By Kim Isaza
Marietta Daily Journal News Editor
Click HERE to read the
Grand Jury's Report
MARIETTA - Superintendent Fred Sanderson "was aware of the investigation" of Dr. Lawrence Bynum when Bynum was promoted, according to grand jury findings presented Thursday.
Publicity regarding Bynum's June 26 promotion to principal of North Cobb High School - and subsequent revelations of sexual harassment allegations against him - prompted the 25 members of the grand jury to form a committee to understand "the process that allowed Dr. Bynum to be presented as a candidate for promotion ... without disclosing to the Board the fact that there was a pending investigation," the jury members wrote. Bynum had been principal of Floyd Middle School since 2004.
On Aug. 6, Sanderson put Bynum on paid leave amid new claims of sexual harassment that occurred in his first days at North Cobb. The district also requested an ethics ruling from the Professional Standards Commission in Atlanta. The PSC will decide next Thursday whether to conduct its own investigation.
On Aug. 25, Sanderson suspended Bynum for 20 days and demoted him to the rank of teacher after an outside investigator hired by the district concluded Bynum had sexually harassed a social worker at North Cobb.
Monday morning, a panel of education professionals from outside the district will convene a personnel hearing of Bynum's suspension and demotion, and Bynum will have a chance to respond to the charges. He has not spoken publicly about the situation, despite repeated requests.
The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the board room of the district's central office at 514 Glover St. in Marietta.
The grand jury did not consider whether Bynum is guilty of sexual harassment. Members simply sought to understand how he was promoted while under investigation.
Besides Sanderson, the jurors interviewed Sheila Cozine, the district's diversity manager who spent seven months investigating claims against Bynum, and Betty Gray, the school board chairwoman. The grand jury delivered its findings Thursday afternoon before Cobb Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs.
Jurors reported that Sanderson showed them a copy of the sexual harassment board rule, highlighting guidelines for investigations and noting that the Bynum probe was not started or completed within specified time limits.
"He believes that that was a contributing cause, as he did not realize that the investigation was continuing," the jurors wrote. "It is his opinion that protocol was not followed in this case."
That seems to conflict with a later sentence in the jury's report.
Sanderson "explained that at the time Dr. Bynum was presented for re-assignment, the investigation had been underway for more than 7 months. He was aware of the investigation," according to the report.
Cobb County convenes one grand jury every other month, for a total of six in a year. Members meet periodically over an eight-week period, investigating criminal and civil matters and reviewing government agencies.
Ultimately, "the grand jury recommends that the Cobb County Board of Education and the Superintendent review the policies regarding communication between the administration and the board."
In an e-mail to the Journal on Thursday, Sanderson said: "A communication plan is in place from staff that is very clear. Future personnel recommendations to the Board will be brought forward through this plan with specific directions."
In their report, grand jurors wrote that Sanderson's suggestion of a formal review of personnel files before promoting employees "will certainly benefit the citizens of this county."
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The jurors wrote: "The resignation at North Cobb forced them to fill the position quickly," and "this re-assignment did not follow the regular process due to the limited time to fill the position."
"Sanderson; his area superintendent; district HR chief Dr. Donald Dunnigan, and possibly others "decided that Dr. Bynum was the best candidate."
"Mr. Sanderson was also aware of the previous investigations, but he believed that it was all unsubstantiated in the investigative reports. He believes that Dr. Bynum has been targeted by the teachers association because of his high standards and his style."
Later, the jurors wrote: "Mr. Sanderson then explained that the board is considering eliminating or consolidating Ms. Sheila Cozine's position as there is duplication between her role and that of the functions of the HR department."
Cozine described for jurors her process for investigating complaints against district employees, although she acknowledged the process had never been documented.
In her investigation, Cozine "opened and reviewed" two earlier, similar investigations of Bynum, and interviewed 107 witnesseses.
"It appears that Ms. Cozine undertook her role in this investigation seriously and diligently," jurors wrote. They report questioning her extensively about the monitoring of ongoing investigations.
"Ms. Cozine was responsible for regular updates to Dr. Dunnigan, and it was her assumption that he was regularly updating" Sanderson. "When she completed her investigative report it was communicated to Dr. Dunnigan."
