MINISINK VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL VIOLATED POLICY, COPS SAY

Slate Hill -- Minisink Valley High School Principal Jack Latini Liked
To Cut Kids Some Slack In The Name Of Fairness.

And now it might have got him into trouble with his district.

Police sources say that Latini failed to immediately turn in drugs he
confiscated from a student, thus violating district policy. The
sources said Latini held onto the drug, the substance of which was
unknown yesterday, for a short period of time before turning it into
the school administration.

School policy requires that all confiscated drugs be reported to the
district immediately.

"The only thing we've heard about, it leads us to believe that there
wasn't a law broken," said one local police investigator. "But it
sounds to me that there were internal rules broken."

Latini was not at his Port Jervis home, yesterday.

The district has placed him on administrative leave for reasons it
would not divulge.

"He's not just going to kick someone out of school for doing
something bad; he'll try to first resolve it," said senior Ashley
Rauch about Latini, yesterday.

Parents in the district criticized the school board in 2004, when it
failed to discipline an assistant high school principal for not
immediately handing over confiscated marijuana. It was uncertain
whether that incident influenced the decision in Latini's case.

Most students at the high school were surprised at the allegation
against Latini, who they described as a respectable and well-liked
principal. Notices were sent home with students Wednesday announcing
Latini's leave.

"He was probably trying to help the kid out, more than like he was a
pot head, or something," said senior Anna Peters. "He's a respectable person."

Sixteen-year-old John Davachi said Latini often gave students three
chances before putting his foot down.

"If you did something wrong, he wouldn't go for the 100 percent worst
punishment, but "| he'd give you a fair punishment," added Davachi's
classmate Brad Fuller.

The district's assistant superintendent of curriculum and
instruction, Sean Michel, is filling in for Latini, as a search for
an interim administrator begins.

Minisink Valley Superintendent Martha Murray would not comment on
Latini's leave or the statements of police, citing privacy laws
related to personnel matters. Further action in Latini's case could
involve anything from reinstatement to termination, she said.

"It's open-ended at this point," she said.

Latini formerly served as principal of Port Jervis High School. In a
high profile case in 1999, his disciplinary actions against several
students were overturned by the school board.

A check with the county district attorney found no known criminal
record for Latini.

"He's an awesome principal, and he loves the school," said Minisink
sophomore Matt Micheals. "He wouldn't do anything to violate that."