Mark Wallace, an employee of the Newurgh School District is interviewed in the June 2008 issue of Sojourners magazine.

...

Wallace: My job title is "Violence Prevention Facilitator for the Newburgh school district, grades K-12." Pretty much what that is, is I am more or less a mentor/counselor, I would say, group therapist. In the sense that what I do is I come in and the district has allowed me to set up a classroom setting where young men and women from diverse ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic-status backgrounds, can come and actually voice their concerns, their opinions, and deal with whatever issues or hardships they may be faced with. It's an amazing type of approach and method to overall learning because you get your academia, where they get their science, reading, math, etc.--however, a lot of these young men and women, things that are troubling them outside of school are usually not a concern of the school. Newburgh, like a lot of New York City schools, has taken on this new approach to a holistic type of educational experience with students, in terms of them getting their academia, but also having a place where they can talk about whatever it is that's bothering them.

...

(Spelling of Newburgh corrected from the original.)

A post in the Times Herald-Record forums suggested that there was a prior case of the Newburgh School District hiring a recently reformed felon, with unfortunate consequences. This is true.

Mr. Collins did not work out too well as an employee. Following an incident at South Junior High School in 1988 he faced three felony and five misdemeanor charges. On September 5, 1989 he plead guilty to attempted first degree sexual abuse and in October, 1989 he was sentenced to four years. He was back in state prison from 10/30/1989 to 9/4/1991.

Is Mr. Wallace a compelling speaker? Yes, he is. Does he appear to have reformed, to have made the best of his prison experience, and to be able to contribute something to society? Yes, it seems so. Should he be entrusted to work with kindergarten through twelfth graders in the Newburgh School District?

Sources:

• New York State Inmate Population Information Search. Both of these names are common--including the Birth Year makes searching easier.
• Here are a couple of images of Times Herald-Record articles. Sorry about the poor image quality.

There has been some follow-up in the press about the Mark Wallace appointment.

The Times Herald-Record published a letter to the editor Friday December 14, 2007 that is supportivee of the appointment.

December 14, 2007
Newburgh choice right

I write in support of the decision of the Newburgh School District to appoint Mark Wallace as the school youth violence prevention coordinator. Mark's story -- and the compassion and skill he has developed through his remarkable education and rehabilitation while in prison -- uniquely equip him to do this very important work.

As general presbyter of Hudson River Presbytery, I oversee the 91 Presbyterian congregations within the seven counties north of New York City. We have an active Prison Partnership heavily involved in the art, mentoring and educational programs that Mark participated in when he was in prison, and the transformation that these programs bring about in human lives is extraordinary.

The unfortunate title for the article about Mark labeled him as a "convict." Mark is an honest, wise, and energetic leader -- no longer incarcerated. He deserves our respect and support.

The Rev. Susan R. Andrews

Ossining

The Mid Hudson Times, published an editorial on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, page 8, in the Opinon section (not online afaik). They raise the point that some volunteer organizations feel they have not gotten an adequate response from the Newburgh School District.

[...]

Why an ex-con?

And why a paid position?

"They're going to pay him for what others are willing to do for free," complained a volunteer associated with Carlie's Crusade, a not-for-profit program that teaches kids self-defense and predator prevention.

The Carlie's Crusade volunteer said he ahd heard that day from several Newburgh teachers who were upset with the idea of an ex-con working with city youths already heavily into gang activity.

"I don't understand the officials' reticence to use help from organizations and people already in place and willing to step in," he said. "For some reason we just don't seem to get the cooperation in Newburgh that we get in other communities."

These are legitimate points.

Has the School District listened to the concerns of residents opposed to the Council for Unity project?

Surely School Superintendent Annette Saturnelli isn't deflecting those concerns in her zeal to back Wallace and the Council for Unity. Newburgh and many mid-size cities located along the Hudson are growing more and more concerned with the increase in gang activity.

Local law enforcement officers, educators and ordinary citizens are willing to help keep kids on the proper path in order to comat the growth of gangs.

Let's not be blind to what they have to offer.

The Times Herald-Record published an article with the sensational title Convict named to lead Newburgh program. There is some follow-up chat in the Record discussion forums.

The article explains:

Despite some protests, the Newburgh School District superintendent is standing by the board's choice to appoint a reformed convict as the new school youth violence prevention coordinator.

Mark Wallace, 43, is a member of the Council For Unity and has worked for about a decade to help troubled youth. He first came to Newburgh schools last year to speak to students and was appointed by the school board in August to be an employee. Superintendent Annette Saturnelli said Wallace will begin working if he passes the pending state background review.

The minutes of a September 6, 2007 Special Meeting of the Newburgh School District Board of Eduction, provide some detail about Mr. Wallace's appointment:

RESOLUTION # 090607 K
BE IT RESOLVED, that upon the recommendation of Dr. Annette M. Saturnelli,
Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education of the Newburgh Enlarged City
School District, hereby appoints Mark Wallace, as Facilitator for School Violence
Prevention, K-12, at an annual salary of $65,000 effective September 7, 2007.
Funding provided through General Funds/Alternative Program
Mr. Galli moved the resolution, seconded by Mrs. Bowles.
ROLL CALL:
Ayes: Mrs. Bowles, Mrs. Fucheck, Mr. Galli, Mrs. McAfee, Mr. Pizzo, Mr. Poppiti, Mrs. Resch,
Mr. Woodhull and Mr. Lewis. Motion Carried: 9-0.

The Council For Unitiy website is www.councilforunity.org.