The union representing metropolis faculty principals is ordering its members to maintain quiet if investigators ask about faculty procurement practices, within the wake of The Submit’s bombshell exposé on Chancellor Kamar Samuels’ alleged involvement in shady, no-bid contracts.
“Please be reminded that you shouldn’t reply any questions prompted by an investigator,” stated a June 17 e mail from the Council of College Supervisors and Directors.
The missive, signed by Laurelton College Principal and CSA District 29 chair Estelle Moore, warns that the probe by the Particular Commissioner of Investigation, the unbiased Division of Schooling watchdog, is ongoing.
“SCI is energetic once more this morning, requesting PO [purchase order] associated documentation,” reads the e-mail, which instructs principals to ask for the investigator’s contact info and say {that a} consultant from the CSA will contact them.
The e-mail additionally instructs principals to contact CSA area rep Patrick Burns, in response to reporter Susan Edelman’s Substack.
“Ranging from the precept that principals will incriminate themselves or their union in the event that they discuss is a reasonably dangerous search for CSA,” former Group Schooling Council 2 President Maud Maron advised The Submit.
The CSA e mail did instruct principals to show over any paperwork or emails requested by investigators, as a result of they’re Division of Schooling property.
The SCI has been underneath fireplace since The Submit revealed the investigative company allegedly lined up Samuels’ position in signing an inappropriate $180,000 no-bid contract.
Samuels inked the cope with Kreyco CEO Sean Kreyling in 2023 when he was superintendent of District 3 on the Higher West Aspect, and allegedly proceeded to separate funds between Kreyling’s two corporations to maintain checks beneath the $25,000 threshold that may have triggered metropolis oversight.
The SCI report issued in June 2025 pinned the blame on Samuels’ deputy superintendent Mariela Graham, who subsequently signed a near-identical contract with Kreyling in 2024 — and made no point out of Samuels’ position within the scheme.
SCI denied participating in a cover-up and claimed that they had been solely wanting into the years lined by Graham’s contract, however their very own report contradicted that account.
“Graham signed a contract with LLN for $180,000 to offer language lecturers for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 faculty years,” the report falsely said.
The report additionally included an e mail despatched by Kreyling to Graham, which mentioned the fee splitting, however didn’t point out that Samuels was additionally CC’d on the e-mail.
The shamefaced company is now redoubling its efforts to look into procurement violations within the metropolis faculty system after disastrous Metropolis Corridor hearings highlighted the cover-up, a supply advised The Submit.
The DOE spent $386 million procuring companies from outdoors distributors within the 2025 fiscal yr, and violations of metropolis guidelines are plaguing the company, a December 2025 SCI report discovered.
“Violations of procurement guidelines usually resulted in monetary losses to the DOE, led to state and federal prosecutions, and/or prevented the DOE from working with essentially the most certified distributors at truthful market costs,” the report said.
CSA Communications Director Craig DiFolco claimed the e-mail was not an official CSA communication, however admitted it represented official CSA coverage.
“CSA at all times urges members who’re contacted by investigators to train their proper to have union illustration earlier than collaborating in any interview,” he stated.
