Easton School Board Members Asked To Resign Following Snooping Scandal
EASTON, Pa. (CBS) – Three school board members have been asked to resign after a school employee was charged with spying.
At a press conference held Monday night, school board members said they will not resign.
"Disconnect, lack of trust, paranoia."
That's how the Northampton County DA describes the relationship between the Easton Area School District administrators and the school board.
"Clean house and bring new people, and perhaps restore a working relationship," the DA said while speaking on the Grand Jury's findings on how school board members handled a scandal back in January 2013.
That's when Tom Drago, the District's tech directory, was accused of snooping through administrators' computers and of recording a meeting with employees without their knowledge.
Drago immediately resigned and eventually faced felony wire-tapping charges, but avoided jail time by entering into a first-time offenders program.
"The Grand Jury believes Mr. Drago established such a relationship with certain school board members that they were willing to overlook his transgressions," the DA explained.
Since the scandal, some school board members have resigned.
In the Grand Jury report, the school board was not found guilty of anything criminal, but administrators expressed distrust with three current school board members, who some accused of being supportive of Drago.
"The failure to report the matter to law enforcement heightened, in the Grand Jury's views, the distrust between the School District administrators and the school," the DA added.
The Grand Jury recommended the three board members resign to lessen the strain between administrators and the school board.
"It would be best [to have] a school board with nobody on there from the Drago matter," said the DA.
Some parents were worried the strain between school officials could trickle down to students.
"If there is tension in the schools, naturally, kids are going to feel it."
Eyewitness News spoke with the School Board President, who is also one of the members being recommended to step down.
He says they are reviewing the Grand Jury report, and the school board will hold a press conference at 6:30 p.m.
At the press conference, school board members said they will not resign over a report based in rumor and speculation. CBS 3's Diana Rocco reports:
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