Schools

Fired School Administrator Sues State, Charging Retaliation

Ralph Goodwin says he lost his job because he told the truth during a hearing over the disputed contract of former Parsippany Superintendent LeRoy Seitz.

A former Morris County business administrator says he lost his job because of a dispute regarding the contract of former Parsippany School Superintendent LeRoy Seitz, according to a lawsuit made public last Friday in Superior Court in Morristown, reported by NJ.com.

Ralph Goodwin was the interim county business administrator for the state education department and he says he was fired as retaliation for being honest in an administrative law hearing.

In October 2010, Kathleen Serafino, who was the state superintendent for Morris County, agreed to a 5-year contract that would give Seitz a $225,604 annual salary, but she said she did not sign off on it when Gov. Chris Christie announced a salary cap, according to NJ.com.

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Under a statewide salary cap, administrators in districts the size of Parsippany cannot make more than a base rate of $175,000.

However, when Seitz sued over the salary reduction, Goodwin testified during the administrative law hearing that the contract was approved, according to NJ.com.

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Business Administrator Ralph Goodwin retired from the Chatham School Board in August. 2010 after six years and Chatham Superintendent Jim O'Neill described Goodwin as "knowledgeable, honest, hardworking" and "diligent."


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