UPDATED: RI Education Commissioner Hires Godfather of Her Son for Top Position

UPDATED: RI Education Commissioner Hires Godfather of Her Son for Top Position

Victor Capellan, the newly appointed senior adviser to Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, is the godfather to the new commissioner’s son, GoLocal has learned.

The Commissioner was appointed to correct the State’s lagging test scores and develop a strategy to correct Providence schools. 

It was announced that Capellan would work for Infante-Green at Rhode Island’s Department of Education earlier this week. Previously, Capellan was the Superintendent of the Central Falls School system -- the worst performing system in the state according to RICAS test results.  READ MORE HERE.

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Josh Block, spokesperson for Governor Gina Raimondo refused to answer if questions about the relationship — specifically if the Governor knew of the personal family relationship between Capellan and Infante-Green.

And, the Governor’s office refused to answer if the Governor approves of the hiring.

Presently, Raimondo is attending a tech conference in Idaho.

Capellan reports to Infante-Green.  She earns $231,726.04 and Capellan's salary has not been disclosed, but it is estimated to be in the $175,000 range.

When asked about the personal family relationship the Commissioner’s office issued the following statement.

"Commissioner Infante-Green has worked with Victor Capellan for more than two decades. She has great respect for his knowledge of the state, his leadership skills and his educational expertise. As a result, she asked him to join her staff as a senior advisor. Due to their great personal respect for him, several years ago she and her husband asked Victor to stand as one of their son's godfathers, which he graciously accepted."

According to Rhode Island's ethics statute and regulations, nepotism and favoritism states, “You may not participate in official actions, decisions or deliberations that affect your family members, business associates, outside employers or any business you represent. You may not hire, evaluate, supervise or otherwise participate in employment decisions affecting your family members.”

Family members are defined by regulation as:

"Any person within his or her family" means, in addition to any other definition, any person who is related to any public official or public employee, whether by blood, marriage or adoption, as any of the following: spouse, father, step-father, father-in-law, mother, step-mother, mother-in-law, son, step-son, son-in-law, daughter, stepdaughter, daughter-in-law, brother, step-brother, brother-in-law, sister, step-sister, sister-in-law, grandfather, step-grandfather, grandfather-in-law, grandmother, step=grandmother, grandmother-in-law, grandson, step-grandson, grandson-in-law, granddaughter, step-granddaughter, granddaughter-in-law, uncle, step-uncle, uncle-in-law, aunt, step-aunt, aunt-in-law, niece, step-niece, niece-in-law, nephew, step-nephew, nephew-in-law, first cousin, step-first cousin and first-cousin-in-law."

This story was first published 7/10/19 5:24 PM