By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Five Dearborn Heights District No. 7 trustees agreed to have their pay docked for at least one board meeting after admitting to bringing alcohol and smoking on school premises.
President Mandy Diroff recommended that she be penalized three unpaid board meetings and that Carrie Harleton and Karen Whisler receive one unpaid board meeting for involvement in unopened alcohol on school premises.
“I am not recommending more as we did not open, consume and distribute alcohol to anyone on school property,” Diroff said.
Trustee Vickie Bracken and former Trustee Robert Brown were recommended for one unpaid board meeting for smoking on school property in the past.
During the Jan. 22 board meeting, Diroff read a statement regarding a formal complaint received from Michigan Education Association Executive Director Troy Scott centered on alcohol.
Bracken, Harleton, Diroff, Brown and Whisler as well as Supt. Jennifer Mast and Annapolis High School Academic Interventionist Jacqueline Sarvo were mentioned.
Last May, Mast received a five-day unpaid suspension due to serving and consuming alcohol at an administrative council meeting. That complaint and a previous one from Sarvo, which the board responded to cites that Diroff brought alcohol onto school grounds and distributed it to another staff member in celebration of the Christmas holiday.
“The truth is that in December of 2018, I gave to Ms. Mast a bottle of unopened wine and four wine glasses as a Christmas gift,” Diroff said. “I fully admit to this. We did not, however, open the wine, drink it together or serve it and distribute it to anyone.
“It also cites that in December 2018, Ms. Harleton and Ms. Whisler participated in an Annapolis High School fundraiser with raffle basket or baskets containing unopened bottle or bottles of wine. Both Ms. Harleton and Ms. Whisler admit to helping with the fundraiser as parents, they did not bring the basket containing alcohol, were not involved in watching over the baskets or participated in the raffle.
“The wine was not opened, consumed or distributed by Ms. Harleton and Ms. Whisler nor anyone else that the board is aware of. Ms. Mast was also in attendance at the fundraiser and participated in the raffle as well.”
In the same complaint, it said Brown and Bracken were smoking on school grounds, which both admitted to doing in the past.
“The complaint also cites that Ms. Sarvo attended the school function where alcohol was present and attempted to win that alcohol via basket raffle,” Diroff read. “Ms. Sarvo admits to this as well.
“In addition, the complaint cites that Ms. Bracken stated to Ms. Sarvo that she could not speak to her in her capacity as board of education member and advised the superintendent to do something about Ms. Sarvo after the complaint by Ms. Sarvo was filed. Ms. Bracken feels she was addressed in an aggressive manner by Ms. Sarvo during a break at a board meeting when Ms. Sarvo blocked her at the door and felt Ms. Sarvo tried to intimidate her, she felt bullied and harassed by Ms. Sarvo but does not want to pursue this further.”
Diroff said the board intends to further address the drug-free workplace policy in terms of alcohol on school premises, especially in light of the fact that another basket with wine was in a raffle in December at Bedford Elementary School.
“The principal told me personally she was not aware this was not permissible,” Diroff said. “Ms. Mast and her letter of reprimand from May 2019 was directed to review in writing with administrators all board policies, including the drug-free workplace policy and reporting obligations for violation of board policy that not had occurred at the time of the Bedford raffle this past December; however, the Bedford principal received a verbal warning.
“While the board feels these complaints we’ve received are in retaliation to giving Ms. Mast a five-day unpaid leave of absence — and we do have a policy against retaliation — however, we do not intend to further pursue this.”
A motion for unpaid board meetings as acknowledgement for involvement and accountability in bringing unopened alcohol onto school premises for the five trustees was made and passed unanimously.
“The board recommends no punishment for Ms. Sarvo or Ms. Mast for being present and participating in the raffle,” Diroff said.
The money for Diroff’s three meetings will go to the Bedford Elementary School PTO; Whisler’s to the Annapolis High School Athletic Department; Bracken’s to the AHS 2020 all-night party; Harleton’s to the AHS Leadership Program and Brown’s to the eighth-grade Cedar Point trip, specifically to a student having difficultly affording the cost.
“While Mr. Scott wants a formal investigation, there is no need as we fully admit to the above and are taking accountability,” Diroff said. “We are making this statement as a courtesy and acknowledging his complaint and addressing it here. The board hopes this ends this matter and will have no further comment besides the following motion.”
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])