Atlantic City Board Member Says Supt. Giving ‘Illegal’ Time Off

Atlantic City Board of Education Member John Devlin has advised that Superintendent La’Quetta Small is permitting staff members to take a professional development day off (with full pay) to attend a golf tournament and after party.

If the staff member wishes to attend only the former Superintendent “Barry Caldwell” after “Par-Tee,” they are being permitted to take 1/2 professional development day off with pay.

According to Devlin, this is an improper use of time off, at taxpayer expense.

A professional development day is supposed to be used by an educator to learn a new skill, or, to further their public position within the district in an educational manner … not to partake in recreation events and party activities.

Here is an internal email that proves that this offer has been made to Atlantic City Public Schools employees. The email was written by Nicole Williams, Vice Principal of the Sovereign Avenue School.

“In the two decades as a elected official I have never seen anything like this! The audacity of this administration to allow staff to use a professional development day funded by tax payer money to attend a golf tournament and a sponsored after party by former Superintendent Barry Caldwell is inconceivable,” said Devlin.

”It’s not only highly unethical, but, highly illegal. This is just a continuing pattern of behavior by this administration and past superintendent Barry Caldwell to circumvent policy/ procedures and laws,” said Devlin.

”Sadly, this administration feels as though they can do whatever they want with little or no accountability,” said Devlin.

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Devlin also confirmed another very important fact.

“We have been informed by state monitors in previous years that using school board funded time in a manner such as this was forbidden,” said Devlin.

Devlin also confirmed that La’Quetta Small approved this scheme and that an “Administrator announced that LaQuetta ask them to inform everyone that whoever participates in the golf outing could use a professional development day or 1/2 of a professional development day to attend the event. LaQuetta was present when The Administrator made the announcement,” said Devlin.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2022 at the Linwood Country Club, billed as The Fredrick P. Nickles Memorial Golf Tournament and Barry’s (Caldwell) Hole In Fun Par-Tee.

Devlin and other Atlantic City sources have confirmed that the day off, with pay was being offered because without it, they were not able to attract people to attend the event.

Devlin is also concerned that “the district is liable for anyone who consumes alcohol at the event and has an accident or any other mishap afterwards,” said Devlin.

SOURCE: John Devlin, Atlantic City Board of Education Member and internal Atlantic City Public Schools email.