That’s 364 down, one to go. Yes, it’s the final day of 2007. Time to look back. And look ahead.
We spent much of the weekend in the print edition looking back. It was a year dominated by the almost surreal antics in the Penn-Delco School District.
At least one chapter came to a conclusion at the Media Courthouse on Friday when once-distinguished Superintendent Leslye Abrutyn was sentenced for her role in the Quick Start scam that engulfed the district.
That Abrutyn was finally meeting justice was greeted with sighs of relief in the district. But what happened inside that courtroom didn’t go down nearly as easily.
Clearly, after enduring what they went through in the past year, residents were seeking a pound of flesh. They didn’t get it. And they’re not particularly happy about it.
Abrutyn entered a no-contest plea and was sentenced to one-12 months imprisonment. But don’t look for her to spend any time behind bars. That’s not going to happen.
Instead, the woman for whom a wing of Sun Valley High School was once named instead will spend a month on home monitoring and the rest of her sentence on parole. She also must do 120 hours of community service and pay a $15,000 fine.
The sentence was met with howls of outrage from many in the district, most considering it a slap on the wrist.
One local official who e-mailed me called it “a slap in the face to the good people of Penn-Delco School District who suffered the most harm. The ex-superintendent didn’t bite the dust; she took a big bite out of the pie of privilege!”
Of course, there is one other aspect to Abrutyn’s sentence. As part of her plea deal, she will testify against the man who authorities allege masterminded the Quick Start scheme and managed to get her to go along with the plan.
That would be former school board President Keith Crego. It will be very interesting to see if Crego actually goes to trial, or looks to cut himself a deal of his own.
In the meantime, residents seeking retribution for what went on in the district must bide their time.
We spent much of the weekend in the print edition looking back. It was a year dominated by the almost surreal antics in the Penn-Delco School District.
At least one chapter came to a conclusion at the Media Courthouse on Friday when once-distinguished Superintendent Leslye Abrutyn was sentenced for her role in the Quick Start scam that engulfed the district.
That Abrutyn was finally meeting justice was greeted with sighs of relief in the district. But what happened inside that courtroom didn’t go down nearly as easily.
Clearly, after enduring what they went through in the past year, residents were seeking a pound of flesh. They didn’t get it. And they’re not particularly happy about it.
Abrutyn entered a no-contest plea and was sentenced to one-12 months imprisonment. But don’t look for her to spend any time behind bars. That’s not going to happen.
Instead, the woman for whom a wing of Sun Valley High School was once named instead will spend a month on home monitoring and the rest of her sentence on parole. She also must do 120 hours of community service and pay a $15,000 fine.
The sentence was met with howls of outrage from many in the district, most considering it a slap on the wrist.
One local official who e-mailed me called it “a slap in the face to the good people of Penn-Delco School District who suffered the most harm. The ex-superintendent didn’t bite the dust; she took a big bite out of the pie of privilege!”
Of course, there is one other aspect to Abrutyn’s sentence. As part of her plea deal, she will testify against the man who authorities allege masterminded the Quick Start scheme and managed to get her to go along with the plan.
That would be former school board President Keith Crego. It will be very interesting to see if Crego actually goes to trial, or looks to cut himself a deal of his own.
In the meantime, residents seeking retribution for what went on in the district must bide their time.
Comments