Schools Attorney: No More Action Concerning Laria

The Glen Cove School District's attorney spoke at a special meeting of the Board of Education Thursday evening, telling residents there is nothing further to be done regarding the May 8 incident that prompted Superintendent Joseph Laria to resign seven weeks early.

Attorney John Gross said Laria's resignation moved the issue outside of the Board's jurisdiction, adding that termination of employment is a severe punishment in the field of education.

"In the case of the former superintendent, the ultimate penalty was assessed. He doesn't have a job," Gross said. 

Gross spoke in response to a question from Teachers Association president Karen Ferguson about whether a teacher would receive harsher treatment if they allowed a student to drive their car on school property. Ferguson noted that the student who drove Laria's car was cutting class and was supposed to be taking a test.

Earlier in the meeting, Interim Superintendent Louis Zocchia described the incident, saying Laria allowed a student who had a learner's permit to drive his car after he noticed the student admiring the car. Two other students were in the back seat and Laria was in the passenger's seat. The car was driven in a circle around a parking lot in front of the high school and parked.

Zocchia said there were no further facts to report and that no further action is being recommended regarding the incident. He said the parents of the two students in the back seat were called the day after the incident, and that he had personally spoken with the driver's mother at some point.

At least one person in the audience called for a reconsideration of the district's policy concerning parents being contacted in the event of a disciplinary incident.

Resident Jan Warner asked if it was legal for a teenager with a learner's permit to drive a car accompanied by someone who is not their guardian. Gross said that would be a question for the Glen Cove Police Department, and said they had been "fully informed" of the incident already.

Trustee Barry Dratch, who at the Board's emergency meeting on May 9 called for an investigation of the incident and of Laria's decisions over the last year, said she was satisfied with the incident's conclusion.

"I'm ready to put this to bed," she said.

The Board did not discuss a possible investigation of Laria's past actions.

Zocchia asked the community to have faith in him for the next few weeks as the district seeks to wind down the year and prepare to give the Class of 2013 a proper send-off.

"I do not want to put students in the middle of anything else at this point...We need to work on the students and keeping them positive over the next five weeks. That is the most important thing right there," Zocchia said.