A Bronx school superintendent promoted toꦅ a new top position by Chancellor Richard Carranza was feted with a lavish party organized by subordinates at a cost of $111 a head from 400 guests, including employees under her control, The Post has learned.
The Department of Education’s Office of Ethics and Conflicts of Interest re🧜ceived a complaint that the extravagant affair may have violated Chancellor’s Regulations, but DOE officials defended the bash, which cost around $45,000.
Meisha Ross Porter — wearing a tiara and gli🧸ttering white dress — made a grand entrance in a glass elevator that rose onto the ballroom at Villa Barone Manor, a Bronx catering hall popular for weddings.
Thatꦛ dramatic flourish added $500 to the tab. The evening featured a buffet, DJ and open bar, sourcꦫes said.
“What an amazing night looks like??? I am so deeply blessed, so highly favored, so honored and humbled to be celebrated by my birth ꦜand BRONX family!!” Porter gushed on Facebook (pictured top) a d꧙ay after the Feb. 7 gala, which also celebrated her birthday.
Early in her career, Porter was principal of✃ the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice, a middle school graded “F” in 2007, her fourth year♋ at the helm, but she gained influence.
Ex-Chancellor Carmen Fariña promoted her to District 11 superintend🍎ent in 2015. In August 2018, Carranza name🅠d her one of nine newly created “executive superintendents.”
Porter, 45, now oversees Districts🌜 7 to 12 — all Bronx public schools — and reports directly to Carranza’s First Deputy Chancellor Cheryl Watson-Harris. Her salary: $203,375.
Porter declined to comment, but when asked about reports she re🎃ceived a cash gift at the party, told The Post, “I never received a g🔜ift.”
DOE spok༺esman Doug𝄹 Cohen said Porter did get a $500 gift card but “called our ethics officer for advice and returned” it.
Asked if Porter paid the $222 entry cost for herself and her husband, Cohen🎶 did not answer.
He also refused to say w🃏hether organizers used the DOE’s tax-exempt status to ꧙avoid paying tax on the party.
The May 20 letter to the DOE’s ethics officer said, “It’s unconscionable to witness this costly extravaganza, considering [Porter] is an educational leader in the poorest congressionꦆal district in the country.”
The letter, whose writer remained anonymo🍨us to avoid reprisal, said some employees felt press💧ured to go:
“Those who did attend may have the advantage of preferential treatment . . . and those who did notꦦ fear ret♌aliation.”
But Sanesha Blackwood-Falconer, a parent on the District 11 Community Education Council, said she and others came to celebrate Porter as a “go-getter” for the Bronx: “I don’t think a gun was h🐼eld to their heads.”
ꦓAmong the attendees was City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, who came as a guest at no charge.
Cohen said the $111 ticket price and use of DOE e-mail♛ to plan the party was not improper. “Employees are permitted to organize events for their colleagues that may include requests for donations,” he said.
