16 Oct Cognetti: District May Have Violated Sunshine Act

In contentious committee meeting Monday night, Scranton Schools Director Paige Gebhardt Cognetti indicated that her colleagues may have violated the Sunshine Act by secretly hiring attorney Jarrett Ferentino to investigate superintendent Dr. Alexis Kirijan’s claims that she had been sexually harassed by an unnamed school director.

Kirijan demanded unsuccessfully to know who on the school board revealed the existence of her complaint to the Scranton Times-Tribune.  Columnist Chris Kelly revealed the allegations in his Sunday column Kelly’s World.

Although state law requires that the hiring of personnel be conducted during normal public business, solicitor John Minora stated that the board could correct the action by voting on Ferentino’s appointment when they pay his upcoming bills.  He did not say one way or the other whether the law had been violated.