In the Matter of Colm Fidgeon, Somerdale Board of Education, Camden County, 10/14/21, (#228-21SEC)

228-21SEC
SEC Dkt. No. T09-20
Agency Dkt. No. 146-8/21
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
In the Matter of Colm Fidgeon,
Somerdale Board of Education,
Camden County.
The Commissioner has reviewed the record of this matter and the decision of the School
Ethics Commission (SEC), finding that respondent violated the School Ethics Act (the Act) for failure to
timely complete board member training in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33 and N.J.A.C. 6A:28-4.1.
The SEC’s decision was forwarded to the Commissioner for final determination on the recommended
penalty pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-29(c). The SEC recommended a sanction of removal effective upon
the adoption of the decision by the Commissioner. Alternatively, if the respondent completed the
required training before the issuance of the Commissioner’s final decision, the SEC recommended that
respondent be suspended for 30 days. Respondent has neither filed exceptions to the recommended
penalty nor instituted an appeal of the SEC’s underlying finding of violation pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:4-1
et seq.
Upon review, the Commissioner concurs with the penalty recommended by the SEC for
respondent’s failure to timely honor an obligation placed upon board members by law. Accordingly, as of
the date of this decision, respondent is hereby removed from the board for violating the Act.
IT IS SO ORDERED.1
ACTING COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision:
Date of Mailing:
1 This decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-9.1.
Under N.J.Ct.R. 2:4-1(b), a notice of appeal must be filed with the Appellate Division within 45 days from the date
of mailing of this decision.
October 14, 2021
October 14, 2021