RHS Principal Asks District To Buy Out Contract

In scathing letter that accuses the district of "degradation and belittlement," Ridgewood High Principal Jack Lorenz has requested that the Board of Education buy out his contract, Patch has learned.

A letter sent by an attorney for Lorenz and obtained by Patch claims the district engaged in "a pattern of degradation and belittlement that is not at all appropriate in light of the exemplary manner in which Mr. Lorenz has led the Ridgewood High School as principal."

Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein said in an e-mail Wednesday morning that he would not comment on personnel, but said earlier that Lorenz was at work on Tuesday.

He has been principal since 2006.

The letter, witten by attorney Douglas Ortelere and dated August 22, demands that Lorenz be paid a full salary for 2011-2012, which would be $165,000.

Ortelere declined comment when reached Tuesday night.

Lorenz's family has already moved to Alabama and his children have started school there. He declined to comment on the letter.

The letter cites attempts by the district to interview Lorenz's son as part of an investigation into allegations of harrassment made by the family of a 9th grader, even though the probe showed "that the principal and teaching staff had served the interests of the student at every turn."

Ortelere states that in July 2010, the district's Human Resources Officer, Gary Hall, completed an investigation regarding the then-9th grade student, who is presumably Matthew Zimmer.

Zimmer's family alleged that he was outed as gay by a teacher, was denied appropriate educational accommodations based on documented illnesses, and suffered harrassment from other students.

The case , and is ongoing. The letter accuses someone in the district of leaking .

Lorenz's attorney also alleges his client was subject to unfair professional evaluations.

"Now we turn to the evaluation of Mr. Lorenz of May 12, 2011. It states: This year it was discovered that RHS Municipal Alliance money was misappropriated," Ortelere wrote. "Yet, Mr. Hall writes in his report, dated April 12, 2011 of the same matter, as follows: The first question that must be asked in a situation like this is: 'Was there misappropriation of public funds for personal gain?' There is no indication here that such a thing happened."

Ortelere wrote that it was "inexcusable" and "unconscionable" that the word "misappropriation" appeared in Lorenz's evaluation.

Fishbein said in an e-mail Tuesday that all resignations have to be submitted to the Ridgewood Board of Education. The next meeting is Monday, September 12.

"The concern of my client is that events similar to what is described ... will continue next year," Ortelere wrote. "Mr. Lorenz cannot endure and should not be expected to endure such derogatory and incorrect comments placed or added to his annual evaluations."