‘It’s all about the students.’ Other than that, ‘No comment.’

Things at the Riverhead Central School District have been — shall we say — unique for years. Decades even.

But now we’re solidly into Twilight Zone territory.

Here’s what we know, which we believe you, the public, the taxpayers have a right to know. After all, you are supporting the $192 million district budget with a $103.4 million property tax levy  — not to mention state and federal income taxes that cover the rest of the tab with various state and federal aid payments.

The superintendent has resigned. No reason given by the elected officials known as our Board of Education. And he’s getting a lump-sum payout of $192,998.80 — his salary and vacation days through June 30, 2024). Plus a payment of $15,771.40 into his retirement account. This is a good time to remind taxpayers the Board of Education gave this employee a raise of $6,250 per year four months ago, to bring his annual salary to $256,250. The superintendent, who began working in Riverhead July 1, 2021, got a $32,500 boost in salary and benefits in July 2022.

The district is hiring an interim superintendent to fill in for the man who was apparently shown the exit. We’re paying her $1,200 per day from now until the end of the school year (June 30) according to a document approved by the Board of Education Tuesday night. If she works every day until June 30, excluding weekends, holidays and one school recess period, she’ll be paid $199,200.

The district now has an Acting Assistant Superintendent for Business, who will also be paid $1,200 per day as of Oct. 25, a total of $202,800 through June 30.

Funny thing is, though, the district already has an Assistant Superintendent for Business. He is paid an annual salary of $194,750. He has not, apparently, resigned. He also has not, apparently, been fired. He told us he is leaving the district and said he sends everyone his blessings. But he would say nothing more. We have heard he was shown the door on Tuesday. But the Board of Education took no public action regarding the status of this employee at its meeting Tuesday evening. In fact they didn’t even mention it. As if hiring an “acting” Assistant Superintendent for Business to do the job of an employee already on the books is a perfectly normal thing to do.

As a taxpayer, you might wonder, why do we need an acting Assistant Superintendent for Business when we already have an Assistant Superintendent for Business? As taxpayers, that’s what we’re wondering. We’ve been asking. More than once. The answers amount to little more than a lot of gibberish. Nothing can be discussed. Privacy. Negotiations. Litigation. Same old story in Riverhead.

Whatever the excuse, nothing can ever be discussed in this district, not by administrators, or elected officials, or by the public relations firm and lawyers they pay to craft excuses for what would appear to be yet another cover-up of some incident, behavior or situation they don’t want the parents and taxpayers to know about.

The school board president told our reporter, who was still asking this question this afternoon and getting nowhere, the district’s PR firm will be putting out a statement. The “statement” did not answer the question we asked — not even close. In fact it doesn’t even mention the departure, or impending departure, of the Assistant Superintendent for Business. Oh no, no. The statement issued by the PR firm this afternoon announces the hiring of “Two Extraordinary Educators and Administrators to Fill Leadership Positions.”

This is a pattern — and, obviously, a tried-and-true strategy here in Riverhead. Something “happens” with a highly paid employee and the district responds with a buyout agreement. It avoids the cost of hearings and/or litigation. So they’re actually saving the taxpayers money, you see, faithful stewards of our finances that they are.

They think the taxpayers of Riverhead don’t care — or don’t pay enough attention to care. Or maybe we’re all just too dumb to understand. Honestly, it would seem they might be correct, judging by the public turnout for Riverhead school board meetings —or budget votes, for that matter.

We have another high-ranking administrator being investigated by an outside lawyer for allegations of what amounts to a physical assault on a clerical employee. That administrator was “reassigned to home” without any explanation whatsoever. If it were not for a police report filed by the clerical employee we would not have any information about this at all — or confirmation of the rumors swirling around the community about what happened.

And then there’s the administrator who’s being paid $300 per day to serve as acting superintendent from Oct. 6 through Oct. 23 and as interim superintendent from Oct. 24 through Oct. 29 — an additional $4,800 on top of his regular annual salary of $184,500, to hold down the fort until the $1,200-per-day interim superintendent arrives for work on Oct. 30.

Based on what we know, all of this so far adds up to $615,570. Not counting the lawyers conducting investigations. And not counting whatever buyout deal the district negotiates to terminate the contract of the existing Assistant Superintendent for Business. If, that’s what’s going on. Who knows?

All this goes down and it’s reported here and by other news organizations. The school board has a meeting. Is the room filled with parents and taxpayers demanding to know what the heck is going on? No. The room is empty. Where’s the outrage? Crickets.

As long as all they hear from the public is the sound of crickets on a hot, late summer’s night, we can all expect more of the same — adjusted upward for inflation, rising health care and pension benefits and additional credits for continuing education, of course.

It’s just the ever-increasing cost of the high-quality public education afforded to our students. Oh, right. The students! Let’s not forget the students. As we are reminded every year in May, when it comes time to approve a new budget increase: “It’s all about the students.” Other than that, “No comment.”

If the elected members of the Board of Education do not have the capacity or the will to manage this mess, perhaps it’s time some higher authority, like the State Comptroller’s Office, steps in to do it for them.