Skip to content
News
Link copied to clipboard

Some in Coatesville want more candidates for school post

COATESVILLE Some residents of the Coatesville Area School District have a question for the board trying to decide between two final candidates for the district's next superintendent: Got anyone else?

COATESVILLE Some residents of the Coatesville Area School District have a question for the board trying to decide between two final candidates for the district's next superintendent: Got anyone else?

Both candidates, William Harner and Cathy Taschner, have baggage that doesn't sit well with district residents looking for a fresh start after the resignation of the former superintendent in a texting scandal.

Last year, Harner, the current acting superintendent in Quakertown, lost his temporary position as state education secretary after the discovery of an inappropriate e-mail he sent to a staff member. Also last year, Taschner, on the advice of the Susquehanna Township district solicitor, didn't tell police about a rumor that an assistant principal was in a relationship with a student.

"Everybody was very upset when they found what legal issues they both have," said resident Coleen Beckershoff, who attended a closed forum with more than 20 other residents Wednesday to meet the candidates. "I think everyone wishes we could start over again."

'Fully vetted'

School board member Deborah Thompson, who stressed that she was not speaking on behalf of the full board, said both candidates had strong qualifications despite their issues. "They were fully vetted," she said.

The district's former superintendent, Richard Como, resigned early in the school year after the discovery of racist and sexist text messages he exchanged with athletic director James Donato, who also resigned.

Leonard Fitts has served as acting superintendent since Novemember and been paid $850 per day as needed.

Two dozen people applied for the superintendent position, the Pennsylvania School Board Association, which is helping the district in its search, said in early January.

Community members hoped to start fresh with a new superintendent who didn't have baggage, Beckershoff said.

However, one of the candidates, Harner, was forced to resign from his temporary state post after three months. Officials found out about a complaint that said Harner, while superintendent of the Cumberland Valley School District, e-mailed a male staff member asking what he looked like in a Speedo bathing suit.

Objections

Cumberland Valley said at the time that Harner hadn't violated any laws, and Harner said last month that he left Cumberland Valley to pursue other opportunities.

Still, some Quakertown Community School District parents and others objected to his appointment in January as acting superintendent partly because of the complaint. He is being paid a prorated salary of $168,000 until the job ends in June.

As for Taschner, she was an assistant superintendent of the Susquehanna Township School District when a grand jury report looking into another school official's inappropriate relationship found that criminal charges would not be filed against Taschner due to her "reasonable reliance on the advice of the solicitor."

The strongest recommendation from students and the community was for Taschner, said school board member Deborah Thompson.

"I think she's quick, sensitive to the area, understands Coatesville's issues," Thompson said.