Judge rules against Hempstead superintendent in his effort to resume job
CENTRAL ISLIP, Long Island (WABC) -- The Hempstead school district superintendent who was placed on administrative leave is still without a job for now.
A federal judge ruled that Shimon Waronker did not have his constitutional rights violated by being put on leave with pay.
The Hempstead school board ousted the new superintendent earlier this month because it says it wants to investigate his handling of several school issues.
Waronker says he will continue the legal fight to get his job back.
The superintendent, brought in to help turn around the troubled Hempstead school district, was put on administrative leave with pay less than a year after taking over.
Waronker arrived last spring and pledged to improve the school district, which has been plagued by low graduation rates and violence for decades.
The school board members say they have reason to believe that Waronker was using his educational non-profit to personally benefit off the school district, a claim he vehemently denies.
They say they also want to investigate his handling of school issues since taking office.
They say in order to investigate these issues, Waronker cannot be in the school district.
Waronker says he was denied due process. The school district says they never denied him due process because they say he was never terminated or suspended, he was simply put on administrative leave.
Waronker says it's an effort to damage his reputation and prevent him from doing good things for the district.
The attorneys for the school district say they plan to file a motion to have the rest of Waronker's lawsuit dismissed.
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