Milz alleges conspiracy in layoff from school

The following article appeared in the Scranton Times Tribune, July 19, 2008:

Milz alleges conspiracy in layoff from school

Diocesan teachers union President Michael Milz on Friday laid out a more-detailed account of what he alleges was a conspiracy to terminate his teaching job in retaliation for speaking out against the diocese.

He said officials from the Diocese of Scranton laid off another social studies teacher with the intention of bringing him back before the start of the school year, all in an effort to avoid the appearance of a targeted layoff of Mr. Milz.

Mr. Milz and Sharon Hourigan, spokeswoman for the parents group supporting the union, both said they were told by Robert Beviglia, vice principal of Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre, that social studies teacher Jim George was laid off so it would not appear that the diocese targeted Mr. Milz.

Mr. Beviglia handles all scheduling for the school, and was told of the diocese’s plan through several meetings and conversations with diocesan school administrators, including Holy Redeemer System Director Susan Dennen, Principal James Redington and Superintendent of Schools Joseph Casciano, Mr. Milz said.

When reached for comment on Friday, Mr. Beviglia referred all questions to diocesan spokesman William Genello.

The diocese released a statement calling the claims “false” and “preposterous.”

Mr. Milz, president of the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, which the diocese refuses to recognize, was one of five Holy Redeemer teachers laid off in June. Of the nine people in the Holy Redeemer social studies department, Mr. Milz had the least seniority according to the diocese’s criteria, and Mr. George had the second-least. Another social studies teacher retired at the end of the school year.

According to Mr. Milz, Mr. Beviglia explained to the other administrators that he could not make a schedule with the limited number of teachers that would be left in the department after the planned layoffs. In response, Ms. Dennen told him to “just throw something together that will justify Milz’s termination, and we’ll call people back after the fact to give you what you need to do the real schedule,” Mr. Milz said.

Mr. Milz said the alleged cover-up was one of two plans by the diocese to hide his targeted dismissal. The other called for laying off the most junior member in every department at the school. An administrator decided that would be “too transparent” and might “blow up in their faces,” Mr. Milz said.

Mr. Redington rebutted Mr. Milz’s claim and said there was no conspiracy to target the union president. He added that administrators have not begun to make the schedule.“We all know he is a very notable and popular teacher,” Mr. Redington said. “But there was no plan to simply remove him because of who he is.”

Mr. Casciano and Ms. Dennen referred comments to Mr. Genello, who released a statement calling Mr. Milz’s claim a “false accusation.”

“This is the latest salvo in SDACT’s (the union’s) misinformation campaign against the bishop and the diocese,” it said. “As usual, the accusations are preposterous and have no merit.”

Mrs. Hourigan, the parents group representative, said she first approached Mr. Beviglia in May — before the layoffs were announced on June 9 — after hearing rumors that Mr. Milz was targeted for dismissal.

“Mr. Beviglia answered my questions and confirmed my suspicions about a planned attempt by the officials of the Diocese of Scranton to remove Mr. Milz,” she said in a prepared statement. She added that Mr. Beviglia is “a hero” who discussed the alleged cover-up with her “at considerable risk to his livelihood.

”Mr. George, who initially had no knowledge of the alleged cover-up but has since heard about it, said he has not been offered his job back for the fall.

“My only goal is to get back in the classroom,” he said.

Mr. Milz, who filed a charge of unfair labor practices against the diocese on July 2, said the information he received from Mr. Beviglia served as the basis for his claim the he was terminated solely in retaliation for his union advocacy.

On Friday, Mr. Milz called for Mr. Casciano, Mr. Redington and Ms. Dennen to resign from their roles in the diocesan schools. He and Mrs. Hourigan also called for the resignation of Bishop Joseph Martino.

The diocese described the calls for resignation as “outlandish.”“What these people did was unconscionable,” Mr. Milz said. “They had no concern for the welfare of the kids. They had no concern for the teachers that they harmed.”