James Latter: Why He’s A Bad Choice

It’s very important that you get the word out to all of your friends, family and neighbors before Mary 21, 2013. Do your part get out the vote and to clean up the RCS district and to put good, competent, and experienced women and men on the RCS board of Education!

James Latter Should Have Been Removed from the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District Board of Education More than a Year Ago when A Parent Reported that He Had Violated the FERPA Law. Superintendent Elizabeth R. Smith Refused to Launch and Investigation. Then “Retired.

James Latter
A Very Poor Choice

Violation of Confidentiality, Violation of the FERPA Law, Unsavory Connections with the RCS Sports Association and their Tax Questions, Admission of Guilt, Works for the Saudi Arabian Sabic Corporation, No Time to Read BoE Memos. But the Candidate for a Board of Education Seat running with Shyster Pat Brown and a Noob Jason Hyslop. NO WAY!

Read the entire News Herald article on Latter’s Breach of Confidentiality and his shady connections with the RCS Sports Association (News Herald, November 10, 2011, “Parent Charges Latter with Protocol Breach,” by Hilary Hawke. Click on this link: News Herald Latter Complaint Nov. 2011)

We’ve reported on James Latter’s escapades and questionable connections many times in the past. We’ve recommended that he resign from the RCS board of education because of his irresponsible and embarrassing, even illegal conduct. Parents and residents have called for his resignation, and for an investigation of this man. Now he’s campaigning for your votes to put him back on the board of education where he can continue to do his damage. Is the man insane?

We have received documents that will shed new light on this old problem and, now, before the elections, we need to get it out there so that residents know the truth about this character who should be on trial, not on a board of education!

If you recall, this is one of the members of the teachers clique on the RCS board of education. The one’s who vote as one block against anything the resident-business people propose. He’s part of the group that forced last years 6.8% tax levy down residents’ throats and got the entire school district investigated. He’s part of the group that tried to kill this year’s 2% levy and push through a more than 3.58% levy. He’s also the one being supported by the Coeymanazi group, Friends of RCS (a bigger lie has never been told unless Jerry Deluca fathered it), and is receiving the endorsement of guess who, the local RCS Teachers Association Political Action Committee (or that’s what Matt Miller would like us to believe).

We have very good information that maybe the Coeymanazis are supporting this mindless character, and maybe the secret Friends of RCS are supporting this boob, and maybe Matt Miller is, too. But one thing is very certain, not many of the ethical, professional teachers in this district are willing to support him, despite the propaganda Matt Miller puts out for his union.

Here’s what we learn from the documents we’ve received (the full text can be read or downloaded by just clicking this link  James Latter Misconduct-R)

Far from denying his misconduct or offering an explanation, Latter admits to the misconduct.

In those documents at least one RCS board of education member writes to then interim superintendent Elizabeth Smith, requesting that she initiate an investigation of James Latter’s breach of district policies, violation of FERPA law provisions on confidentiality, his texting his sister during executive session and displaying her comments to other BoE members, and the possibility of legal action against the District as the direct result of Latter’s misconduct. Far from denying his misconduct or offering an explanation, Latter admits to the misconduct.

The correspondence to superintendent Smith also notes Latter’s relationship with the RCS Sports Association and the obvious “conflict of interest” that the board felt was “affecting his duty as a BoE member.”

The documents include a parent’s complaint that a Latter violated district policy and federal law when Latter forwarded a confidential e-mal from the parent and he distributed the e-mail to Bob Doren, Ron Reese, Ron Vanderzee, and others, including the JV and Varsity football coaches.

Mr James Latter is a hypocrite who works by double standards.

The parent complains that “Mr Latter broke the very same protocol he has consistently preached that others need to follow, and he has quickly called for investigations of others he has accused of doing the same.” Mr Latter is a hypocrite who works by double standards. “Mr Latter maybe you should start to practice what you preach,” writes the parent.

Mr Latter has no respect for students, parents, policies, the law, and is not above placing students and parents at risk.

The parent also reports on an incident where Latter told a special ed student “to stop acting like a f***king retard.” The parent offered her child as a witness to the incident. And the parent demands an investigation into the incident and demands that Latter resign. It is obvious that Mr Latter has no respect for students, parents, policies, the law, and is not above placing students and parents at risk.

Another resident, JA, who voices his concern about the violation of confidentiality by a sitting board member, namely Mr James Latter (page 2).

But JA goes even further when he points out Mr Latter’s conflicts of interest:

“I’m more concerned after learning that Mr Latter is associated with members of the auxiliary that supports the various sporting events when that auxiliary has used its not-for-profit funding to actually fund “public education campaigns” and I’m being generous here, during times of election which, as I understand, is under IRS not-for-profit law, is expressly prohibited for a not-for-profit charitable organization to actually use its not-for-profit funding to fund such activities in an election campaign. And to take out a full-page ad and other things against certain board members or even supporting other members is contrary to public policy in terms of not-far-profit status. The fact that you’re directly associated, I understand, relatives are involved in that association [the RCS Sports Association. Latter's stepfather, Mr Jeff Stambaugh was president of the RCS Sportsman Association at the time.]“

 JA continues:

“And so, in light of this new revelation where you’re sharing confidential emails, I think that members of the public have a right to expect that communications to the board are held in confidence until the board as a whole decides to act on them or until the administration takes appropriate action … but certainly children should not be put in jeopardy because of personal or other agendas. And so, like others here, Mr Latter, I would call for your resignation. I find this totally inappropriate and highly questionable, given the other activities that I’ve outlined.”

 Of course, superintendent Smith as usual screwed up the facts and did nothing. Seemed that she was frequently a candidate for Alzheimer’s research whenever it came to dealing with the teacher’s clique or some Coeymanazi group.  Smith’s response to an inquiry by the parent: “I have not opened an investigation.” In fact, Smith even avoided communicating with the parent on the issue of calling the student an insulting name. Smith also failed to grasp the seriousness of the breach of confidentiality despite communications from board members, parents, residents. Duh!

In an email Latter admits his betrayal of confidentiality, admits that he should have let Ms Smith handle the matter through formal channels.

Latter’s initial misconduct was blown up tenfold!

Finally, the parent has to delete her e-mail account because she was getting responses from the individuals to whom Latter forwarded the confidential communication. In emails from coach Vanderzee, Bob Dorance, Ron Racey all of which have a demeaning, defensive tone. Bob Dorrance even assumes an insulting tone by writing, “If you are truly just a concerned parent…” What the devil is that supposed to mean? “truly just a concerned parent?” What else would the parent be, Mr Dorrance, you dolt!?! No wonder the parent felt the need to delete an e-mail account to avoid reading their defensive assaults. Of course, their facts were all messed up and they didn’t bother to communicate with each other. So Latter’s initial misconduct was blown up tenfold by the very people to whom he forwarded the confidential communication and who had no need to know of it!

Any person who places a football win before the welfare and safety of a student or before the duty of confidentiality under the policies of the school district as provided in the FERPA legislation should not be on the board in the first place. Any person who is as arrogant as Mr Latter has been in the past to ignore the demands of concerned parents and residents does not belong on the board.

Latter’s Campaign Statements are a Smoke Screen

Mr James Latter’s campaign statements are a smoke screen disguising the real James Latter. The real James Latter is the James Latter exposed in these documents and on the videos of the BoE meetings.  

 The Real James Latter should not be re-elected to the RCS CSD Board of Education.

Vote NO! to Latter-Hyslop-Brown
Vote YES! to the
RCS Champions Team
John Vadney
Judy Sylvester
Laszlo Polyak
The Real Independent Professionals