Christina board makes outside hire for interim superintendent in more 'turmoil,' infighting

There may be less than a month left of summer, but Christina School District remains in its own hot water.

The school board voted 4-3 to oust its superintendent in July. Tuesday night, in the first meeting since, an outside hire was appointed as interim leadership, through pushback, infighting and another late-night meeting. Members argued, talked over one another and called for nearly countless "points of order" as their meeting marched toward midnight.

Retired superintendent Robert Andrzejewski will assume the interim role. Still no exact reason has been given publicly for pushing out the former superintendent, Dan Shelton, but the move punctuated an ongoing pattern of friction between board leadership and district administration. That friction extends to the board itself.

The voting majority – President Donald Patton, Vice President Alethea Smith-Tucker, Y.F. Lou and Naveed Baqir – sent the former superintendent on administrative leave, indefinitely. Now, member Baqir finds himself at the center of his own controversy, from questions of his residency to a reported federal investigation.

Members Douglas Manley, Monica Moriak and Amy Trauth strongly opposed pushing out the superintendent. Tuesday night, Moriak put forward several agenda items seeking to reverse the move, void suspension and seek Public Integrity Commission inquiries into board actions.

Patton seconded a motion to strike nine such items from the agenda all together as public session opened. The same four-person majority carried it.

In the crowd, about 30 minutes of public comment encapsulated some of the frustration among school communities: "It's about the children."

State Rep. Paul Baumbach compared the board to the Titanic.

"You have an agenda item to hire an interim superintendent, when you have an award-winning superintendent on your payroll. And you plan to go to the voters asking for more money next year? Good luck with that," the Newark Democrat, retired in June, said in public comment. A district referendum is eyed for February 2025.

He, alongside fellow Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton and other speakers, continued to call attention to a lack of transparency in board meetings. Another spokesperson from one Christina educators union expressed intention to pursue a vote of no confidence in the board.

"You have spent over a year destroying any confidence that district residents have in your leadership of this school district," Baumbach continued. "You have failed 14,000 children, and we don't have enough life rafts."

Listening in was the Delaware Department of Justice, continuing its monitoring of all Christina school board meetings for the remainder of the year, due to violations to the Freedom of Information Act and open-meeting laws. Several Newark-area legislators had filed a complaint on these breaches with the department this spring. President Patton said the board will be attending training on proper procedure.

The state's Secretary of Education Mark Holodick also addressed the board directly Tuesday.

"We have very consistent concerns with what has been shared in your public comments," Holodick told the board. He also noted the difficulty added to recruitment and retention of educators in this climate, while the state is gearing up to release assessment data that will show some continued challenges.

"I implore you, like you've already heard: Focus on students."

What's going on in Christina? Catch up on July meeting, when board pushed out superintendent, faces FOIA probe

Leadership of Christina schools remains in flux

Someone scanning the school board agenda ahead of time might have been confused.

Multiple items lining new business for Tuesday night clearly contradicted one another. A few called for the reinstatement of Shelton – given no wrongdoing uncovered in a June workplace complaint discussed by the board – as well as voiding his suspension and his non-renewal now set for next summer.

Next, one line down, came "recommendations for an interim superintendent." Then, discussion of a selection process for a new pick to start next July. These items remained, though the latter will be a workshop.

Member Lou put forward Robert Andrzejewski as interim head of Christina schools, which indicated sitting Deputy Superintendent Deirdra Joyner was passed on the role. The nomination around 10:30 p.m. was the first time his name was heard, having not been on the agenda. Along the familiar 4-3 board division, the newest leader was appointed.

Outside of that bloc, frustration steamed.

"There's been no interview; there's been no discussion – or if there has, it was not done in regular FOIA regulations," Moriak said, her comments heard through calls of out of order. "Sounds like all of this is some sort of backhanded plan, and I'm very concerned about that. I'd like to speak with Dr. Andrzejewski before I make any decision. I'd like to know what his plans are? I'd like to know how he's going to work with current staff? I'd like to know how long he plans to be here?"

These questions didn't come with answers. Andrzejewski did not speak Tuesday, but his LinkedIn shows previous experience as Red Clay's superintendent for 12 years beginning back in 1997, interim superintendent in Christina for just over a year in 2015, interim president of the Charter School of Wilmington for eight months in 2020 and worked with a consulting firm.

Another new name will soon need to be selected, too: the board's legal representation.

In a letter sent to the board July 12 the district’s longtime lawyer, James McMackin III of Morris James LLP, said he would be stepping away from the New Castle County district. His firm has represented this board of education since its founding in 1983, according to the letter obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, as well as nearly every district in the state.

"As times, people and boards change, it is important to evaluate relationships from time to time," McMackin wrote. "After much observation and deliberation, I sense the time is arriving when you should begin to look for my firm’s successor."

McMackin did not state his reasonings in the letter, and the attorney added he would continue offering counsel until the board resolves "its present turmoil."

That timeline has not been revealed, but the board decided to seek bids.

Added backdrop for Christina's current unrest comes with the Redding Consortium's recommendation to to withdraw Christina from Wilmington , as well as calls for "immediate support" from the Wilmington Learning Collaborative.

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School board surrounded by more questions than answers

Fellow board members, as well as some attendees Tuesday night, continued to question Naveed Baqir.

Manley himself sent an email to the Office of the Attorney General last month, calling for investigation. He and other members claim their colleague has been out of the country since January, too many days to be defined as a resident and thus not eligible to hold his seat. Patton rejects this. In July he said Baqir has been frequently out of the country due to "severe health issues" affecting elderly family, but he had kept regular attendance remotely from Pakistan.

"The intimidation, the false narrative, the deliberate attempts to spread fear are not OK," Baqir said to the board meeting. "As a father and as a son, I'm deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of my family."

Baqir and Patton have claimed with similar tax code that "a resident individual is one who is domiciled in the state," while Baqir's parents, children and spouse reside in what is also his permeant home, within the board member's district.

It remains a point of contention. And now, the board member could be facing connection to a federal probe.

Tarbiyah School – a private religious school in Newark, founded by Naveed Baqir and his wife, Amna Latif, in 2009 – reported serving over 2 million meals during the COVID-19 pandemic . Today, the school and those connected to it are the subject of a grand jury investigation for the nearly $11 million in federal funding they received as reimbursement, according to reporting from WHYY and some fellow board members.

The exact details of this investigation are unknown. Grand juries are often kept secret, according to the U.S. Department of Justice , with the principal function to determine if there is probable cause that someone committed a certain federal crime or crimes.

Though this joins other ethical questions surfaced in reporting – any official indictment has yet to be seen.

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Delaware's Department of Education said it could not comment on any subpoenas in connection to this grand jury investigation, but it confirmed Tarbiyah does not currently participate in USDA Child Nutrition programs. Christina School District did not respond to requests on the subject. Baqir said all of his public comments on the subject would be heard in Tuesday's meeting. He made no mention of the grand jury.

For now, many in the district are just left frustrated for students and families.

"Do you know what has never been an issue or matter of importance to them?" said Shannon Griffin, policy advocate with ACLU of Delaware. "The board's adherence to Roberts Rules, or your violations, or even where board members live. You know what they are most concerned about?"

She pressed: Why do their schools have so many long-term subs? Why are their kids at single-digit proficiency rates? Why can't their teachers get more supports in the classroom? Where are the resources to help kids showing up with trauma and PTSD? Why can't schools with low enrollments seem to get on track? Where is the oversight and accountability to ensure resources are being allocated to students?

"Folks, we have lost the plot."

Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Christina board makes outside hire for interim superintendent in more 'turmoil,' infighting