Is Hamlet right for PPS?

Afew weeks ago, we editorialized that Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Hamlet faced a credibility issue, a lack of trust between him and his constituents. The focal point then was the prospective delay of school, attributed by the district to a shortage of bus drivers but the catalyst for parental suspicions that the district might be heading once again toward remote or hybrid learning.

Since then, Mr. Hamlet’s credibility issues have worsened. The state Ethics Commission released a report that found he violated the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act.

The city school board needs to conduct a thorough assessment as to whether Mr. Hamlet is the right person to lead the school district. All signs point to a need for a change in leadership. And this isn’t the first time that the public has had cause to wonder about Mr. Hamlet.

The Ethics Commission inquiry, which was prompted by a complaint from city Controller Michael Lamb in 2019, found that the superintendent improperly received travel reimbursements, got paid for appearances related to his job and filed financial documents incorrectly. The commission ordered a $3,000 reimbursement to the school district, another $ 3,000 to the Pittsburgh Promise for contractual obligations, $1,000 related for investigation expenses and $750 for technical errors on paperwork. In addition, he was directed to forfeit 14 vacation days valued at more than $12,000.

Mr. Hamlet and his attorney defended his actions, saying he hadn’t been found to have committed any intentional wrongdoing. In fact, Mr. Hamlet painted himself as a victim in the inquiry, calling the investigation “a cloud over my head, a heavy burden on my shoulders — even though I know I have done nothing wrong.” But he did. And the panel said so. Mr. Hamlet’s spin on the Ethics Commission report rested in intent — or the lack thereof. He claimed there were “no findings of intent on my part to deceive the families, my staff and the taxpayers of Pittsburgh.”

Even sans intent, what about knowledge of the rules? Ignorance is not a defense. It is ignorance.

The executive director of the state Ethics Commission, Robert Caruso, offered a different take on the findings. He said the 147-page report documented “an ongoing course of conduct over a number of years in relation to his travel, failing to utilize leave, getting expense reimbursement for himself that was intended to go to the district, his violation of the Ethics Act, his receipt of honorarium, which is prohibited by law.”

He called Mr. Hamlet’s actions “an egregious violation of the public trust.”

We’ve said before that Mr. Hamlet’s issue is one of trust. Can parents trust that he is being open and honest with them about what is going on in the district and his plans for moving it forward? The Ethics Commission findings only raise more questions about trust and confidence in how the superintendent runs the district.

Mr. Hamlet has found himself at the center of controversy from the start of his tenure with Pittsburgh Public Schools. His hiring in 2016 was nearly derailed after questions about his credentials arose and an independent review was undertaken. The criticism centered on questions over portions of his resume that were taken from other sources and sections on school performance that were at odds with state data. A motion to cancel his employment contract was defeated by a majority of the school board.

In 2019, he was reprimanded by the school board for taking an unauthorized trip, along with some of his administrators, to Cuba. The trip was paid for by a vendor who had been hired for inspirational talks and programming at two district high schools. That trip led Mr. Lamb to file a complaint with the Ethics Commission.

Mr. Lamb has called on the school board to make changes in leadership. The board president opposed the idea, but the full board is still reviewing the Ethics Commission report. If Mr. Hamlet is to stay on, he has much work to do to rebuild the public trust. If the board can’t get that reassurance, it’s time to move on.