$82,000 salary, lies concern school board
Officials want report on hiring
August 13, 2003
By DIANE LONG, Staff Writer
The Tennessean
He bragged that he was a lawyer, a professional football player and a Navy SEAL.
All lies, he admitted in March.
Now, Metro school system senior staffer Gene Hughes has become the flashpoint for questions from school board members about public trust and employee fairness within the district. Last night, board members asked Schools Director Pedro Garcia to report next month on hiring procedures.
Until March, Hughes was making $91,250 a year as director of the employee relations office in the district's human resources department. That month he was demoted by Garcia after admitting he had lied in conversations about his credentials.
Now board members say Hughes is the center of a recent crescendo of public questions and complaints about his current job assignment as athletics coordinator at a $82,352 salary.
Garcia told the board last night that ''nothing has changed since this issue came up in the spring. We checked out the salary, and it is appropriate. The individual in question is a good employee.''
That wasn't exactly the point, school board Vice Chairwoman Pam Garrett said.
''We are attempting to put this in a broader framework,'' Garrett said. ''This isn't just about one individual. It's how we operate as a system, and do we have the appropriate procedures in place?''
Hughes came to Metro in August 2001, a month after Garcia began as director. His wife, Sayra Hughes, had been previously hired by then Schools Director Bill Wise to coordinate the district's program for English as a Second Language. By early this year, there were questions about whether Gene Hughes was lying when he said he had played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers and that he was a lawyer.
Officials in Browning, Mont., where Hughes had worked earlier, wouldn't release his employment application but confirmed it was ''common knowledge'' Hughes made the same false claims there.
In addition, Hughes apparently told people he had been a Navy SEAL. There also were unconfirmed allegations about a conviction in an unnamed state.
By March 6, Garcia interviewed Hughes and issued a memo to school board members detailing his admissions about the lies:
A review of his employment application by The Tennessean in February showed that he had checked ''no'' when asked if he had been arrested or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, including traffic violations.
When the newspaper requested a copy of his entire file in March, the ''no'' box had been marked out. Instead, ''yes'' was checked and initialed by Hughes, with the notation that he had ''divulged (the information) during (the) initial interview.''
In addition, he regularly referred to himself as ''Gene Hughes, esquire'' on official Metro documents. That term is generally understood to be used by lawyers.
''That's the understanding of the public, so at the very best that's misleading,'' said Laura Chastain, deputy chief disciplinary counsel of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
Hughes didn't return two phone calls to his school's office yesterday asking for comment.
In the March memo, Garcia defended Hughes' job performance for Metro. But four days later, he demoted Hughes to a human resources coordinator, saying Hughes' credibility had been compromised. Human resource officials then said his salary would be about $69,000. But he started the job at $75,857 after department officials said they had incorrectly calculated his years of experience.
With continuing automatic raises, Hughes' salary is now $82,352. That will remain his salary in last week's ''lateral'' move to athletics coordinator.
That move was made, school officials said, because athletics Director Scott Brunette had asked for more help and because the new head of HR, June Keel, wanted a person who holds a Tennessee teaching certificate to fill the HR coordinator slot.
Hughes' new job description, completed just yesterday, shows he will coordinate use of sports facilities, advise coaches on eligibility questions, compile student accident reports and contact businesses that provide sports donations to students.
Because of the circumstances of Hughes' demotion and later transfer, board members last night passed a motion requiring Garcia to report by Sept. 5 on the district's hiring process and the salary ranges, gender and ethnicity of senior staff members at the central office. ''Ultimately, public trust was our largest issue,'' Garrett said. ''We have big important things to accomplish in the next few years. We do not need to continue to be distracted.''
But Garcia defended his decision to retain Hughes. ''I think people make mistakes,'' Garcia said. ''We could fire the individual. But what happens the next time somebody says something about an individual and a mistake they have made? Or a board member? Or the director? Where do we draw the line about getting rid of people?
''The guy was punished. He was demoted back in March. Period,'' Garcia said. ''There's nothing else to do. I am willing to die on this issue. I do not know why we even need to talk about it.''
[
Lies are not "mistakes", Mr. Garcia. They're lies. Learn the
difference. And while you're at it, have that cranial obstruction
removed from your colon. ]
Controversial school staff member quits
August 20, 2003
By Nicole Troutman
Nashville City Paper
Metro employee Gene Hughes resigned Tuesday morning amid a firestorm of controversy that began last March.
When Hughes was demoted in March after news broke that he had lied on official documents and past resumes — claiming to be a lawyer, Navy SEAL and professional football player — the issue seemed to drop. But last week the school board questioned Schools Director Pedro Garcia about Hughes’ employment and pay history because he was recently reassigned to the athletics department, a move that should have been lateral but came with an increase of pay.
