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PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTLEMENTS
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2012
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February
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- Peters, district settle lawsuit with parent: P-G 2...
- Charges possible against Woodland Hills player for...
- Police consider charges after WPIAL playoff punch:...
- PT boys take foe's best punch, win on points: O-R ...
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- Lockdown drill and Search at PTHS: 2-6-12
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February
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2011
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November
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- PT board: Expansion on hold: O-R 11-23-11
- Tax rate increase expected in PTSD: O-R 11-23-11
- Peters School Board to seek tax increase: O-R 11-2...
- PT Middle School to participate in child ID progra...
- E-Mail from Peters Township SD: 11-16-11
- Peters residents vote 'no' in survey: O-R 11-4-11
- Peters surveys say 'no' to high school work, tax h...
- PT mother sues district, municipality: O-R 11-2-11...
- Mom banned from youth basketball sues township, sc...
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August
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- Peters Township Hires New new assistant to the sup...
- Peters Township cracks down on school bus riders: ...
- Peters School Board gets new member: O-R 8-16-11
- Peters fans must stay in the bleachers this fall: ...
- Peters school board member resigns: P-G 8-16-11
- Peters Twp. School Board member resigns: O-R 8-15-...
- Estimated repairs to Peters Twp. school near $5M: ...
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June
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- Peters Township board adopts $49.6M budget: O-R 6-...
- Peters School Board approves budget with tax incre...
- Peters school tax hike, athletic fees approved: P-...
- Taxes expected to increase in Peters Township scho...
- Board Hires New AD and Assistant Football Coach: P...
- Peters Township H.S. commencement set: O-R 6-9-11
- Residents Appear Unswayed in Opposition to Field I...
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November
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33 comments:
He's got his money, now he can leave. The sooner the better.
Someone still needs to find out how much these lawsuits cost the Peters Township taxpayers.
...meaning what were ALL the legal fees PTSD paid the school district attorneys in addition to the TH settlement. Looks like all said and done maybe $800K or more?
And we haven't seen the Hartbauer settlement yet.
Hang on to your wallets!
TH is going to make everyones life a living hell(poor students and teachers). When was the last time he work an entire week?
I have heard that the school district insurance company actually writes the checks; although premiums have probably gone up! I too would like to know the actual cost of all this and what the bottom line cost of all these games are for the school district/taxpayers. I wonder if the district or the insurance company actually writes the check for the PTSD lawyers fees?
TAKEN FROM THE CIVIL LAWSUIT ARTICLE:
The school district, however, declined to settle outstanding financial matters, including legal fees and back pay. Jack Cambest, the district's solicitor, said last year that Dr. Hajzus initially demanded more than $1 million in fees and back pay.
The district's insurance carrier felt that amount was not justified, Mr. Cambest said. In addition, the company said that for it to consider any settlement, an actual lawsuit would have to be filed.
In any event, it comes out of the taxpayers pocket.
Looks like the next taxpayer payout might be for Title IX violations.
www.post-gazette.com/pg/07364/844891-58.stm
Even if insurance does pay this, how often do insurance companies lose money in the long run? Someone's going to pay it in a future premium, whether it's an insured group or individual district. Plus the insurance company will love paying out a second time with the Hartbauer settlement. Everything suggests that actions by Dr. Hajzus prompted that lawsuit as well. And he's still the main man at our high school? Amazing!
Swept under the rug??
During the initial Hajzus hearings on "the stage," convincing evidence was presented that indicated Dr. Hajzus changed grades for select students at the end of a semester (in 2000?). Wouldn't that be grounds for termination? Why didn't anything result from that testimony?
The above comment is why I find the following statement from the settlement document quite disturbing:
"Dr. Hajzus shall be permitted to review all of the District's files related to him.....and to remove or purge any and all files that he and the District's Solicitor agree upon, that he determines to be adverse to his interests. The parties expressly agree that this process will include, but will not be limited to the removal of any "unsatisfactory" or "needs improvement" performance evaluations"
How can this be? All past wrong doing or performance reviews can be "swept under the rug"! I fully agree with the above anonymous concern. Unfortunately I don't think we will ever get an answer unless there is an attorney that could help explain this.
I heard a presidential candidate say last night that we would be fighting the war in Iraq until 2014. This morning I read in the Observer-Reporter that Hajzus won't retire until 2014. Which is more depressing?
The article also indicates that insurance won't cover everything.
Hurray for Hajzus!!! Finally the man can rest knowing that the mean spirited attempts against his good name have finally come to an end. Yes, we will have to pay more. but please consider who started this and kept it going for so long.
WHO?
Please enlighten us all and the reasons behind it.
Documented facts only please.....
Yes, I too would be interested in knowing the FACTS of who sued over a dozen people for doing what they were hired and/or elected to do. The following are the public facts. Although, the press does mis-state the facts at times; the court transcripts would be a very informative and factual read!
www.post-gazette.com/pg/06294/731850-58.stm
www.post-gazette.com/pg/05359/626703-58.stm
www.post-gazette.com/neigh_south/20020904s19hajzus0904p4.asp
www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_447097.html
All I can say is least we only have until 6-06-08 and then we will leave the madness of PTHS. Thank goodness we do not have any more children headed to the high school.
Having your last child leave the high school is only half of the equation.