Board chairwoman Betty Gray told the grand jury that she believes the Bynum situation resulted from "a breakdown in communication due to human error," beginning with "the failure of communication between Ms. Cozine and her boss" that continued up the chain of command.
School board members discussed Bynum's promotion in executive session, Gray testified, and "because of the strong recommendation, voted 7-0 to re-assign Dr. Bynum. At no time were they told that he was under investigation. There was no real discussion of any issues, and they did not ask about any investigations."
"The board has an expectation that the Superintendent will disclose all that he knows," Gray told the jurors.
kisaza@mdjonline.com
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Posted Comments
It is time to fire Sanderson. He lies; he fries.
Another reason that SPLOST should not pass. How can we expect the school district to handle that amount of money and not know who is on first base in regards to the principalship of North Cobb? Voters should let the board get it's act together before voting for an extension of SPLOST. A good first move would be to replace Fred. I think he has forgotten who the employee is recently. Last time I checked, the dog wagged the tail. Maybe it can be explained by new cloning stuff (that a new method of wagging has been achieved) Because it sure looks like Fred is wagging the school board.
Grand jury investigation???!!! Oh just stop it!!! This isn't even worth it. First of all, Bynum was NEVER promoted. He was reassigned. He made a lateral transfer- one principal position to another. That is not a promotion. A promotion is going from a principal position to the central office. Now Bynum has been demoted (going from principal to teacher), if that lasts. It is the MDJ who used the term "promotion" to describe Bynum's transfer from Floyd to North Cobb.
Where does Betty Gray get the terms she uses to address the public? There is a much more accurate, easy to understand term for what the superintendent did. It is called LIE, which is what the board members do when the make excuses for the expensive SPLOST special election and the pork spending to vendors that the SPLOST contains.
Wow! A reporter with the MDJ who knows how to write news stories rather than biased, slanted, essays. This is the first professionally written article I've seen in months about the school system. Not sure how it got past the editor/ownder but thanks for moving in the right direction to improve the quality of the paper. Keep it up and maybe I'll subscribe to the hard copy.
Why did the School board promote Bynum to princial when they knew he was under investigation?
Wow, a story on Sanderson with only a hint of bias instead of a complete slant! Way to go, MDJ! We knew you could do it.
Let those on the grand jury know Mr Bynum wanted to take legal action when he wanted to be a principal. All this while he was an assistant here. He must have something to hold against the top leaders.
Mr. Sanderson says the teacher's association has it in for Bynum because of his "high standards and his style". Wouldn't this association want the same standards? You'd think since both want the same thing, there wouldn't be a reason to ask about what he's done. Oh yeah, he's accused of harassment-the link to the letter to him spells out word by word what he said, and it also mentioned he agreed he said those things. Seems simple to me. Wasn't it brought up somewhere else he'd been at the school before N. Cobb four years, and it only hit the AYP one time? Those "high standards" only seem to work part of the time.
Cozine has just been made the scapegoat and Sanderson will continue to rule the BOE.
It is apparent that Fred Sanderson failed to disclose to the School Board that Lawrence Bynum was under investigation for sexual harrassment prior to his North Cobb High School appointment. Fred Sanderson did not testify truthfully to the grand jury regarding his perceived knowledge of the pending internal sexual harrassment investigation and the grand jury should seek perjury charges. Also, it is slanderous for Betty Gray to state without having substantiated evidence that Shelia Cozine failed to notify Dr. Dunnigan regarding the impending investigation. If a thorough investigation is conducted, you will discover that Betty Gray is an advocate of Lawrence Bynum and Randy Bynum.
RE: Joe--you are right about SPLOST (and this school board). RE: Well written - professional perhaps, but not complete. It would have been nice to have some background that explained why/what exactly the Grand Jury is investigating. I felt like I had just walked into the middle of a movie.
It's probaly a good thing this Bynum fella did not "assault" a teacher or student, otherwise he would have been given a suspension of 60 days in addition to a demotion from the Cobb County School Board.
This place is starting to look like the Clayton County School board.
