In the Matter of Emerson Crooks, Board of Trustees of the East Orange Community Charter School, Essex County, 3/15/2021, (#62-21SEC)

SEC Dkt. No. T03-20 (https://www.state.nj.us/education/legal/ethics/training/2020/T03-20.pdf)
Agency Dkt. No. 11-1/21
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
In the Matter of Emerson Crooks,
Board of Trustees of Environment
East Orange Community Charter School,
Essex County.
The Commissioner has reviewed the record of this matter and the decision of the
School Ethics Commission (Commission), finding that respondent violated the School Ethics Act
for failure to timely complete school board member training in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:12-
33 and N.J.A.C. 6A:28-4.1. The Commission’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 completes the required training
before the Commissioner issues her final decision, the SEC recommends that respondent be
suspended for 30 days. Respondent has neither filed exceptions to the recommended penalty nor
instituted an appeal, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:4-1 et seq., of the Commission’s underlying finding
of violation.
Upon review, the Commissioner concurs with the penalty recommended by the
Commission for respondent’s failure to timely honor an obligation placed upon board members by
law.
62-21SEC

2
Accordingly, respondent is hereby removed as a school official found to have
violated the School Ethics Act, effective as of the date of this decision.
IT IS SO ORDERED.*
ACTING COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision:
Date of Mailing:
* 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.
March 15, 2021
March 19, 2021