In the Matter of Anthony Cassano, Board of Education of the City of Leonia, Bergen County, 6/24/2020, (#129-20SEC)

129-20SEC
SEC Dkt. No. T16-19 (https://www.state.nj.us/education/legal/ethics/training/2020/T16-19.pdf)
Agency Dkt. No. 105-5/20
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
In the Matter of Anthony Cassano,
Board of Education of the City of
Leonia, Bergen County.
The Commissioner has reviewed the record of this matter and the decision of the
School Ethics Commission (Commission), finding that respondent violated the School Ethics Act for failure
to timely complete school board member training in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33 and
N.J.A.C. 6A:28-4.1. 	The 	Commission’s 	decision 	was 	forwarded 	to 	the 	Commissioner 	for 	final
determination on the recommended penalty pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-29(c). The Commission advises
that respondent ultimately completed the training after the issuance of its April 21, 2020 Order to Show
Cause. Respondent filed exceptions to the recommended penalty, providing a list of various circumstances
that he alleges prevented him from completing the training in a timely manner.
Upon review, the Commissioner does not find respondent’s exceptions persuasive and
concurs with the penalty recommended by the Commission for respondent’s failure to timely honor an
obligation placed upon board members by law. Additionally, respondent is admonished for causing the
unnecessary expenditure of administrative and adjudicative resources at both State and local levels.
Accordingly, respondent is hereby reprimanded as a school official found to have violated
the School Ethics Act.
IT IS SO ORDERED.*
Date of Decision: 6/24/2020 	COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Mailing: 	6/25/2020
* This decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court pursuant to P.L. 2008, c. 36. (N.J.S.A. 18A:6-9.1)