Board of Education Chair Insists End to Police Presence

At a news conference at the School Administration building Board of Ed Chairman Ted Raczka insisted that the police presence at the school board be ended immediately.

"We are asking the police officer to leave immediately," Raczka said.  "I hope it gets resolved today."

Raczka claims that neither the mayor, nor the police department have the authority to keep a police officer in place at the school administration building to guard against potential removal or destruction of printed material.

"We answer to the State Board of Education," Raczka said.

Raczka said that the two Board of Education employees who were asked to vacate the premises Saturday were illegally searched.  One employee was a secretary of Pupil Services, the other an accounts clerk from the Finance Office of the Board of Education.  He confirmed that they were not scheduled "normally" to come in on a Saturday, but that it's not unusual for Board of Education personnel to work on a weekend.

"Ironically, they are members of the labor union that made the complaint," Raczka said.  "Now how can that be a conspiracy?

A special meeting of the Board of Education has been called for tomorrow evening to discuss the situation.