Teachers names removed from website

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By Dan King

Two Whitehall Central School teachers, who did not return to school this year, have had their names removed from the school’s website.

Teachers g
Paul Gould’s name no longer appears in the “G” section.

It was first reported by this newspaper two weeks ago that math teacher Paul Gould and ELA teacher Sue Ringer
had not been to school this year and that both had their mailboxes and email addresses removed.

The school has since removed both teachers’ names from the list of faculty members on the school district’s website.

Teachers r
Sue Ringer’s name no longer appears in the “R” section.

However, officials still won’t say if Gould and Ringer were the two teachers placed on paid administrative leave July 28, as a result of the State Education Department’s probe into Common Core test security issues at the school.

Both Gould and Ringer have been replaced by substitutes for the first few weeks of the school year.

A school source told the Times: “I guess BOCES has these subs here until March, but they are supposed to turn into full time after that. I guess each teacher is meeting with their union lawyer.”

Interim Superintendent Bill Scott said he has been advised by Jay Girvin, the school’s attorney, to not disclose the names of those who were put on leave until the state officially concludes the investigation, which has been ongoing since then-superintendent Liz Legault tipped the state to the issues May 1 as she left for a new job.

The investigation ultimately revolved around issues with teachers allegedly keeping copies of Common Core tests in the subjects of ELA and math, after they were administered, which violates the state’s policy. Thus far the investigation has invalidated seventh grade math tests and eighth grade ELA tests, led to the leave of the two unnamed teachers and led to the resignation of Kelly McHugh, the former high school principal.

Earlier in the investigation, BOCES Testing Integrity Officer Tony Muller, who was tipped to the issues by Legault, said that no details would be released until the state and Board of Education had come to a final conclusion on the findings of the state.