Grand Island School Principal Charged With Drug Possession (NY)

RusThompson.com, WBEN.com, isledegrande.com ^ | 16 Dec 04 | Superintendent of schools

[The Mayor]

That is a temporary thing, they have done that a couple times, Laura Ingraham is great!
I wish they would do it more often.

[kitkat]

***That is a temporary thing, they have done that a couple times, Laura Ingraham is great!
I wish they would do it more often.***

Yes, Mayor, I know Leslie Marshall is a temporary host. I suspect she doesn't have a full time job because some other Freeper was complaining about her in still another city where she subbed. I suggest we all complain when they have her again.

And, YES, Laura Ingraham IS great!

[The Mayor]

one for a druggie principal who is still being paid his enormous salary while "on leave".

You are so right, I stopped in and had a visit with the town supervisor Pete McMahon. The first words out of my mouth were.. "Suspended with pay, may as well pay him while he is on vacation for breaking the Law... I had a little discussion and he knows exactly how I feel..

[The Mayor]

Tom would like to read these words from Leslie Marshall
Tom is a freeper but never responds to threads.
I am sure he reads though..

---

How to Respond to Hate Talk Shows

Are you offended by all the hate talk against Islam on radio talk shows?

Do you feel like calling in but don’t know what to say or how to say it?

Well, then this training is for you!

Muslims and Islam have continuously been the targets of derogatory remarks by the media, especially radio talk shows. In order to empower the community to deal with the attacks on Islam and Muslims, CAIR has invited veteran radio talk show host Leslie Marshall, former host on KLAC 570AM. Leslie will hold a session to teach the Muslim community techniques on how to call-in to radio stations and be effective in getting your message across. Come and get experience on how to reply to radio hosts and to get your point across to thousands of people listening to the radio.

What: Radio Call-In Training with Leslie Marshall

When: Saturday, May 24, 2003, 10 a.m. to 12 noon

Where: CAIR-LA Office, 2180 W. Crescent Ave., Suite F, Anaheim, CA 92801 REGISTRATION: Admission - General: $15, Students $10. There are only 50 seats available so call to reserve your seat before spaces run out. To register and for more information call: (714) 776-1847 or e-mail: socal@cair.com First come, first serve.

This training is part of a series of seminars for leadership training offered by CAIR-LA. Future topics to be announced

[The Mayor]

I do every time she has come on the radio.

[The Mayor]

Community stunned by principal's drug arrest
By Mary Pasciak

When people talk abut a pillar of the community, Frank J. Cannata is the kind of person they have in mind. Church music director. Former School Board president. Elementary school principal.

That's what made his arrest Wednesday on drug possession charges almost crushing to his many friends, acquaintances and admirers on Grand Island.

"I'm very saddened for Frank. I'm certainly praying for him," said the Rev. Paul Nogaro, pastor of St. Stephen's Catholic Church, where Cannata has played the organ and directed the choir for about 20 years. "He has played a very important role on Grand Island."

Cannata, principal of Charlotte Sidway Elementary School, admitted to investigators Wednesday night that he uses methamphetamine - or speed - and Ecstasy, a hallucinogen, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Clare Kane.

I know Mary Pasciak, well I haven't talked to her in years. Is she trying to make him a victim or what....

[Joe Hadenuf]

Not surprised. I know a guy that was school Chief of Police for a MAJOR school district, that used illegal drugs. No lie.

They want to drug test folks? Start with random drug tests for all government workers, school teachers, administrators, congress, Senate, and the POTUS.

[The Mayor]

I agree!

[eleni121]

I wonder how Cannata got to be principal at such a young age...at least he looks quite youthful.

You need to have some years at teaching before you become principal...and credentials.

Just wondering.....

[The Mayor]

Your right, he is 40..

I don't know..
I also hear he is very gay..
and more about this drug ring is coming out.
I heard that he was in cahoots with the pharmacist at Rite Aid
and the owner of a pizza place here on the island.

[eleni121]

OK 40 is not too young, I guess. I still would like to know how he got hired.

Where's he from...do you know?

[eleni121]

"...heard that he was in cahoots with the pharmacist at Rite Aid and the owner of a pizza place here on the island."

And gay too?

Oh that's great! Maybe the Senecas should have taken over the island...it can't get any worse than this sounds.

[The Mayor]

From the Buf news article.
That is all I know at this point..

They saw Cannata, 40, as a local boy who did them proud. Just one year after he graduated with Grand Island High School's Class of 1982, he became the youngest person ever elected to the Grand Island School Board. He served on the board for 14 years, including three years as president.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Canisius College. He worked as a principal in Gouverneur for two years before returning to his hometown to take the job at Sidway Elementary, which he has held for six years.

His upbeat approach, combined with his easy rapport with the children, energized the school, which serves kindergartners and first-graders.

[gueroloco]

It's also not encouraging to see the Superintendent of Schools confuse "principle" with "principal" in his letter.

[eleni121]

From the WIVB website regarding the despicable Cannata (is he still collecting his salary?):

(February 7, 2005) - - It turns out a suspended Grand Island High School principal and church organist accused of possessing methamphetamines and ecstasy has a history of run ins with the law.

The Buffalo News reports that 40 year old Frank Cannata has been arrested three times since 1999, twice for DWI and once for violating an order of protection and hitting a child.

In December, Cannata was arrested on drug charges.

He's suspended from his job as principal of Charlotte Sidway Elementary School, but has returned to his position as organist at St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church on Grand Island.

[eleni121]

The principal and his record:

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050207/1065999.asp

[The Mayor]

Very interesting..
I'll have to find that article on WIVB..
Thanks for the heads up..

[eleni121]

It's post #75.

[eleni121]

Look like Cannata has finally stopped getting his 90 thou + paychecks...it seems that he was hired without possessing the appropriate qualifications.

Who hired him in the first place I wonder???

[The Mayor]

From my website..
People from the island are checking out my website and sending me emails and letters telling me info that is very injurious toward him. Stuff that if proven true will end his career, if it isn't over already.
People will be flooding the next school board meeting and are demanding answers from Ramming. The coward is hiding.

Board revokes pay of suspended principal
The Grand Island principal facing federal drug charges was suspended without pay as of Monday after the School District learned he did not have the proper state certification to be a principal.

It's about time some action was made public over this issue, Frank Cannata has been collecting $97,438 while he has been suspended. My next question is why and how did he get the job to begin with, who knew about this and what kind of politics was or is being played here in the school district. I smell something really fishy here and I would like answers from Ramming and former Superintendent Fields..