“Those kinds of things draw attention,” said Pam Garrett, board vice chairwoman.
Garrett added that “there’s been a lot of damage done both within the system” over the issue.
Hughes’ resignation is effective no later than Oct. 31, however he will be vacating his office immediately.
“I don’t mind allowing him the opportunity to resign. I don’t mind doing whatever is appropriate and right in terms of the severance,” Garrett said. “I do not understand the end of October date.”
Hughes was demoted from his position as employee relations director making $91,250 to human resources coordinator making $75,857. Hughes’ most recent move was to the athletics department, where he would have held the same coordinator title but earn nearly $6,500 more.
Garcia defended the move at the board meeting, saying Hughes was a good employee and that the pay reflected what a coordinator would make with Hughes’ experience and education. But Garcia did not explain to board members why there was an increase from one position to another.
District spokesman Craig Owensby said Tuesday the position was not created for Hughes specifically but was created out of a need within the department. Owensby confirmed that the position remains open and will be filled again. He also said the position will be posted so the district can receive applications.
Hughes was promoted to the job without a posting that would have allowed others to apply. This was a concern of the board, that qualified employees had a fair chance at getting open jobs.
“We need to have clearly defined and implemented procedures for hiring employees, at every level,” Garrett said.
Metro Nashville Education Association President Ralph Smith said it was an appropriate ending and is glad to have the focus back on education. So is Garrett.
“I am troubled that the board had to deal with this,” she said. “Our big goal is to focus on student achievement. That’s where we’d rather be. It is a distraction from a lot of the good things happening in the system.”
Garcia apologizes for Hughes action
Wednesday, 08/27/03
By DIANE LONG, Staff Writer
The Tennessean
He once said he would ''die on the issue,'' but Metro Schools Director Pedro Garcia apologized to school board members last night for defending Gene Hughes, a staff member who resigned last week after admitting he had lied about his credentials.
''It was not a defensible position,'' Garcia said about his earlier assertion that Hughes had already been punished enough by a demotion in the spring.
''As a result, I opened myself to criticism and put the district in an undesirable position concerning our procedures and processes and our basic trust in the system,'' Garcia said. ''My job was to stop the problem immediately, and I didn't take the action that I should have taken. I apologize. I hope you accept my apology.''
Garcia demoted Hughes in March after he admitted lying about being a licensed lawyer, a Navy SEAL and a professional athlete. But Garcia moved Hughes to a new, unadvertised position as athletics coordinator earlier this month. The action, coupled with Hughes' $82,352 salary, outraged many in the community.
Garcia drew a small chuckle when he told board members in their regular meeting last night that his decision to admit his mistake came after conversations with community members, his staff, his wife and even his dad who lives in the Midwest.
''It helped me see my error,'' Garcia said, adding that his top priority for academic achievement remains in sync with board members. ''I believe there is no gap in our attitude. That remains the one thing that binds us all together.''
School board Chairman George Blue accepted Garcia's apology.
''I will say for myself that I appreciate that statement,'' Blue said, calling the intense controversy a possible factor for improvement. ''What doesn't kill us makes us stronger,'' he said.
Board member Lisa Hunt also praised Garcia's change of heart.
''I think the mark of a great leader is the ability to admit mistakes, and I deeply appreciate your willingness to exemplify that kind of leadership,'' Hunt said. ''So, thank you.''
Parent Michael Holt, who had criticized Garcia's earlier stance, said the apology begins to make amends.
''I think that's a good first step toward redeeming himself with the school board and the public,'' Holt said when contacted after the meeting.
But the proof of Garcia's sincerity, Holt said, will come with an independent review of the district's procedures and budget, a review that Garcia promised last night to initiate for human resources and other departments.
''I would like to have a blue ribbon commission or panel of independent, external individuals who come in and look at all of our processes ... and audit what we do to make sure that we indeed do the right things in the right manner in everything, including'' human resources, Garcia said before the meeting.
Garcia also said that Hughes would be earning his salary as he works from home until his resignation becomes effective Oct. 31.
''He either works or we're going to cut the tie right now … not just a little bit of work but enough where he earns what he makes,'' Garcia said. ''This is not a severance pay.''
Athletics Director Scott Brunette, who will be supervising Hughes, said that Hughes will be working to compile student accident reports and review materials for a wellness health class.
''We are going to help ourselves by assigning a lot of work to him,'' Brunette said. ''When he's finished … there are going to be more assignments following. And believe me, we've got plenty.''
Diane Long covers education for The Tennessean. Contact her at 726-5931 or at dlong@tennessean.com.
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