Supt. will not present seminar at conference

Supt. will not present seminar at conference
BY MARK ROSMAN
Staff Writer

Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent of Schools James Wasser will not present a seminar at the annual conference of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) in April 2009.

Wasser had been scheduled to present a seminar at the national conference in San Diego, Calif., and the FRHSD Board of Education had recently approved his attendance at the conference.

Christina Gordon, the director of communications for the NSBA, said she did not know the topic of Wasser’s presentation.

She said the situation involving Wasser’s academic credentials is what led the association to notify him on Sept. 30 that he would not be a presenter.

Gordon said the situation involving Wasser’s doctorate degree from a discredited online institution was initially discussed by NSBA officials during the week of Sept. 22. She said the issue came to the attention of the association through various sources.

A decision was made on Sept. 30 regarding Wasser’s presentation at the national conference and an e-mail conveying that news was sent to the superintendent and to FRHSD Board of Education President Patricia Horvath that day, she said.

“This school district is in good standing with its state association (the New Jersey School Boards Association),” Gordon said. “This is merely [about] the superintendent whose credentials were called into question which led to the offer [to present a seminar] being rescinded.”

Gordon said the NSBA’s decision regardingWasser’s presentation at the annual conference was made prior to the receipt of an e-mail from a resident of the district who brought the situation involving Wasser’s credentials to the attention of the national association.

Representatives of the Freehold Regional High School District did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.