Since its inception in 2008, TLS, with over 1,000,000 monthly visits, has dealt with hundreds of different agencies and departments throughout Lakewood, the County and State.
However, none have showed clear disrespect to an official news agency’s request for comment as has School District Superintendent Ms. Laura Winters.
After multiple attempts to reach her for comment on various subjects, and to verify facts before publishing a story, we stopped emailing her.
Yesterday, TLS sent an email to a Board official reporting the blatant disregard, and backed up the complaint with several copies of emails sent, and which never received responses.
The emails were sent over a period of approximately six months.
Today, despite the complaints – which included a request for an apology and commitment for the future, State Monitor Michael Azzara defended Ms. Winters’ blatant disregard.
“Mrs. Winters, In my opinion no apology is warranted. The characterization of not responding to 3 out of 4 or 5 contacts over the period of a year as blatant disregard is incredible,” Azzara wrote in an email to Ms. Winters today. Note, there was no comment on seeking to correct the issue either.
Shame on you Ms. Winters and shame on you Mr. Azzara for covering up for the deficiencies you were appointed to oversee.
[TLS Staff]
Oust winters!!!
Why cant we get rid of Ms Winters once and for all??
I think you’re really reaching here. She is not obligated to respond to you or any other news outlet. I kind of don’t blame her for the way she’s spoken about on this site.
I’m with the scoop on this one. I’ve seen her quote in another news source. If you respond to one agency, you should be responding to all. She has been a problem for years. Speak to anyone from the district.
Of course Azzara is right! Lakewood is a unique place, nothing like it on planet earth. There is no need whatsoever to answer or explain to taxpayers.
Who is Ms a Winters and what do we care if she comments or not ?
I think maybe that Jackson is looking for a new superintendent.
Ms winters and her latch key Ms tobia read the scoop daily and even went so far as to have it filtered out from the districts web browser because they don’t want their lies exposed to their employees.
LKWD is right, reaching!
It’s only a matter of time and courage of some daring individuals to face up to Winters and all the fraud and money being pilfered will be known to all! ….and then taxes might stop skyrocketing!!
I totally agree look it’s ok to disagree but don’t ignore after all your job is to be a Mentch & respond to questions of the district & the community. The fact that Mr Azzara backs Mrs Winter’s ignorance shows how corrupt the School Board administration really is
Unfortunately you can not fire a State Appointed official..You wanted him here, He is here..and for now its something you might just have to deal with..he only has to answer to 2 people..The Superintendant of Lakewood schools and the State Dept of Education..sorry
TLS news is the Lakewood news website for majority of residents that have internet access. Why is it that Mrs Winters chooses not to respond to the media which Lakewood residents read daily? What is she hiding from? The residents of Lakewood who pay here salary?
I don’t agree with Mr Azzara. Shame on them all. They would be best off if they would realize that they are Public servants and must respectfully communicate with ALL residents of Lakewood.
I am with you so why don’t you just publish the questions to which you are seeking comment and perhaps this will pressure her into responding
the person who wrote that we pay her salary is 100% on the mark—-we who never send our children to public schools–who pay 55% of our property tax towards those institutions—we who pay her health care—WE- and yet she ignores us?—and were we not told to vote for mr azzara?—-corruption is rampant here—6 millions dollars “missing” from the school coffers—it goes on and on—when do we wake up and oust these thieves?
If the Superintendent will not respond, perhaps we should ask the members of the BOE. They are our elected representatives. If we need information, they should provide it. If they refuse, we’ll vote them out.
This is the price that the people of Lakewood pay for allowing a political structure that perpetuates incompetent superintendents in control of a $150 million organization and keeping the most qualified at the bottom of the organization.
It will not be long before the School Board becomes irrelevant.