Harassment claim against acting superintendent top issue at meeting about candidate search

LANSING — A Wednesday evening meeting designed to allow Lansing School District residents a chance to weigh in on the qualities they want in their next superintendent veered from its planned trajectory.

There was outcry from some of the roughly two dozen attendees as representatives from the Michigan Association of School Boards described their plan for the evening: a discussion of the district’s strengths and challenges, and the traits residents want its future leader to embody.

Instead, attendees wanted to talk about a controversy that erupted this fall over an accusation of sexual harassment levied against acting superintendent Mark Coscarella.

More:Complaint: Lansing schools acting superintendent danced in his underwear in front of intern

"What I want to know is how the board decided that, they had to have an interim superintendent, and they decided that they would select someone that had all kinds of questionable behavior," a standing Jean Herford said from the back of the room.

She was referring to an allegation from Coscarella's former intern, Casey Sterle, who said he stripped in front of her in a locked elementary school classroom in 2000, then danced in front of her and asked her to strip, too.

Sterle told the story to police in 2002 after learning Coscarella faced an allegation about allowing high school students to watch pornography on a baseball team trip, a controversy that prompted his resignation from the district.

She sent the police report to the school board in July and recounted it to media in October as the superintendent search progressed and Coscarella was identified as a top candidate. She said she was concerned Coscarella would abuse his power if chosen as leader of the district.

Coscarella has maintained his innocence, providing a statement to the media saying her story is untrue.

Many district officials defended Coscarella in interviews with the State Journal, some saying directly that they believe Coscarella’s story over his accuser’s.

More:Outgoing superintendent, some Lansing board officers defend Coscarella in harassment claim

Outgoing superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul accused Sterle, who now is a teacher in the Leslie School District, of seeking attention. She said Sterle was "troubled."

Caamal Canul worked with Coscarella at the Michigan Department of Education before hiring him in Lansing and defended his reputation as a quality educator and person driven by morality. She said she would have to see a history of bad behavior before believing such an allegation.

"I've been in a women's leadership role for a long time and I've seen a lot of stuff," she told the State Journal on Oct. 31. "And I have never seen that behavior from Mark, ever."

Residents attending the meeting Wednesday took a different view of the situation when they scribbled their thoughts on large, fluorescent sticky notes posted on a cardboard display.

The night started with listing the district's strengths. Many pointed to the diversity of staff and students as its top asset, as well as a supportive community, strong teaching staff, leadership and Lansing Promise scholarship.

More sticky notes listed challenges, which included aging facilities, staff morale, students choosing other districts, teacher retention, violence, bullying and sexual harassment.

Attendees said they wanted a superintendent who, among other things, is determined to improve the district, has experience working in high schools, has people skills, a Ph.D, a clean work history, integrity and a "squeaky clean background."

Their list of wants for personal attributes was lengthy, including honesty, ethical behavior, trustworthiness, willingness to listen to staff, kindness, selflessness, an ability to make tough decisions and compassion.

Also included were: "Coscarella needs to go now," and "You know why we're here."

Throughout the meeting, many called for a national search for candidates. School board members in October agreed to look internally for Caamal Canul's successor. 

The board's decision to appoint Coscarella acting superintendent and identify him as a leading contender for the full job was disappointing, Curtis Vaden, of Lansing, said after the meeting. He said he doesn't want a questionable candidate selected for the job.

"I just want to make sure [children] are provided the best opportunities in a school district that is capable of making the best decisions," he said. "I don't feel like that's what's happening."

Vaden said he plans to attend more meetings before the superintendent search is over — perhaps the school board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday or next input session at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12. The input session will be at the Wainwright Conference Room, 4200 Wainwright Ave. in Lansing.

The feedback collected through the community meetings and an online survey, available at surveymonkey.com/r/lansingsearch, will be presented to the school board Nov. 21, said Jay Bennett, assistant director of executive search services for the Michigan Association of School Boards. 

When asked how he would characterize the feedback presented Wednesday, Bennett promised to give the board a full and accurate account.

"It does not behoove us to make an inaccurate assessment of what happened," he said. "I'm going to relay back to the board exactly what I heard tonight."

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Contact Carol Thompson at (517) 377-1018 or ckthompson@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @thompsoncarolk.