BOE ponders on AG recommendation

The Attorney General’s Office has advised the State Board of Education against validating a decision rendered by several Public School System teachers in connection with the long-winded selection of one BOE Teacher Representative, citing that the number of teachers who turned in their ballots were not representative of the entire PSS faculty.

According to PSS Asst. Legal Counsel Heather Kennedy, the legal opinion issued by the AGO was particular on stressing that the board should not honor the results of the teacher representative elections conducted last year.

Based on other issues raised by the AG, BOE Chair Frances Diaz said the board needs to revisit its own policies to synchronize it with Commonwealth regulations.

Pressed for time, the board is seeking to fill a teacher rep. vacancy within the policy-making body who will serve the remaining term of now Hopwood Junior High School Principal David Borja. Mr. Borja’s tenure expires this June 30, 2001.

Unsure of the legality of a BOE move in connection with the teacher rep. selection, the board earlier asked for the AG’s assistance in efforts to clarify the legal loopholes in the process.

BOE earlier sent out ballots containing names of the five aspiring teacher representatives to the PSS faculty.

Nominees who vied for the public school teacher representative position in the board include Mr. Ambrose Bennet of Hopwood Junior High School, Mr. Howard Cole of Tinian High School, Mr. Craig Garrison of Marianas High School, Mr. Constantino Papadapoulos of Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, and Ms. Evelyn Perez of Tinian Elementary School.

Responding to a proposal requesting the board to consider appointing the Teacher of the Year to automatically hold the teacher representative position, the board has ruled out the suggestion, citing that the selection qualifications and focus of responsibilities held by the two positions are different.

“A BOE teacher representative is required to take on of a policy-making duties while a teacher of the year is more into the curriculum and instruction, and what happens inside classrooms,” said the board chair.

Furthermore, the teacher of the year is also tasked to represent the CNMI in the search for the National Teacher of the Year with contenders from across America.