Taylor-Northover Contract: Not Easy To Get

• The contract was signed by both Dr. Taylor-Northover and Superintendent Moffett on June 10, 1999

• On June 14, 1999 the contract was requested pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

• On June 15, 1999 a copy of the FOIL request was copied to the Superintendent of Schools as a courtesy.

• On June 16, 1999 the district Records Access Officer, Anthony Ciaglia, responded to the request in such vague generality as to be considered a denial of the FOIL request.

• On June 16, 1999 Ciaglia's denial was appealed to the Superintendent of Schools. As had become common practice with Superintendent Moffett, she violated the law by ignoring the Appeal.

• On July 30, 1999, almost two months after the contract was signed, Ciaglia finally responded, making the contract available.• On August 4, 1999 I wrote to the district explaining to them that I would be in shortly to see the contract.

• Finally, on August 5th I obtained a copy of the four page contract that was signed on June 10th.

• After the controversy regarding the Board and Northover began, Newsday requested a copy of the Northover contract. The Board would not give Newsday a copy and it appears that Newsday finally did receive a copy shortly after August 6th from someone in the district. Even though Newsday was hot on this story and wanted a copy of the contract, the Newspaper would not FOIL it. Newsday never reported that it took almost two months, in clear violation of both the letter and the spirit of the Freedom of Information Law, for the District to make the contract available to anyone. LILKER