This is another sad commentary of how adamant Fred Sanderson and other members of the School Board are about concealing the illegal actions of Lawrence Bynum. Fred Sanderson misled the grandjury by alleging that he thought the investigation was not substantiated. Mr. Sanderson should be brought up on criminal charges for his actions in this case. Also, outgoing board member Betty Gray is not a credible witness because she sheilded Randy Bynum from disciplinary action when he was the Principal of Pebblebrook High School. Shelia Cozine conducted a professional and impartial investigation but Fred Sanderson refused to acknowledge the facts in her comprehensive investigative report. Betty Gray blatantly lied when she alleged that Shelia Cozine did not update her superiors regarding this pending investigation.
To the teacher that thinks Bynum was not promoted - he did receive a substantial raise which some just might call a promotion of some sort. To go from middle school to high school is not a lateral move. Salaries are different. Not everyone that goes to the central office is promoted---"mess up and move up" is what applies to lots of people there.
Has anyone look at the effective date of the Cobb County School District's Policy, that added a timeline completion date for investigations of sexual harassment. I have seen so many times, Elected Officials doing what ever it takes to make someone else the fall guy, for their negligence. I hope Fred Sanderson is not trying to ruin Sheila's career to save his butt.
Superintendent Fred Sanderson "was aware of the investigation" of Dr. Lawrence Bynum when Bynum was promoted, according to grand jury findings presented Thursday. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ok. I understand this much. My question to the MDJ. Did Fred Sanderson ever say "he was not aware of the investigation of Dr. Lawrence Bynum". Did it require a trip in front of the Grand Jury to get the truth out of him?. Would someone at the MDJ answer this question.
When you have a culture of friends hiring friends and family members, and giving preferential treatment to some like they do at central office, do you think they will acknowledge unprofessional conduct? Cobb County School District investigates themselves so no wonder they never find anything wrong with their decisions. The Professional Standards Commission could spend the rest of this school year investigating the School District Headquarters and still will not be able to unravel everything that goes on in that office. I want to believe that the Board members try to do their job, but I am also almost certain that a lot of arm twisting goes on behind close doors during their “executive sessions” to forced the members into voting a certain way.
In the Grand Jury’s Report Betty Gray stated that the school Board members are very close to their communities and know best what type of leadership works best in their schools. That’s a joke. I have sent e-mails to my Board Rep. (Holly Cash) and she does not even acknowledged receiving the message.
So what is the bottom line here? Bynum gets off easy, Sanderson tries to pass the buck and the school board is still in the dark. Looks to me like Ms Cozine is the scapegoat. And the teacher's association being disgruntled over high expectations??? Who would believe that? Cobb County is lagging behind in education. Look at the facts: 1. Bynum comes to Floyd in 2004 and it takes 3 years for the school to meet ayp? The school board needs to disaggregate the data and look closely at those facts. If you don't know how---ask a teacher. Bynum wouldn't know how. 2. Disgruntled teachers complain. What should they do? There are reasons that teachers are unhappy. MAYBE BECAUSE THE TEACHERS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION!! Has anyone considered that? 3. Since when did bullying and intimidation become an acceptable administrative style? Try that in the corporate world and see what happens. Cut to the chase citizens of Cobb. Bynum needs to go and the school board needs to get on with bringing the education of the students up to speed. Did you not just hear that the SAT scores were lower?
East Cobb M.S., Pebblebrook H.S., Floyd M.S, and now North Cobb H.S. Is there a problem at every school he worked? Why is he still employed by CCSD?
Lots of corruption here--Sanderson has been aware of Lawrence Bynum's behavior since he became Superintendent. It has been going on for years. Betty Gray is close friends with the Bynums. After all, Randy Bynum had the Pebblebrook theatre named after her. She protected him in all his unethical acts while he was with CCSD and now his brother. Everyone is "passing the buck" it seems trying to throw each other under the bus. The Bynums and their behavior is not recent news to many people.
As a fairly new resident of Cobb County, I am shocked. Regardless of all the he said, she said, it is clear that Bynum violated his letter of direction. The end. Rather than pay more in taxes, I would send my children to private school or leave the area. How much more does the school board really think that the people of Cobb County should take? I don't care how many great things Bynum may have done (I have not seen any proof), he did something wrong. What message is being sent to the students? This is a clear message to vote no to splost.