As long as you are a property owner that lives in the Peters Township School District you’ll be paying taxes that end up helping to pay for these settlements.
Good luck!
I believe the facts are clear. Dr. Hajzus was discriminated against. It is in the settlement. Yes, there are enough weasel words so both sides save face. However, others felt a "need" to spend money that was not theirs to run this whole mess through the courts, lose, and then try again. Irresponsible for the people we voted in and are suppose to represent us in good faith. So, the fact is that Dr. Hajzus was discriminated against.
Sides. What sides? This is an entire community issue that involves citizens, taxpayer dollars and, worst of all, older children have witnessed it all! 12 lawsuits later everyone looses. I have full faith, that our newly elected officials have learned from this experience; that a superintendent or ANY school district employee decision, or action, cannot be blindly followed without accountability. Any employee that is not performing up to expectations cannot be arbitrarily reassigned to another position, they must be handled, dealt with, and held accountable according to company/school district policy and procedure.
There is a policy, 1312, which was written in 2004, that the school board has since utilized in several employee accountability instance over the past couple of years. Even the Pennsylvania Department of Education has rules that must be followed when filing citizen complaints regarding the performance of school district employees.
There are no sides and there are no faces to save; except those of public education and the children of this community that have been effected by this. We too should have learned a valuable lesson, it is now up to us to pay close attention, speak up and hold our employees accountable.
I can worry about my tax dolloars, but come June I will no longer have to worry about the safety of my child!
Janice Crompton from the Post-Gazette here. We're working on a story involving the settlement, and would like to gather some community comments. Posters will not be identified. Just looking for general comments and/or concerns. Thank you.
Janice,
Would you like to have this request posted as its own subject?
I don't think so. My deadline is actually Wednesday.
Someone else wrote:
"However, others felt a "need" to spend money that was not theirs to run this whole mess through the courts, lose, and then try again. Irresponsible for the people we voted in and are suppose to represent us in good faith. So, the fact is that Dr. Hajzus was discriminated against.'
There are two facts that a lot of people seem to forget. First, PTSD chose to continue the battle repeatedly through the Dept of Education and the courts, instead of trying to settle it. The members of the school board who voted to do so are the ones responsible for wasting our taxes.
Second, INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL triers of fact heard this case at each stage- the Secretary of Education, maybe someone below her first, and a whole slew of judges. They found in Hajus' favor. That's it, end of story.
This isnt even a union guy who won because his union thugs extorted an outrageous contract from the taxpayers. He doesn't have many of the job protections incompetent teachers do. Yet the courts found in his favor. That tells me the district was clearly wrong.
This district needs to sue the board members and former members who voted to waste our money. I suspect they did so out of some personal agenda.
PS Thanks to Janice Crompton for writing about this website in her article. I had never heard of it before.
Longtimeresident has provided a very good summary of the facts about the Hajzus debacle. What an interesting thought that "This district needs to sue the board members and former members who voted to waste our money. I suspect they did so out of some personal agenda."
Yeah, great idea... another round of lawsuits where ONLY the lawyers REALLY win!
i now have had dealings with keith hartbaure at tjhs. his first day on the the job consisted of the athletic director, coach/parent, and atheletic dirctor's secretary in the office. i don't like or trust him.
I wish the board would follow stricter guidelines in these issues. If one follows the procedures, hiring, firing, electing,etc. can be done without having a lawsuit filed. The most recent appointing to the vacated spot on the board was also mishandled. Once again a board member declared "special circumstances" in the middle of a meeting and then when questioned about what went on behind closed doors they claim "procedural issues" were the only thing discussed. Something smells foul in Peters Township. Who keeps declaring "special circumstances?" When will taxpayers ask for those members of the board to step down before citizens end up paying for another law suit. Mr. Michalski could have filed a formal complaint and once again the good people of Peters would have had to foot the bill for mistakes made by those who should be familiar with procedures.
http://pthighiswacky.blogspot.com/
Why after all these years is this settlement even a blog issue. It seems the blog was created to hound a person that all we can say had his day in court, and had it again, and again and again due to the district forcing the issue. At each turn in the road he was the winner. Are we so blind and hateful to avoid the possibility that he did nothing that he was accused of or we have to accept the fact all the courts, the Department of Ed, the EEOC, the PHRC and even the US Justice Department are on his payroll. Get it! Take this thing off the blog it's old news and if you don't have an ax to grind with Dr. Hajzus then where is Mackley's, Harbauer's and one from way back Giannotta's?. There even can be more.
I agree take the Hajzus settlement off the blog.
I am not a constant on the Blog but I feel mean spirited people who sided with the old superintendent and a few out of control Board members still can't get over the "fact" Dr. Hajzus' name and all that goes with it was cleared. Why was he awarded such a settlement if this was not the case? I agree, if the this forum was for the right reasons the settlement stuff would be gone.
Hold the presses! There is rumor that at least two former School Board Presidents are runnning again for school board. This should be interesting since both of them were responsible for the Hajzus and other outrageous happenings. By the way has anyone noticed how the former superintendent did all in her power to try and destroy the high school principal but not one, not two but the past three supers have had an excellent working relationship with him and some very good things have come from these positive relationships. Why do the doomsday bloggers keep avoiding this fact? I care that the relationships are positve and friendly. I have noticed this myself so the distractions are minimized all except those who still can't get over the man won. He was right.
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