Rehiring Ellison begs a lot of questions
Why just tops the list of explanations needed by CASD board
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
As you probably know, we do get our share of reader comments. Many are supportive, encouraging and enlightening. Some are nasty and pointless (we tend to remove those without editorial or commentary value) and some are humorous.
Once in a great while, even when clearly wearing a troll hat, a commentator will...
Coatesville community mourns passing of Johnson
County’s first African-American District Justice, former Coatesville City Council President
Paul Johnson
12/21/13, 8:40 a.m.: updates with additional reaction.
COATESVILLE — Paul Johnson, a member of the Coatesville Area School District School Board, a former City Council member and president and a District Justice — Chester County’s first African-American to hold that post — has...
Ellison is out and so is the Tea Party
One — the former Democratic power-broker — knows he’s done, the other is oblivious
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
As we head into the holiday season — and hopefully, a couple of weeks of relative quiet — a few notes and thoughts on local political stuff and other news items.
Maybe the topline item this morning is that James Ellison is out at Rhoads & Sinon — meaning he will no...
CASD board continues to disrespect citizens
Tirade by Joe Dunn sadly typifies group’s overall tenor
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
Few jobs on the planet are as thankless as serving on a school board, a duty that routinely subjects members to all manner of vitriol. In fact, when school district operations go smoothly, those folks rarely hear a peep from constituents; so even the good times go unrewarded.
Of course,...
CASD board calls special meeting to buy admin building
$2.8 million Caln office building would offices, health clinic for employees
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The Coatesville Area School District Board of Education called a special meeting for Tuesday to purchase this $2.8 million office building to replace the Benner Administration building and house a new district health care center.
CALN — The Coatesville Area School District appears poised...
Coatesville district appoints interim superintendent
Dr. Leonard Fitts says he looks forward to opening communications
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
New Interim Superintendent Dr. Leonard Fitts speaks to the administrators, staff, and citizens present at Tuesday’s press conference.
CALN – The Coatesville Area School District School Board announced the appointment of Dr. Leonard Fitts as interim superintendent at a press conference held...
Letter: CASD board member addresses CCIU issue
To The Editor,
I want to correct a number of misconceptions surrounding the School Board’s decision to not engage the CCIU in our search for a Superintendent. The following represents my opinion and has not been endorsed by either the Board or the District.
The Board had, in fact, anticipated utilizing the services of the CCIU in our search. However, during our interview with them, CCIU personnel...
Op/Ed: Lessons from CASD: School policies can promote a culture of discrimination
By Solomon Hunter and Rhonda Brownstein, The Education Law Center
When one or two individuals in an organization blatantly act out in discriminatory ways, it’s easy to imagine that dealing with those individuals, primarily by removing them from the organization, solves the problem. The message, often, is that these individuals were outliers and in no way reflect the views of other members of the...
Hogan: CASD board, Ellison may be ‘obstructing’ investigation
Calls for hiring of independent counsel, legal billing records to be turned over
Updated at 11 p.m. with CASD statement
Updated, 5:20 p.m., 10/22 with Rhoads & Sinon statement
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
WEST CHESTER — Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said Monday that the Coatesville Area School District Board of Education and its solicitor may be actively obstructing an ongoing...
Como set damaging tone for Coatesville schools
Racism, sexism apparently coexisted with nepotism, favoritism
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
The now-infamous cell phone – which allegedly spewed vile sexist and racist text messages – may have set the tone for the administration of disgraced former Coatesville Superintendent Richard W. Como: When it rang, those within earshot heard the theme from “The Godfather.”
Interviews...
