The mission of the Mahopac Central School District is to ensure that every student in our schools acquire the

skills, knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills that will permit him or her to operate effectively in the broader community and lead a successful productive life in a changing world. When board members are sworn in they take an oath of office to solemnly swear that they will support the constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York, that they will faithfully discharge the duties of their position within the Mahopac Board of Education of the Mahopac Central School District.

I am frustrated. I am frustrated as a member of this community, of which I have personally dedicated and sacrificed my time for. Frustrated that the President of the Mahopac Board of Education has allowed his personal relationship with a colleague come before his ethical duty as a sworn trustee of the school board. Mr. Cote has apparently decided the guilt or innocence of a colleague when he should have remained open minded and most importantly remained unbiased until presented with more information. The communitys expectations are that each and every board member has no personal agenda or bias, and Im afraid that trust has been broken lately. Whether misquoted or not, Mr. Cotes response to the journalist at the Journal News, should have been to decline comment and protect the interests of the school district. Mr. Cote, you willfully accepted this position. It cannot be said or denied that whenever you speak, you are representing the school district in some fashion. I specifically bring to your attention BOE policy 2160, where it states that actions based on an ethical code of conduct promote public confidence and the attainment of district goals. I would also draw to your attention BOE policy 2160, item #7 which I believe Mr. Cote may be in direct violation of.

According to the New York School Boards Association, school board membership is a public office and a public trust. Your state and your community have entrusted you to provide for the education of children and youth. You are responsible to oversee the financial well-being and operation of your school district. It is equally

ineffective if it becomes sidetracked by separate substantive issues from selfserving ones. Critics will say that this is personal to me. Well they are correct. It is personal. It is personal because I, along with many others, served this district to the very best of our ability, sacrificing much, and when at times faced with many challenges. Each and every time we put our personal feelings aside and remained unbiased. We worked diligently and dutifully to ensure that there was transparency on the board and most of all, ensuring that there was trust in our decision making. Upholding our oath of office and doing what was absolutely best for the Mahopac School District. This is not about board politics, it is about board priorities. The districts mission statement states that we focus our attention on children, students. Not on our friends. The oath of office states, you will faithfully discharge your duties. As I see it, herein lies the problem. The students nor the district entered into Mr. Cotes train of thought when faced with this situation, but rather the relationship between two friends. We cant make Mahopac a #1 school district when the very people who play a part in running it cant make the students their #1 priority. Mr. Cote, I believe you have failed to carry out the mission statement of the school district, failed to adhere to your oath of office and have lost the trust of the Mahopac community. My moral compass respectfully requests that you resign your position as a trustee of the Mahopac School Board.