Awkward. Embarrassing. Uncomfortable. Familiar.
Any of these words could be used to describe the moment during Monday’s Columbus Municipal School Board meeting when assistant superintendent Craig Shannon, in his one and only act as the district’s temporary personnel director, recommended the hiring of the wife of schools superintendent Philip Hickman for a teaching position.
The board voted 3-2 to hire Adilah Zalzala to be a special education teacher at Fairview Elementary. Zalzala is the wife of CMSD Superintendent Philip Hickman, who was chosen in July to lead the district.
The cynical would suggest it was a matter of “third time’s the charm” when it comes to attempts by Hickman to put a relative on the payroll.
In his first board meeting as superintendent, Hickman recommended the district hire his uncle, Leslie Smith, for the new position of Director of Schools. Although the board approved the hire, Smith later declined the offer.
In August, Zalzala was among those recommendations for hire, but her name was taken out of consideration when board attorney David Dunn told the board that recommendation could not be made by Hickman and that a temporary personnel director would have to be chosen to make the recommendation.
Aside from ascribing to the letter of the law, the contortions required to facilitate Zalzala’s hiring only serve as means of putting Shannon in an untenable position. Shannon could not be expected to make any other recommendation given the fact the person applying for the job is the wife of his boss.
While there is nothing to indicate that Zalzala is anything other than a fine teacher, we submit that she would be an equally fine teacher at a district other than the CMSD.
Awkward. Embarrassing. Uncomfortable. Easily avoidable. It was all those things.
It is also painfully familiar.
While there is nothing illegal about the hiring, we argue the move only serves to undermine public confidence in our leaders because it opens Hickman to the charge that this is yet another example of a public official intent on using his position of authority to feather his own nest.
Whether it is elected officials voting themselves pay raises, officials creating positions for their supporters or failing to recuse themselves on votes on issues in which they have a vested interest, these examples of patronage and nepotism undermine our faith in our leaders because they beg the question: Whose interests do these leaders really advocate?
The best, most effective leaders go great lengths to avoid ambiguity.
Ultimately the decision to hire Hickman’s wife is not a matter of merit but of message.
It’s simply the wrong message.
Again, we encourage our leaders to avoid not only impropriety, but the appearance of it, as well.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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