Federal Investigation of Schools

Kevin Blaum

April 23, 2009

FBI probes unthinkable in W-B Area Kevin Blaum In the Arena

WEDNESDAY’S EARLY morning newspaper headline screamed more bad news. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now looking into the hiring practices of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board and the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center. That was the gist of the morning edition. By day’s end it got worse. The FBI issued a strong statement asking citizens for information on the hiring practices of not only Wilkes-Barre Area but every school board throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

While it appeared to be a wise catch-all statement so as not to disappoint those anxious to see their school district also investigated, the focus appeared to be on Wilkes-Barre Area, for now.

The bureau’s Wednesday afternoon statement read as follows: “The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking the public’s assistance in an on-going criminal investigation in northeastern Pennsylvania. If you are a teacher, prospective teacher, employee or prospective employee of any kind who has been required to provide money, or anything else of value, to any individual in connection with being hired at any public school in northeastern Pennsylvania, or if you were denied employment because you refused to provide money or anything else of value for your prospective job, you may have been the victim of a crime and you are requested to immediately contact the FBI’s Scranton office. If you are a member of the public who has knowledge of any teacher, prospective teacher, employee or prospective employee being required to provide money, or anything else of value, to any individual in connection with being hired at a public school in northeastern Pennsylvania, you are also requested to contact the FBI.”

Words like “required to” and “knowledge of” contained in the body of the statement may help to weed out a number of calls being handled by the bureau’s Scranton office, but there can be little doubt that credible information of some sort has already found its way into the bureau’s possession.

Otherwise, last week there would have been no reason to have a busy superintendent of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District deliver documents to the Federal Courthouse in Scranton, probably to verify and authenticate them, for the grand jury currently empanelled there.

So what are we to think?

Frankly, the unthinkable is too painful to contemplate right now and on this Easter Sunday we pray our worst fears will not be realized. After all, in this new millennium, after our valley fought its way out of the mines and triumphed victoriously over Agnes, herself, how could such schemes, hiring practices and illicit conversations possibly take place?

If such acts did occur, where were they done, how were they consummated and who was so stupid to think their outstretched palm and vulgar words would all remain forever secret? How does someone dare to even initiate such a despicable monologue with a prospective educator?

Yes, the carefully worded statement issued Wednesday afternoon by the FBI mentions the words “required to” and “knowledge of” when discussing its investigation into the possibility of questionable hiring practices. However the statement also uses the phrase “victim of a crime” in describing school personnel who may have been approached in such a terrible manner and placed on the receiving end of such a deplorable shake down.

If this is you, you may be experiencing the natural, human, yet painful emotions that every crime victim feels. If so, the FBI would like to hear from you: 570-344-2404.

Kevin Blaum’s column on government, life and politics appears every Sunday. Contact him at kblaum@timesleader.com.

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