Ramona Duran, Mychael Willon and Lies at PS 157 District 7

This is going to be the first a series of posts about the shenanigans of Ramona Duran, principal at PS 157 in her railroading of Francis Blake social studies teacher. Francis was brought up on incompetency charges and has spent the last two years in the rubber room. Francis went through his 3020a hearing and was found guilty. He has been suspended for two months and has been ordered to pay a five thousand dollar fine. Ramona Duran perjured herself throughout his trial, admitted to it and yet the arbitrator found her lies to be credible because as he said in his findings, "she didn't mean to lie." That is akin to me farting in front of Queen Elizabeth. I didn't mean to, but I did.

But how does DR Mychael Willon play into this? Seems DR Willon whilst LIS of region 9 in 2006 observed along with Ms Duran Francis Blake's lesson. Yes, it was an observation, but aren't administrators supposed to stay for the entire lesson? Not in this case. DR Willon and Ms Duran both left with approximately 20 minutes left in the lesson. Neither ever saw the completion. Never saw the students work in groups or the end product.

I bring this up because this lesson was rated unsatisfactory by Ms Duran and she testified to it in the trial of Francis Blake. Also, DR Willon testified in the trial and concurred with Ms Duran. So is that the truth and nothing but the truth DR Willon? Does DR Willon have a difficult time with the truth and reality? Why am I putting the abbreviation for Doctor in bold?

It seems that DR Willon does have a difficult time with truth and reality. In 2006, while DR Willon was still an LIS, the Rutland (VT) Herald wrote:

Mychael Willon, of Owego, N.Y., withdrew his candidacy in the wake of questions concerning his doctoral degree, which came from a diploma mill in Louisiana closed down by federal authorities in 1995.

It goes on to say:

While Willon has a lengthy and often meritorious career in education as a teacher and administrator, LaSalle University in Louisiana, where he obtained his doctorate online in 1993, does not.

The founder, James Virdamon Kirk, was sentenced to five years in jail for mail fraud.

The Louisiana institution has nothing to do with the accredited Catholic college of the same name in Philadelphia.

Willon said in published reports he did not know the university was a diploma mill.

"I enrolled in that university believing it was a creditable institution and had no idea that the individual in charge of the school would end up involved in an investigation," he said.

Seems that DR Willon does have a reality problem. When he was hired from Owego NY did he present himself to the DOE as a Doctor? Does the DOE know now in 2009 that DR Willon who just happens to be Director of the Principal Candidate Pool (whatever that means) is a liar and a cheat?

It's funny when reading that DR Willon was not aware in 2006 that LaSalle University of Louisiana was not a diploma mill when LaSalle was shut down, Thomas James Kirk aka, Thomas McPherson was indicted for fraud in 1996 and spent five years in prison.

Is it not a felony or at least a misdemeanor to use false documents and to present yourself as having a diploma and/or doctorate? Since it took DR Willon until 2006 to "come clean" how long was he using the PhD ruse? At least until he got caught in 2006. The Owego school district and the DOE should look into this immediately.