POPLAR RIDGE - More than 35 faculty members dressed in black to protest the Southern Cayuga Central School District's inaction Monday.

The black-clad faculty members, as well as a smattering of parents with children enrolled in the district, came to the board of education meeting dressed in black to signify their sadness and frustration over the school board's inaction following the vote of no confidence the district's teachers have given superintendent Peter Cardamone.

Ninety-four percent of the Southern Cayuga Teacher's Association (SCTA) supported the no confidence vote, citing concerns for Cardamone's ethical practices, communication and management.

"(The universal dressing in black) is to symbolize our sadness and grief of the lack of response to our vote of no confidence," said Patricia Nunno, a first grade teacher and the president of the SCTA.

All the teachers and parents stood in support as Nunno read the statement from the SCTA during the visitor recognition portion of the meeting.

The statement posed 10 questions to the board regarding Cardamone's leadership of the district - including proper management of finances - and the board's slow response to their vote of no confidence.

"As keepers of the welfare of our district, matters of such concern, submitted by the largest group of employees, should have received a priority status and answered in a timely manner," Nunno said.

"The members of the SCTA continue to place the well being of the students first and foremost by insulating them from the conditions that burden their work environment. For this reason alone, their concerns should be respected, taken seriously and answered."

The SCTA requested to have a response to their questions from the board by the next school board meeting on Jan. 10.

The SCTA executive committee met with board members Nov. 23, but the association said in their statement they have not yet received a response to concerns raised in that meeting.

Board president Robert Moscato said the delay in the board's response was because he was still awaiting a response from four board members to the Nov. 23 meeting.

"I'm not going to put something out on behalf of six other people if I don't have their approval," Moscato said.

Moscato hoped he could now get a complete response from board members to form a consensus to present to the SCTA, as well as community members who have brought concerns.

"Somewhere along the line we've got set a date and address (these issues). Everyone's busy, but not that busy." said board member Ted Rejman.

Moscato also promised during the meeting the board would address parent Michelle Dean's specific questions raised during the visitor recognition segment before the next board meeting Jan. 10.

"The public has truly lost confidence," said Dean, who has organized meetings for parents in opposition to Cardamone's tenure. Dean said the inaction has created apathy among district parents, so it was hard to convince parents to turn out to Monday's meeting in support of the teachers.

"It's an important issue to be taken care of," said Tom Yale, a parent from Aurora. "We're starting to look at it as foot dragging."

Two of the seven board members, Robb Jetty and Marian Brown, were not in attendance at the meeting.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net