Two Former Tobin School Administrators Fined $4,000 For Violating Conflict-of-Interest Laws

Two former administrators from Boston's Tobin School, principal Natasha Halfkenny and assistant principal Coreen Miranda, have each been fined $4,000 for violating conflict of interest laws..The fines stem from their misuse of tickets that had been donated for Tobin School students to attend the musical Hamilton at Citizens Bank Opera House. Instead of giving these tickets to the students, the administrators took several tickets for themselves and their sons, who were not students at the school, according to a press release from the State Ethics Commission..Halfkenny and Miranda admitted to the violations and accepted the penalties in separate Disposition Agreements, each waiving their right to a hearing. The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission found that the two had used their official positions to secure these tickets for their families, depriving students of the opportunity to attend the show, the press release said..In 2023, the Boston Education Development Fund told Miranda via email that a nonprofit organization had donated 12 tickets for Tobin students and two additional tickets for chaperones to attend Hamilton. The tickets, which were in Row D at the right-center of the mezzanine, were valued at about $149 each, and were meant for students who would otherwise be unable to attend. Instead of opening the opportunity to other staff or students, assistant principal Miranda allocated one chaperone ticket to herself and two student tickets to her sons, who were not enrolled at Tobin School or at any other Boston public school. She then invited the principal, Halfkenny, to chaperone, who agreed and did not prevent Miranda from bringing her sons to the show..Miranda and Halfkenny picked nine eighth-grade students to attend Hamilton without offering the opportunity to the broader Tobin School student body. Halfkenny also reserved an extra ticket for her son, who, like Miranda's sons, was not a Tobin or Boston Public Schools student, according to the press release.."By choosing to allocate three of the donated Hamilton tickets to their sons, who were not Tobin School or BPS students, Halfkenny and Miranda denied three Tobin School students the opportunity to attend the show and violated the conflict-of-interest law," State Ethics Commission executive director David A. Wilson said in the written statement..The State Ethics Commission said that public employees cannot legally use their official positions to obtain benefits or advantages for themselves or others that are not available for others. Halfkenny and Miranda violated this principle by placing their sons ahead of Tobin students for the donated tickets, according to the commission..Each school administrator has agreed to pay $4,000 in civil penalties as part of the settlement, according to the press release..The Ethics Commission also encouraged public employees to seek advice when they are unsure about the conflict-of-interest law's application, offering free guidance through the Commission's Legal Division, which can be contacted 617-371-9500. .Tobin School is a public kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school in the Roxbury section of Boston that serves about 375 students, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education..The Disposition Agreements for this case can be found here and here..New to NewBostonPost? Discover the difference with content that goes beyond the typical Massachusetts news outlets. Stay informed with news and commentary rooted in conservative values—for just $1 a week. Cancel anytime. Don’t wait—join now and see what you’ve been missing!

Two Former Tobin School Administrators Fined $4,000 For Violating Conflict-of-Interest Laws

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