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Saturday, April 05, 1997 Page:
HAZLETON — The Hazleton Area School District solicitor ruled that teacher
John Tarone was legally excused from his teaching duties when he testified in
the assault case of a city employee.
Tarone, also a city councilman, asked district Solicitor Pasco Schiavo for
a ruling because board President Louis Rossi, a close ally of city Mayor
Michael Marsicano, had accused Tarone of using a sick day for his time in
court.
Teachers can get a “legal leave” to attend a court proceeding only to serve
as a witness in that proceeding, according to Tarone’s contract.
Rossi, a longtime political enemy of Tarone, publicly accused Tarone of
trying to “hoodwink” the taxpayers for an extra day of pay.
On Nov. 13, Tarone was subpoenaed to appear before District Justice Carmen
Maffei in West Pittston as a witness in an alleged assault case against city
Department of Public Works Director Maurice Christino.
Rossi pointed to a district document that listed Tarone as out sick the day
of the hearing. Tarone produced additional documents that showed he had filed
for a legal leave. Tarone said a district worker had apparently improperly
filled out separate paperwork, resulting in the erroneous document Rossi used
in making his allegation.