ROGUE SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT DERRICK CLAYE WILLINGLY VIOLATES SCHOOL CHARTER; SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FAIL TO DISCLOSE DETAILS ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOL

School Board President Derrick Claye

School Board Vice President Maria Aneiro

Superintendent Dr. W.L.Sawyer

On Wednesday January 6^th, 2010 The Mount Vernon School Board held its monthly meeting.  School Board President Derrick Claye, who one resident referred to as an “Uncle Tom”, willfully and willingly violated the Mount Vernon School District Policy.  At the December School Board meeting, Trustee Elias Gootzeit requested an item of great public concern to be place on the agenda for the January Board meeting.  Trustee Gootzeit requested that School Board members Charles Stern and Maria Aneiro publicly disclose their intentions for a charter school. Gootzeit also asked school board attorney Jennifer Arditi of the law firm Aiello and Cannick for a legal opinion to determine if it is a conflict of interest that school board members are proposing to open a charter school while serving as School Board Trustees.

In attendance of this month’s school board meeting was Mayor Young, who is rarely seen at school board meetings.  Immediately after the meeting got under way, Trustee Gootzeit stood for a “point of order”.  A point of order is a question raised as to whether proceedings are in order.  Trustee Gootzeit asked why wasn’t an item requested in writing more than a month ago not placed on the agenda.  Trustee Claye apparently was not familiar with the School Policy, a document that he voted as a Trustee to amend several times.  School Board Attorney Jennifer Arditi, aware at all times that Trustee Claye was violating the law, chose to remain silent until the very end when she acknowledged that Trustee Gootzeit’s agenda item was on an “amended agenda”.  No one from the public had a copy of the amended agenda that Arditi was referring to.

Soon after, Derrick Claye asked the other Board members for a vote to go into Executive Session.  Members of the public were confused as to why the School Board was breaking to go into Executive Session.  Embattled Superintendent W.L. Sawyer then told the public that the Mayor requested that the school board go into Executive Session.  The audience was in an uproar, when they found out that Mayor Young’s tentacles had now extended to the school board.  When one member of the audience questioned the legality of the Executive Session, Mayor Young shouted “Ignorance”. 

The public speaking session of the meeting did not start until after 11 P.M.   The late start of the public speaking session was done purposely because the crowd had come out in record numbers to hear the charter school proposal from Trustee’s Aniero and Stern.  Superintendent Sawyer, Trustee Claye and other conspirators stacked the agenda with a poetry performance, an awards ceremony, and a 2.5 hour presentation by the middle and high school principles.  Trustee’s Aniero and Stern had no intention of disclosing to the public their plans for a charter school.  This is evident by Superintendant Sawyer and President Claye under the legal advice of Jennifer Arditi, knowingly and willingly failing to add Trustee Gootzeit’s item to the agenda.  Sources familiar with Trustee Stern and Aneiro’s plan for a charter school have told Mount Vernon Exposed that they are being supported by Dr. Sawyer, Mayor Young, and School Board President Derrick Claye.  Dr. Sawyer has been seen coming and going out of City Hall very frequently these past few weeks sources have told Mount Vernon Exposed. 

During the school board meeting, School Board Trustee’s Claye and Aneiro could be seen snickering and whispering into the ear of Dr.Sawyer.  It looked as if they were conspiring to hatch an evil and creepy scheme.  While other School Board members were addressing the school principles, Trustee Claye repeatedly interrupted them in an attempt to suppress the truth.  One resident during his speech addressing the school board told Trustee’s Aneiro, Claye, and Stern that they are on 60 day probation.  He further stated that if they do not shape up within that time frame, this would be their last term on the School Board. 

Mt.vernon Parents Prepare Charter School Proposal