You can believe that Philip Lanoue and Fred Sanderson knew about allegations toward Bynum BEFORE June 1, 2008. It would not take that much of an investigation to show that.
I am also a Cobb CO teacher. The previous Cobb CO teacher stated that Bynum had a lateral transfer but this is not true. His move from a principal at a middle school to a high school is an increase in salary. This would be a promotion. Get it straight if you are going to try to defend the school system. Bottom line is that Sanderson lied and Betty Gray needs to stop speaking!
I read the Grand Jury report and it is crystal clear to me that he LIED to the School Board (also referred to by the Chairperson as a "breakdown in communication due to human error"). So, what this tells me is that the Board is no better than Sanderson because their response it to simply make excuses for his lies or characterize them as something other than a lie. Sadly, the scapegoat is Ms. Cozine, whose position is going to be eliminated. This is a real novel.....lies, a coverup and a scapegoat. I do not understand the board's reluctance to act. Gray said the board has an expectation that the Super will disclose all that he knows and it is clear that he failed to do that, i.e., he did not meet the board's expectations. Now it is time to hold him accountable.
Now, let me get this straight: A middle school principle stands under investigation for alledged sexual harassment, so he is PROMOTED to the position of PRINCIPLE of a high school. He is at this school less than a month and like charges are filed against him. Now, what does the superintendent do? FIRE this disrespectful man? Oh, no, he is DEMOTED and sent to be a TEACHER to a bunch of kids! Sexual allegations have been filed against this man, and yet he is place in the position to do the same acts again, this time on our KIDS!! FIRE BOTH OF THEM!!!
When all the voting is done, and the votes have been all tallied, and SPLOSTIII loses, the school board will only have itself to blame for the lose of this money!
Them good ole boys is at it again!!! YEE HAW!
This isn't about a breakdown in communications. Decision makers knew. This is about back room secret plans. Doesn't anyone have the courage to stand up and say when something is done is wrong ? There is a youth anti-drug campaign called above the influence.....too bad our senior leaders at the school board can't follow suit. The real question is why were people who knew really afraid to speak up ?
So, Sanderson thinks an association, whose job is to protect teachers, is out to get Bynum. Since the report about what the man said to a staffer at North Cobb is linked to this site, why doesn't he read it to see about the man's "record of success" - oops, I meant record of off-color comments. Add to those comments how many complaints have been filed against that principal (over 10-15, from what a source says), and it's clear what Sanderson is doing - trying to shift blame onto the association. The association is there for exactly the types of situations reported at the two schools, unprofessional, power-mongering acts that prove only how big someone thinks his muscles are to everyone. If I were a betting person, I'm willing to bet there are more complaints than have come out, and I'd bet again those include tactics besides harassing ones.
In the future, I'll be informing the school board DIRECTLY about central office personnel who don't adhere to special education laws too. I DON'T HAVE the confidence in Sanderson to relay this information. Those people charged with overseeing programs for our special needs students are often out of compliance and Fred Sanderson has a boatload of complaint letters to prove it. Now I understand how these incompetents are always promoted. The process is too secret, disclose to the public which candidates are being considered instead of just posting Approved Appointments after the fact. It's obvious Fred isn't forwarding this information and it's our kids who should be the main focus. I support Bynum's dismissal if the allegations are true. We'll learn tommorrow if he will deny that they are. There's no place in education for sexist behavior/harrassment. I certainly whould not want my son exposed to this attitude.
Who, on the current board, is listening to anything anyone says, unless it involve their job, on the board. After, Gen. Redden left, the Grand Jury (these are composed of people from Cobb County) gave a list of things that the Cobb County School Board should do. It is starting to look as if the current board through those ideas under a bus and then ran over them a few times. This supertendent has lied to the board and some of this current board is now lying to the public. The Public’s willingness to except the lies again and again, puzzles’ me all the time.
I will tell you why teachers didn't or don't speak up it's because they are going to be considered a teacher who is a problem in the school. When you don't dance to Bynum's tone you will pay the price. Oh by the way. Bynum's brother Randy is now the Super in Fulton. WOW!
Fred Sanderson needs to go! He is a liar and cares for no one but himself. Why continue to take up for Bynum and discredit your female employees? It appears you have the same traits as Bynum and that is not respecting female employees who tells the truth.