Superintendent La'Quetta Small
Maybe next week?
The Atlantic City Board of Education's second special meeting in a week ended the same as the first: No comment on the pending criminal charges against Superintendent La'Quetta Small.
Small and her husband, Mayor Marty Small, are accused of abusing their 16-year-old daughter on multiple occasions.
Dr. Small has continued to lead the school district despite the pending abuse and child endangerment allegations without a word from the elected board despite three meetings since she and her husband were charged.
It appeared that could change Thursday night, with a special meeting held for the second time in a week to discuss "personnel issues."
At last Thursday's meeting, the group voted on a doctrine of necessity that will allow the five members conflicted from making decisions about the superintendent to participate in the process, President Shay Steele explained.
He and fellow board members Patricia Bailey, Walter Johnson, Kashawn McKinley and Ruth Byard all have family members employed by the district.
McKinley himself is employed by the city, therefore work under Small's husband, the mayor. There does not seem to be anything in place to address that potential conflict.
It did seem another step may have been made behind the scenes.
Attorney David Rubin was quietly ushered into the executive session by board solicitor Tracey Riley about 15 minutes after the board voted to enter into the closed session.
Rubin was approved two weeks ago as special counsel "to advise the Atlantic City Board of Education in matters involving the employment of the superintendent."
He will be paid $210 per hour with him not to exceed 10 hours without further board approval.
The Middlesex County-based attorney "has achieved national prominence of the field of education law through his representation of numerous public school districts and private schools throughout New Jersey, his longstanding leadership role in the National School Boards Association’s 3000–member Council of School Attorneys (COSA), and his reputation as a frequent author on school law issues and a sought–after speaker at conferences and seminars throughout the country," according to his website.
He previously told BreakingAC that he could not comment on the issue.
A regular school board meeting is set for next Tuesday. It's uncertain if a move — or at least public comment — will be made at that time.
Mayor Marty Small also made an appearance at Thursday's meeting. About 40 minutes into the executive session, interim Principal Donald Harris took him back into another room presumably to be with his wife, who was not in the closed session, according to a source.
The board returned from the executive session and then adjourned.
"We can't comment," Riley told BreakingAC.
Dr. and Mayor Small were supposed to have their first court appearance Wednesday, but their attorneys separately waived that hearing.
They are now scheduled to appear for a pre-indictment conference on June 17 before Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury.
