Helen Tobia, a tenured supervisor and longtime employee of the Lakewood School District who was suspended last month, is facing numerous severe charges – including lying under oath, court documents obtained by TLS show.
Tobia, who has been serving in the district since 1995, has served in the capacity of assistant principal, supervisor of special education, supervisor of social studies among others. She became tenured in the district in 1998, and current serves as Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services, documents show. She was suspended last month, as first reported by TLS.
Since 2006, Tobia’s responsibilities primarily involved oversight of the district’s special education program.
“During her Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services, Tobia has engaged in various actions, which among other things, are illegal, and/or highly improper, fail to meet her performance responsibilities, place the district in negative light, expose the district and its employees to significant to legal and financial liability, and have the potential to negatively impact the educational program provided to the districts special education students,” court documents read.
The charges were filed by State Monitor Michael Azzara, who states, “I hereby charge Helen Tobia, a tenured supervispr employed by the board, with unbecoming conduct, inefficiency, and/or other just cause warranting dismissal.”
According to court documents, Tobia was charged with perjury, willfully violating various state and federal special educations regulations, directing that a student be found ineligible for special education services even prior to the Child Study Team evaluation of the student, making unilateral student placement decisions, failing to work with district representatives and legal counsel, and violating district policies, among other things.
In one particular incident, the charges allege, the parents of a student enlisted in the Special Children’s Center filed for a “stay put” order to maintain the child’s placement in the school, to which Tobia allegedly opposed. In opposition to the petition for due process, Tobia provided false testimony in an affidavit, claiming the “SCC (Special Children’s Center) has religious symbols and icons present in and around the building.” The Board then prepared that affidavit based on her statements under oath.
During the court proceedings, the judge referenced the statement by Tobia that the school contained religious imagery, and questioned if the school is sectarian.
But later, Tobia admitted that she had never seen any religious images on the walls, and that she could not attest to the affidavit being true, according to the charges.
“By her actions, Tobia lied under oath in a litigation matter involving the school district, or, at best, misrepresented facts to the court while under oath, placed the district at risk of liability and misled Judge Kerins in her analysis of the issues related to M.W’s request for emergent relief,” the documents stated.
These actions, the charges allege, “placed both the student and the district at risk, and undermined the district’s creditability and constitute gross misconduct, conduct unbecoming a teaching staff member, and/or other just cause requiring dismissal.”
A total of 18 charges were filed against Tobia, documents show.
Tobia remains suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. As reported last month, she has 120 days to either fight the charges or resign.
[TLS]
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Where are the documents available?
What about her partner, boss & mentor Mrs Winters?
YES!!!!!!
Just wondering…you are correct! Since leaving the district, Ms. Winters continues to implement Tobia’s policies of lies and bullying. They are in contact daily and Ms. Winters seeks Tobia’s approval before doing anything. Does Mr. Azzara know this? Or will we be soon seeing Winters on tenure charges????
please keep not nice comments to yourself, we need to be more mature!
Let the house of cards come tumbling down. She is not the only one in authority in the district who lies; she’s just the token sacrifice. Hundreds of special needs children have been erroneously placed or forced out of the programs they needed under Tobia, Winters, and a host of other district administration who would not advocate for the child’s rights. Let’s see ALL of these liars called out on their gross miscarriage of their professional responsibilities and crimes against children. Tobia and other district administration are bullies plain and simple. They bully teachers, child study team members, parents, and children to advance themselves. Staff fear for their lives in the district if they speak up and advocate for students. Many nontenured have been fired under the guise of no cause because they spoke up to administration. Wake up board of ed and dismiss all current administration to start over to help the children.
Wow, thank you hashem!!
Just in time for the new year!! How low and ugly can a public service member fall to?!?
To too late for Lakewood
Fear for their lives?? Hard to believe. Maybe you’ve been watching too many movies
My son had Mrs Tobias as an O.T. when he was in 5th grade. She is an absolute waste of space. She had him twirling pennies and blowing up balloons. This had nothing to do with his focusing issue. When I pulled him from her sessions she begged me to keep him there or to at least let her come to the class to work with him. ABSOLUTELY NOT
Anybody know why Mr. Azara filed the charges and not Ms. Winters the Superintendent? Something smells wrong here. Very wrong.
These two have ruined the lives of both students and teachers. Lakewood lost MANY good teachers because of these two. Maybe Lakewood can heal now. Please let me know their jail cell number do I can kvel.