Palmerton superintendent wraps up testimony in high school principal dismissal

Palmerton Area School District Superintendent Scot Engler wrapped up his cross-examination testimony Monday night in a termination hearing for suspended high school principal Paula Husar.

Monday marked the fifth night of testimony in front of Palmerton’s school board, which will decide Husar’s fate after Engler recommended her dismissal in September 2017, citing more than 20 charges.

Engler began the night answering questions about what he called excessive observations by Husar of high school math teacher Pam Wuest.

He testified that Husar walked into Wuest’s classroom 21 times in 12 days without explanation without following up with her about the visits.

Husar’s attorney, Mark Bufalino, presented evidence Monday that Husar met with Wuest both before and after the observations to discuss concerns allegedly voiced by parents.

“While there is some validity to the concerns, you may get a bad rap because you truly want your students to succeed,” Bufalino read from what he said were post-observation notes from Husar to Wuest. “Be flexible in dealing with students because there are multiple sides to every situation.”

According to Engler, Husar never filed any follow-ups or observation notes in the required form.

Bufalino claimed that is because Engler gave staff a directive not to use the form.

“I never gave that directive,” Engler testified Monday.

Bufalino also questioned Engler on the events of Sept. 7, 2017, when Husar was asked to turn in her district belongings to three Palmerton administrators and was subsequently walked from the high school.

The attorney said Engler sent Husar an email at 11:40 a.m. advising her of a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. to defend why the recommendation for her dismissal shouldn’t move forward.

“Are you aware the courts of this commonwealth said you have to give an employee a sufficient amount of time to prepare for a Loudermill hearing?” Bufalino asked Engler.

“My understanding is that we were compliant with the notice of the hearing,” Engler said.

Engler also discussed a charge that Husar failed to comply with board policy related to field trips and the appropriate number of chaperones.

Palmerton requires one chaperone for every 10 students going on a field trip.

Engler identified three specific occasions that requirement wasn’t met and paperwork had to be returned and corrected.

“There were many more field trip requests during Mrs. Husar’s tenure that were perfectly compliant,” Bufalino said.

Upon questioning from Palmerton Director Earl Paules, Engler said he had no significant issues with Husar during his first year as superintendent in the district.

Following Engler’s testimony, Palmerton human resources Director Tom McLaughlin told the school board that he has “never heard Engler raise his voice to Husar or call her a liar.”

Husar’s attorney allegedly wrote an email to Engler’s attorney, accusing the superintendent of making “disgusting comments” about Husar to Deb Biege, events manager at Penn’s Peak.

“She said (Engler) didn’t make any comments about Mrs. Husar,” McLaughlin said, recalling a phone conversation with Biege.

McLaughlin was also asked about a meeting in the district administration conference meeting room, when Engler asked Husar to write the name of a parent she alleged he met with regarding a field trip.

Husar initially wrote a first statement, McLaughlin said, then returned to the office around five minutes later to write a second statement.

During the events, he added, Engler never shouted at Husar or blocked any doorways.

According to Bufalino, the field trip in question happened a year prior and there was no ongoing disciplinary issues related to it.

“The entire reason your day was consumed with this investigation had nothing to do with Palmerton Area School District business,” he told McLaughlin. “It had to do with legal disputes between (Husar and Engler).”

McLaughlin also testified that Engler never “pounded his chest or called Husar a liar” at a March 2017 administrative team meeting, and described how he was one of three administrators to walk Husar from the high school in September 2017.

“We went in the building after the students left for the day,” he said.

“She had her district belongings ready and handed over what she had. We walked down the guidance hallway and went out the door by the side parking lot of the high school.”

The hearing continues at 6 p.m. Oct. 29.