Russo in Legal Battle With Virginia School System

By David Sinclair

Friday, July 23, 2010

Previous Stories

Here are previous stories that relate to Pat Russo's time in Moore County.

Russo Contract Vote Delayed

Russo Is Finalist for Virginia Job

Virginia Board Close on Selecting Russo

Board Seeks More Info on Russo

Board Votes 5-3 Not to Fire Russo

Former Moore County Schools Superintendent Pat Russo is now locked in a legal battle with his previous employer in Virginia.

Russo, who left Moore County in 2004 to become superintendent of the school system in Hampton, Va., resigned from that job June 30, 2009, with one year left on his contract. He was hired as the new superintendent of the Henrico County Public Schools in Virgina.

The Hampton school board is now suing Russo for $102,220, claiming he must forfeit money put into a retirement fund for him because he broke his contract with the school system, according to stories in The Daily Press newspaper in Hampton.

Russo is countersuing the board for $300,000 in Hampton Circuit Court, claiming it breached a transition agreement made with him in April 2009.

According to The Daily Press, the transition agreement called for an interim superintendent to take Russo's place and for him not to report to work, but he would be paid through June 30, 2009.

But the system withheld his paychecks for May and June, according to Russo's countersuit, saying it would only pay him after he gave back the $102,220.

Under Russo's contract, a retirement annuity was set up as a joint account between both parties, but only Russo's name is on the account, preventing the board from accessing it and taking the money, The Daily Press reported.

The school board contends that Russo set it up that way on purpose, but he says school system employees set it up and that he had nothing to do with the way it was created.

Attorney Stanley Barr, who represents the school system, told The Daily Press that he subpoenaed all information on Russo's retirement accounts.

"Among the questions is whether or not evidence will show that Russo set up the annuity himself," Barr told The Daily Press last month. "He's saying the school board set it up for him, which is not the case. The documents show that he set up the accounts."

Russo alleges in his countersuit that he told the board he believed it was holding secret meetings about his contract and employment, which violates Virginia law, according to The Daily Press. Russo dropped defamation and potential fraud claims against the school board in exchange for the transition agreement, according to the suit. He contends that the agreement trumps the contract and doesn't require him to return the money.

The case is scheduled for a two-day trial beginning Aug. 17 in Hampton Circuit Court.

Russo is no stranger to controversy.

He was hired as superintendent in Moore County in June 1999. His final year, 2003, was marked by controversy.

That summer, Russo came under fire for an incentive program at North Moore High School in which students were given money for improved SAT scores. An assistant superintendent and a principal said Russo asked them to alter or destroy documents showing that money used to pay the students came from state remedial funds.

After a lengthy investigation, the Moore County Board of Education disciplined Russo and others, but decided against firing Russo.

The majority of the board agreed there was no attempt at a cover-up by Russo, and therefore no grounds to fire him. Russo acknowledged that he had made mistakes and said he "took full responsibility for this unfortunate sequence of events." The state ordered the school system to repay some of the misused money.

That same year, more controversy erupted over a vending contract with the school system, which resulted in a lawsuit.

Russo resigned in late February 2004 to take the Hampton job. The resignation came as the school board was considering a two-year contract extension that would have kept him here through June 2007.

Current Superintendent Susan Purser began work in July.

Contact David Sinclair at dsinclair@thepilot.com.-

More like this story

Bailmoney 2 years, 10 months ago

Why do school boards think that it is so important to import superintendents and pay elaborate amounts of money to people who obviously are unable to hold an honest job? Even when they leave one under less than honorable circumstances another will take them right on just because they need to justify their existence by doing all that research to pick the right one. I wonder just how much research the Hampton school board done considering the reputation this guy had here in Moore county . Never dawns on them to promote from within the current system it would look too easy to the voters.

GoldenDreams 2 years, 10 months ago

The amazing thing is that it could take up to a year for a school board to hire a superintendent. An interim superintendent usually works in the wings. The reason for all this, the public is told, is that the school board is doing an exhaustive search to get the right match for the county. But more often than not, the out-of-state (or at least out-of-county) new hire is questionable and there's always some flap about money, productivity, or suitability. Why can't there be a superintendent from within our own county who really cares about what's going on in the community?

Bflat 2 years, 10 months ago

There was probably some kind of legal clause that prevents certain things from being disclosed to future employers, at the time his contract was terminated here.

mcg2010 2 years, 10 months ago

The problem with Russo, is that his resume shines. On paper, he looks like an incredible candidate and he is able to polish those ugly parts where he left his position, with his "qualifications." He left his position in GA, to come to MC under some shady conditions (as we know now). And his track record of that continues. Unfortunately for him, and for a period of time Moore County, his ethical standards do not shine quite as bright. He is quite the snake-oil salesman, making big promises he can't keep and he continues to show is inability to be a functional leader of a county-wide school system. Thankfully we are rid of him, and hopefully the time where he pulls the wool over the eyes of school boards across the country for the last time is fast approaching.

clbvpm 2 years, 10 months ago

Not surprising.

mcguy 2 years, 10 months ago

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

This is crazy! He is scum. No matter where he goes, he gets into trouble! It never fails. At some point he and his family would have to look within themselves and ask, "Could it be me, Could I be the problem?"

I send a thank you to Blanche Carter, Charles Lambert, Dale Frye, and (then citizen-turned boardmember) Bruce Cunningham for doing the investigating and standing up for the truth in Moore County. Thanks to them we are rid of this guy!

SoPinesNo1 2 years, 10 months ago

It's nice to be rid of Russo, but I'm not so sure that his replacement is any better. Just look at the poor showing, and low percentage of our 22 schools that met their goals as recently reported. The school system is by far the biggest item in the County's budget, draining a large portion of the taxes collected by the County. The school system must be fixed, and should be something to invoke pride. Instead it's an embarassment, and its sub-par performance is explained away by the school board with excuses. I don't complain about my tax dollars being spent on education, I just want it to be quality education.