Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman with her attorney Lee Vartan.
MAYS LANDING - Atlantic City High School Principal Constance Days-Chapman is "collateral damage" in the Small family's issues with their teenage daughter, her attorney said Tuesday morning during a brief pre-indictment conference held before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury.
Days-Chapman is accused of official misconduct for failing to report the teen's allegations of abuse at the hands of her parents.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and his wife, Atlantic City School District Superintendent LaQuetta Small, both face charges including assault and child endangerment.
Unlike Days-Chapman, both are still going to work every day. Days-Chapman is currently on paid leave, attorney Lee Vartan told the judge.
It was the first time her status was clarified, as the Atlantic City Board of Education voted only on her interim replacement, Donald Harris.
The board has yet to publicly address any of the criminal allegations, despite five meetings since La’Quetta Small was charged.
Two of those meetings were specifically held to address Day-Chapman’s employment, although all was presumably done in closed session.
The disparity in treatment between La'Quetta Small and Days-Chapman could become an issue if her leave continues into the next school year, Vartan said.
No plea offer has been made by the state, although Vartan indicated his client would not be interested anyway.
While they have not received any evidence from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office at this point, Vartan said he does not believe it rises to the level of official misconduct.
Instead, he said he believes the office may "pick and choose" how it enforces the charge.
He also said that Days-Chapman's close relationship with the Smalls is the real reason she was targeted.
In contrast, the charges indicate the close relationship is why Days-Chapman allegedly did not properly report the accusations to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, as required of a mandatory reporter, which school officials are.
The Smalls' 16-year-old daughter was allegedly ignored when she first came to "Aunt Mandy" — as the Small children refer to Days-Chapman — about the alleged abuse by her parents.
When the teen then reported to another school employee, Days-Chapman allegedly denied knowing of the accusations and said she would report them to the state.
She instead went to the Smalls, the charges claim.
Another court date is set for July 11, but that may not happen if there is no indication the case can be resolved before it goes to a Grand Jury for indictment.
Vartan indicated a resolution is unlikely.
Ventnor City and Margate send students to Atlantic City High School. Longport has one student attending the high school.
