What Are Your Thoughts on Board of Ed Behavior?

Allegations were made during Tuesday's Board of Education meeting by board member Joseph Saggese of an alleged spitting and cursing incident at a recent meeting.

Saggese said he was spit on by fellow board member Grace Plourde, labeling her actions as an exaggerated cough, and then was responded to with an expletive statement.

"I was cursed at and spit upon at a board meeting by Mrs. Plourde ... I want to be very clear to this Board of Education that I do not accept that type of behavior at a board meeting in this institution and I don't expect to take that kind of abuse," he said.

Plourde responded by aplogizing for her actions and acknowledging she was sick during the meeting with a fever and bronchitis. She added that when Saggese refered to her as "dispicable" she should have responded differently.

"I'm sorry, it was wrong and I'm embarassed ... I apologize that when I was called despicable the first thing out of my mouth was something I would have reached to as a teenager."

While incidents of this nature aren't frequent the community has criticized the board for its recent behavior and decisions.

Local and frequent speaker at board meetings Bob Urbancik, who was also critical of the board during the public speaking portion of Tuesday's meeting, wrote a Letter to the Editor to Smithtown Patch on Feb. 1 stating the board is intentionally limiting and hindering the involvement of the community on key issues.    

Smithtown Patch posed a question to readers back in September 2011 about the board's ways of communicating with the public and among themselves. Readers were critical of the board in the comments section, one even labeled the board as "sad."

Saggese wrapped up his speech Tuesday night with a statement questioning respect.

"If we don't respect ourselves, we don't respect each other, how do we expect the community to respect the board?" he said.

What are your thoughts on the behavior of the board? Let us know in the comments.