School cafeteria workers controversy

Four threatened with dismissal

By FRITZ MAYER

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — The meeting ended with catcalls and insults as some residents made clear their dissatisfaction with the actions of the board.

Moments earlier the board voted to approve the hiring of four new substitute food service workers for the Sullivan West School District, but declined to say whether four current workers will still have their jobs when the staff returns to the school on September 3. The meeting was held on August 24.

In general, board members and the superintendent are prohibited from speaking to the media about matters related to specific employees, so it’s difficult to know their view of the story. But most of the 40 or so teachers and others at the meeting clearly thought the four workers were being treated unfairly.

According to supporters, the trouble started about a year ago, when a new supervisor, Regina Meyer, was appointed to be in charge of the cafeteria. She reportedly began an aggressive campaign of writing up violations committed by the workers, Lois Long, Patricia Giordano, Irene Ward and Bonnie Crum.

Supporters say the write-ups stepped over the line. For instance, one involved a rule that students carry their own cafeteria card for scanning, as well as their own food trays. But one student on crutches couldn’t manage and asked a friend to hold his card. This was written up as a violation because one of the workers allowed it to happen.

In the face of the many negative write-ups, according to one supporter, the previous supervisor, Tom Clifford, wrote some good words about the workers, which were inserted into their employment files. This is apparently the basis for the possible dismissals.

Resolutions resulting in the firing of the four workers were written into the agenda, and the board presumably discussed them at length in two separate executive sessions. Members of the staff of Sullivan West, meanwhile, vigorously defended the workers.

Michelle Brockner, a member of Sullivan West United Teachers (SWUT) and president of School Related Professionals, said, “These individuals did not have intent to deceive the school district in any way. They asked for a document that was a valid and true reflection of their performance while working under a previous supervisor to be placed into their file. They’re all long-term employees who never had problems before the last school year.”

Catherine Lunn, a teacher and member of SWUT, commended the workers for sometimes giving students money from their own pockets to allow them to eat, and added, “I know for a fact that these ladies have been continually harassed by the supervision in the cafeteria. Please investigate both sides of the situation before you take an action against these ladies.”

The motions to fire the employees were tabled.