Bay City Academy's motto
If only that lesson extended to the faltering charter school's administrators! And although I've been describing Cleland as the Academy's “former” Superintendent, tipsters have alleged to Miss Fortune that Cleland may still be actively involved with the enfeebled charter school, having been seen regularly (and recently) in its halls.
Patrick Cleland is scheduled to appear tomorrow (November 3) in Grand Traverse County's 86th District Court, and is expected to plead guilty to stalking. Cleland has requested that his sentencing be delayed.
Arrested on May 25, 2015, Cleland was formally arraigned on September 22 for stalking and attempted possession of a controlled substance analogue.
Cleland last appeared in court on October 6, with his attorney, Patrick E. Heintz. Court records reveal a deal was struck, with Cleland pleading guilty to the stalking charge in return for the drug possession charge being dismissed. (Heintz is a partner in the law firm Bishop & Heintz, P. C. Heintz's law partner, Doug Bishop, was the longtime legal counsel for the Grand Traverse Academy Board of Directors. Heintz also represented Cleland back in 2013 when he negotiated another plea deal, keeping Cleland out of jail. Cleland plead guilty to one count of retail fraud-3rd degree and served three days of community service instead of a six day jail sentence.)
Leelanau County court records reveal an area woman sought and received a personal protection order against Cleland on May 26, and Cleland was served on June 8.
(If Cleland taught at a public school here in Michigan, a citizen could submit a Freedom of Information Act request and obtain his personnel file. Under Michigan law, personnel files of public employees are writings in the possession of a public body, and are subject to the disclosure of the FOIA. But charter school teachers and administrators are employees of the management company, so their personnel files are outside of public documents and not subject to the FOIA.)
In Michigan’s District Court, a judge may formally delay a sentence for the purpose of giving the defendant an opportunity to prove to the court his or her eligibility for probation or other leniency compatible with the ends of justice and the rehabilitation of the defendant.
Sentences may be delayed for all crimes except murder, treason, armed robbery, major controlled substance offenses, and first- or third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Sentence may be delayed for up to one year. After one year the court loses jurisdiction to sentence, except in the most limited and unusual of circumstances.
The judge may require the defendant to participate in in-patient alcohol or drug programs; regular reporting to a probation agent and may require that defendant pay restitution.
There's the heartbreaking flip side to this tawdry tale: the impact it has on the lives of children attending the school.
While Mitten Management's Brian Lynch and the rest of his dismal bunch of overlords (and overladies!) fight over every last scrap of money and, like crabs in a barrel, climb over each other in an effort to cling to the top, the students are the ones who suffer.
Taught by dedicated and well-intentioned teachers, these kids are at a distinct disadvantage by the mere presence of a skunk like Cleland.
“At Bay City Academy, we teach students to do the right thing, because it is the right thing to do.”
The dude who wrote this so-called motto must really have a pair — and they must make a loud, clanging noise when he walks.