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Northmont parents get forged letter about school closing
Thursday, January 22, 2009
ENGLEWOOD — An unknown number of Northmont school district parents have received a purported forged letter with false information on a proposed closing of one of the district's elementary schools.
The document is on what appeared to be district letterhead and contains the forged signature of the superintendent, school officials said.
School spokesman Thomas Andrassy said the district received a faxed copy of the document Thursday morning, Jan. 22. School officials then sent automated telephone calls to all the district's parents, alerting them to the false document. School officials did not know how many parents received the letter or when or how it was distributed.
"My Lord, what have they done?" said Craig Vaughn, a leader of a group of Phillipsburg Elementary School parents opposing the proposed closing of their small school and merging it with nearby Union Elementary School. Vaughn said the letter did not originate from his group.
"I know many of our friends in Phillipsburg are very upset that this took place," Superintendent Doug Lantz said of the letter. "It's one thing to have a difference of opinion but this is over the top."
Lantz said the letter had been turned over to Englewood police.
The letter states the school board met Jan. 14 and approved the closure; that the closure would take place Feb. 9; that all kindergarten through fourth-grade classes would be transferred to a third elementary school for the remainder of this school year; that all fifth- and sixth-graders would be moved to a fourth elementary school for the remainder of the school year; and that new class and building assignments would be sent home to parents Feb. 2.
The letter appeared to be signed by Lantz.
But school officials vehemently deny the letter's assertions in person and on the district's Web site. School officials said the letterhead and signature were forgeries.
The board first heard the proposal Jan. 12, and scheduled a possible vote on the proposal for Jan. 26. School leaders met with almost 200 Phillipsburg parents Jan. 15 and has a special-called meeting tonight, Jan. 22 to meet with Union parents. School leaders have said, and the public record reflects, that no vote has been taken on the matter. Under the proposal, the Phillipsburg school would not be closed until after the end of the current school year.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2290 or dpage@DaytonDailyNews.com.
