ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Protesters gathered Saturday for another rally in support of ousted Allentown School District Superintendent John Stanford, demanding a 30-year financial audit of the district and greater transparency about his removal.
About a dozen people from the NAACP and community gathered at 7th and Hamilton streets in Allentown.
“The lack of transparency is key,” Bethlehem NAACP President Esther Lee said. “Why are these people, politicians and leadership in Allentown, not coming forward and at least speaking to the general populace about what is not going on and what has happened with Dr. Stanford?
"It is shameful."
- About a dozen protesters from the Allentown NAACP and community gathered Saturday to decry the removal of Allentown School District Superintendent John Stanford and demand a 30-year financial audit of the district over fears of corruption
- The protesters emphasized the need for greater transparency from the board for the community
- Lisa Conover, vice president of the Allentown School Board, said Stanford was "forced out"
Allentown School Board Vice President Lisa Conover attended the event and said she believes there is corruption that must be investigated within the district.
“We need a 30-year forensic audit," Conover said. "We need to look closely at position control.
"I'm a believer — and if I'm wrong, prove me wrong — that there is money that has walked out the door from persons who have been in positions and may be collecting for more than one position, but I don't know because they leave me out of some rooms."
Protester Ruby Cruz, who says she has a child in Trexler Middle School, also spoke out.
"I am not an Allentown School District Board Member yet, so I don't know firsthand what goes on in these discussions," Cruz said. “However, as a parent, I see how it breaks the system, and it trickles down to our children, who are hurting and who need the support academically, emotionally and physically."
Carol Birks, former regional superintendent and chief schools officer with Booker T. Washington Academy in New Haven and Hamden, Connecticut, was hired by the board as acting superintendent.
Conover said Birks told her an audit of this size would cost a million dollars.
Conover says eliminating Stanford from the superintendent position is connected to that corruption. She pointed to how there was no public reason given for the dismissal and how Board President Nancy Wilt wrote him a reference letter on behalf of the whole board that praised him as a talented, skilled and dedicated leader.
The separation agreement with Stanford gives him nine months' pay and a letter of recommendation.
School district attorney Jeffrey Sultanik agreed to a mutually negotiated non-disclosure agreement regarding Stanford's departure. He said the board wanted to be clear that there has been no professional misconduct or impropriety.
“I know beyond a reasonable doubt that he was forced out,” Conover said. “If he wasn't forced out, why did he get that stellar recommendation?”
Protesters also said board member Charles Thiel and Wilt had conflicts of interest, such as Wilt’s involvement with the campaign of Democratic state Rep. Peter Schweyer, who is facing a challenge from Republican Brent Labenberg.
Conover said Wilt was lying when denying Conover’s previous accusation that she was not invited to some executive session meetings.
“Every time you put in an interim or you change the guards as it relates to a superintendent, you put our students three and a half years back” said Conover, who was among the three board members who voted against removing Stanford.
“This man did nothing wrong, and he's out of a job. And his reputation may very well be ruined as a result of it.”
“They gagged him,” Lee said.
This is not the first protest demanding transparency from the Allentown School District over the issue, with parents and community members gathering on Monday and calling for a state takeover of the school district.
Pennsylvania officials have said they do not have the authority to or interest in taking over the school district.
Birks is being paid $850 a day while working three days a week on-site as she transitions from her Connecticut job to the new position. She is expected to work full-time in the district starting in mid-December and recently had a breakfast meeting with Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk.
During that conversation, Tuerk said he was disappointed that the board cut ties with Stanford, while Birks said she wants to build relationships with community members.
“I know beyond a reasonable doubt that he was forced out”Lisa Conover, Vice President of the Allentown School Board
During the protest Saturday, Lee cast doubt on the hiring process for Birks because of the speed it was done.
“It’s been a long time since I was born, and I’m aware of what goes on in Allentown,” Lee said. “Are we going backward with our thinking? Was Dr. Stanford, an educated man, held to different standards? These are all questions that I had in regard to his release.
“I'd like to sit down with some of these culprits that are in leadership here in Allentown. I don't know if they're bold enough to do that,” Lee said.
CORRECTION: This story was updated from its initial posting because Esther Lee's NAACP branch was misidentified.
