Lehighton director wants more oversight in hiring practice

A Lehighton Area School District director is asking for added oversight of the employee hiring process.

David Bradley called for a motion during Monday’s meeting to add two board members as part of the district’s hiring committee. His request was tabled until next month, allowing for a more in-depth discussion of the process and selection criteria for varying positions within the district.

“Right now, I don’t feel there is any board oversight other than to rubber stamp the hiring recommendations made by that particular interview committee,” Bradley said.

The discussion stemmed from a board approval earlier in the night to authorize Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver to “hire individuals needed in order to be staffed for the opening of the 2018-19 school year.”

With the next board meeting bumping up against the start of the school year, the action allows for hires in the event of any resignations or retirements between now and then, Cleaver said.

Bradley and fellow board member Gail Maholick voted against giving the hiring authorization.

“It abdicates all authority to the superintendent,” Bradley said.

Lehighton’s board would still need to approve any hires at a future meeting.

When positions are open, Cleaver said, a hiring committee is assembled with the individuals on it determined by the job. The committee for the recent middle school principal opening, for example, included the superintendent, assistant to the superintendent, athletic/facilities director, special education director, teachers and the secretary to the principal.

“Different districts do it different ways,” Cleaver said. “We haven’t had board members be a part of the committee because in many cases, the interviews are done over the course of several days. They would have to be there for all of the interviews. If they are there for some and not others, that really isn’t fair.”

Interviewees are scored, but Cleaver said the applicant with the highest score is not always the person recommended by the committee.

“There are always intangibles that go into that decision,” Cleaver said.

The committee’s hiring recommendation then moves forward for a board vote. Bradley said that method “doesn’t allow for transparency” and called for a change of human resources policy.

Many of his colleagues did not agree.

“I am not an educator,” board President Larry Stern said. “I never wrote a lesson plan. I never delivered a lesson plan. I don’t feel I’m the appropriate person to judge how a person presents their information in the interview process. Why would we not trust the people we put in place to select the person who will be responsible for teaching our children and upholding the standards we have in our district?”

Like Stern, director Steve Holland said he believes the proper people are already in place to make hiring recommendations.

“Where is our trust for Mr. Cleaver?” Holland said. “I’m very disappointed in a few of my fellow board members.”

Board member Andrew Yenser said previous school boards have set guidelines for the hiring process.

“You may not agree with it and that’s fine that you have that opinion,” Yenser told Bradley on Monday. “I think you’re making assumptions though that these discussions have never taken place.”

Stern said the board would meet in executive session to discuss the matter further before the August board meeting.