Bennett threatens to sue BOE if…

Teacher representative Ambrose Bennett is threatening to slap a lawsuit against the Board of Education if he is removed from his post. He also said that the statements being issued by the board against him only gives him ammunition for a slander suit.

“The slander about me being dishonest and other things, I thank the board for giving me evidence,” said Bennett. “Just keep up and you won’t have to ask the governor to remove me, I will have an excellent lawsuit to retire with.”

Bennett said this is not the first time the board “threatened and intimidated” him and asked the governor for his removal from the board.

As for the board’s “disappointment’ over press secretary Peter Callaghan’s statement on behalf of the governor expressing support for his retention, Bennett said the teachers also support him.

“The governor supports me, end of story,” said Bennett.

Bennett said the board never gave him a copy of its letter to the governor and his wife had to get one so he could obtain a copy. He also said the board never tried to confer with him about the matter.

Based on the board’s last special meeting last month, board member Herman T. Guerrero said Bennett was part of the agenda. Bennett, however, left the meeting early, reportedly to attend to some matters.

“The chair [Roman Benavente] is desperate and fighting for his survival as you can see by the adjectives he’s using in his reference to me,” he said.

As for the board’s allegation that he skips his classes to distribute union flyers in other schools, Bennett said the board should have done its homework because he had never called in sick to pass out anything and that there were no teachers who took his place so he could conduct his alleged organizing activities. “That is a complete lie,” he said.

In fact, Bennett said, he is one of only a few teachers in the CNMI that volunteers to substitute other teachers.

“I’m sure any impartial judge or jury will rule in my favor but not the board’s kangaroo court,” he said.

The chair, he said, acts like he is conducting covert activities when he visits schools. He said he always goes straight to the office whenever he visits a campus to deliver information.

Public School System associate commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja said school regulations require visitors, no matter what positions they hold in the school system, to sign in and register their presence in the school, whether for personal or business purposes.

“Was I truly a danger or being disruptive when I only visit the office to deliver information or was it the fact that I was passing out information that they want to censor?” Bennett asked.

Bennett said he has visited schools many times before with or without the board and did not have to sign in.

“So why such a big thing about my signature when everyone in the CNMI knows who I am. We treat the pizza delivery man better than we treat our own public school teacher representative.”

He accused Benavente of being “jealous” over his discovery of the unclaimed lottery funds, which were not appropriated and that he had asked for the teachers’ use. Bennett alleges that Benavente went behind his back and suggested that the money be given to the Scholarship Fund.

He challenged the board to show him the list of teachers who are complaining about him. He said he is just being creative to prove to the board that teacher representatives have the power to influence change.

“People shouldn’t believe the board…they are getting desperate and we all know that desperate people will say and do desperate things,” he said.