevitably revoke our charter.”

Gesmonde then made a motion to approve the proposal for the interview committee but Ennis-Grant said she would only do so if Daunis is removed from it. “She states the committee should be representative of the community,” the minutes read. Daunis is white; the school is 90 percent black. Pitter had suspended Daunis with pay in April, shortly after Daunis complained to the acting chancellor about Nadine Pitter’s nursing performance.  She and Lyndon were no longer allowed to work at the school after the state’s findings of an 18-month investigation were released in March, but she was still employed as the school nurse anyway. And Lyndon continued to receive checks even though the state found he owed the school about $80,000, money he took for personal use.

The meeting minutes continue: “Please do not suggest any board member who has been involved in signing checks to the Pitters, or Rev. [David] Lee [another member who vehemently defends Lyndon Pitter at meetings], because that will result in an instant rejection of the process for selection of the new school board members and consequently, the corrective action plan of which it is a part …

“Finally, because of the delays we have experienced in getting this simple corrective action play filed with SDE [state department of ed], it has not been possible to get funding  from any source until we get the ‘green light’ that we can finish the year and the charter will not  be revoked. Obviously, no one is going to lend us money to finish the year if there is not to be any reimbursement on July 15, 2007 because there is no school.”

The board unanimously approved the action plan.

But the next day, some tried to rescind their votes via e-mail. Murphy said that is not acceptable. The board would have to meet and get a majority vote to turn down the plan, he said.

The May 31 e-mail frenzy began at 9:47 a.m. by Riley to the board and lawyers saying the phone meeting was illegal and the plan should not be sent to the state.

He wrote: “ … there was a number of illegal maneuvers and tactics used in the presents [sic] of Highville’s paid attorney [Sedor] aimed specifically at circumventing the will of the majority of board members. To that effect, I am calling for the majority of Board member [sic] to ensure that no documents is [sic] submitted to the SDE with their legal vote, there is be [sic] an immediate investigation in the Chairs [sic] actions that a [sic] immediate review of the statutes of the Board attorney.”

At 1:03 p.m., Gesmonde responded.

“I believe we did the right thing and I know we did the only thing to save the school; hopefully our actions will not be too late,” he wrote. “Lastly, I spoke with New Alliance Bank officers today in the hope of obtaining permission not only to access the remainder of our credit line, but to extend it in the amount of about $30K just to make payroll for next week … The  bank has indicated that it will have an answer on Monday. It is also critical that we obtain financing for the balance of the funding needed to complete the school year (another $120K). I am still hoping that New Haven and/or Hamden school districts will help us …”

At 1:59 p.m., Ennis-Grant e-mailed: “I agree with Richard’s [Riley] position. Again, I, as well as Ms. Jenny Pitter & Mr. Fred Anderson felt trapped into voting on yesterday’s matter that occurred by phone. It seemed illegal while it was happening.” She complained that the board didn’t get to look at Bailey, Moore, Glazer, Schaefer & Proto's report, which includes interviews of school personnel and board members about the checks written to Pitter.

“The Board must have the opportunity to view the information and present questions if necessary … Why is it that no other Board member was provided with this preliminary documentation? John Gesmonde, YOUR [sic] MAKING UP RULES AS YOU GO ALONG … Ms. Pitter, Mr. Fred Anderson and myself request the opportunity to recant our votes … We are requesting an emergency Board meeting to occur ASAP to ensure that no information is submitted to the State until a legal Board meeting occurs.”

At 4:03 p.m., Gesmonde wrote back: “For the ‘umpteenth’ time, the meeting that was held last evening was absolutely legal, despite the opinion of the other lawyers on the Board of Directors, or Mr. Pitter. Sending each member a copy of the statute, not once, but twice, plus the participation of the Board attorney did not assuage the need of some Board members to defy the State at all costs. Obviously, the result of this email [rescinding the votes for the action plan], if it is to stand, is to end the school. Furthermore, it is apparent that it has been the intent of some Board members to have the charter revoked or to have it returned to the State, presumably in retaliation for the actions it took against Mr. Pitter. Irrespective of one’s opinion with regards to the latter, why would any of you want to jeopardize this wonderful school? You will have the opportunity to explain to the parents, teachers, and children why you decided to undo a promising result for the continuation of the school. Your comments are incomprehensible …

“By your unforgivable actions, you will cause hundreds of thousands of dollars to be lost by creditors and vendors, who, I dare say, will not sit idly by. I suggest that you each consult private counsel. You have suspended our legal advisors, so we are now a ship without a rudder …

“As you might have surmised by this time, the documents have already been filed with SDE, as we voted to do last night … At this point, we are beyond the stage of preferences and professional niceties. You want the school to die? Don’t contact me by 9AM tomorrow (Friday). You want the school to live? Retract your email by 9AM tomorrow (Friday) morning … This is the ultimate roadblock. If you stand your ground, everything is done and you can explain your logic and motivations to the press and parents … I feel uncomfortable deluding SDE with the impression that a majority of the Board would like to see the school survive, and the parents who called me today on behalf of the  Board thanking us for our actions,” Gesmonde wrote.

At 4:54 p.m., teacher/board member Daunis wrote: “I just want to make it clear that when Fatima says, ‘ … the full board …’ she is not including myself, Wesley Daunis. My views and opinions are not aligned with the other  board members listed … i stand firmly by what i saw and i [sic] how i  voted.”

Friday, June 1, 11:20 a.m. Gesmonde e-mailed the board saying that had he not sent the action plan and documentation to the state May 31, “there would likely not be another day for the school. Your actions have put the entire Board at risk since we have no money to pay teachers for this past week of work … You also claim that ‘most of us want to save Highville’ … did you not tell me last Friday that you had the votes to turn the charter back to the State? That is hard to reconcile with the same majority that wants to save Highville …

“Up until about a week ago, I did not have ‘unfavorable opinions  about certain Board members.’ However, starting with last Friday, when you made your statement about the majority of Board members ready to vote to give the charter back, or let it be revoked, and your demand that the interim chancellor draw checks to Mr. Pitter and Ms. Pitter for services not rendered until the end of the year when there is not ten cents in the account to do so per the independent auditor, suggested to me that perhaps, just perhaps, you did not have Highville Mustard Seed Charter School as your top priority.”

Perhaps, just perhaps, that priority has always been Lyndon Pitter.