VANDERPUIJE: return to sender He is all American, CHRAJ threat beckons

The Mayor of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) designate, Dr. Oko Vanderpuije, is set to return to South Carolina, the State where his wife and children are settled and are schooling, in the imminent revocation of his appointment by Professor Atta Mills.

The President ascended the exalted office on a squeaky clean image which now risks being stained by a man seen by his American employers as a dishonest man who helped himself to nearly $5000.00 of American taxpayers money.

On top of that, he admitted to Kwame Sefa Kayi, on PeaceFM, an Accra based radio station, that he still owes allegiance to America, as a US citizen. He is yet to revoke his US citizenship, and unleashed a spate of murmurings.

Now to add to his difficulties, the office of the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has urged the President to withdraw the nomination of Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije for the position of Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, else they would seek the intervention of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice.

AFAG holds the view that Mr. Vanderpuije has not been honest in explaining the state of his indictment by the South Carolina State Board of Education.

“Indeed, Dr Vanderpuije is claiming that his indictment record by the State Board has been expunged on the orders of the court, this is further from the truth,” it stressed.

In a press release signed by two members of AFAG, Mr. Abeeku Dickson and Mr. Sammy Awuku, yesterday, it stated that Dr. Vanderpuije, who holds US citizenship, was arrested and sent to the police station on a complaint by the State Board of Education, on the basis of an audit inquiry report that found that he had “misused” funds of the W. A. Perry Middle School, which he headed in Richland County, and that he had breached District Procedures.

He was bailed and the case listed in the Court of General Sessions in the county.

It continued that the South Carolina Board of Education served Dr. Vanderpuije a notice of “his right to a hearing before the state board,” where he voluntarily waived his right to a hearing (an obvious admission of guilt), and accepted the sentence of “the voluntary suspension of his certificate for a period of one year,” and also resigned from his job from February 2005.

The Board subsequently voted to suspend his certificate.

It indicated that the Court of General Sessions, which was to process Dr. Vanderpuije on June 6, 2006, did not do so because he was then reported to have successfully completed the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.

“On that basis, the court expunged the offence and records of the arrest, and the charge in the court, which did not expunge the findings, conclusions and sentencing by the Board of Education.

Dr. Vanderpuije should, therefore, not hide behind the Court of General Sessions to throw dust into the public's eye,” it emphasized.

Enquiries at the South Carolina Department of Education revealed that Dr. Vanderpuije was reinstated after he was sanctioned for a year.

The Chronicle put out a call to the Deputy General Counsel, at the Office of the General Council of the South Carolina Department of Education, Ms Wendy B. Cartlege, who informed this reporter that the information on their website was credible.

For the information of the general public, below is the judgment for the offence he committed.

BEFORE THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

In the Matter of the Suspension or Revocation of the Educator ) ORDER OF SUSPENSION Certificate of ) (AMENDED) Alfred O. Vanderpuije ) ) Certificate 201179 ) SUMMARY OF THE CASE The South Carolina State Board of Education (State Board) considered this matter on February 8, 2006, and again on July 12, 2006. On June 2, 2005, the South Carolina Department of Education (Department) sent Alfred O. Vanderpuije a notice of his right to a hearing before the State Board concerning the possible suspension or revocation of his South Carolina educator certificate 201179 by regular and certified mail, return receipt, restricted delivery. Mr. Vanderpuije received the notice as evidenced by a postal receipt bearing his signature. Mr. Vanderpuije subsequently agreed to waive his right to a hearing and to accept the voluntary suspension of his certificate for a period that would commence retroactively on June 13, 2005, and end on June 12, 2006.

After considering the information presented, the State Board voted to order the suspension of Mr. Vanderpuije's certificate, on the agreed-upon terms.

FINDINGS OF FACT
Mr. Vanderpuije holds a South Carolina certificate with over nine years of experience. Mr. Vanderpuije served as the principal of W. A. Perry Middle School (School) in Richland County School District One (District) from July 1, 2000, until a January 2005 audit of School activity funds indicated that District procedures had not been followed and that funds had been misused. Mr. Vanderpuije reimbursed the District for $4,460, the funds in question, and resigned from his employment, effective February 25, 2005.

Alfred O. Vanderpuije – Order (Amended) July 12, 2006

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
“The State Board of Education may, for just cause, either revoke or suspend the certificate of any person." S.C. Code Ann. § 5925150 (2004), S.C. Code Ann. § 5925160 (2004)? 24 S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 4358.

Just cause includes unprofessional conduct, dishonesty, and evident unfitness for position for which employed. The State Board finds that the information presented supports its determination that just cause exists to suspend Mr. Vanderpuije's certificate, commencing retroactively on June 13, 2005, through June 12, 2006.

If Mr. Vanderpuije wishes to have his certificate reinstated at the end of the suspension period, Mr. Vanderpuije must make a written request to the Office of Educator Certification of the Department.

South Carolina State Board of Education
By: _/S/ Joe Isaac___________________ Joe Isaac, Chair Columbia, South Carolina July 12, 2006