The former SE Delco assistant principal was formally reinstated to his job after being falsely accused of inappropriately hugging and kissing two students last year.

After an almost year-long hearing, Joseph was acquitted last month by a board committee after just 25 minutes of deliberation. The charges were brought by now lame-duck superintendent Trudie Bennett and her administration. Bennett's contract was not renewed and her tenure as super will end in June.

The board voted 6 to 1, with one abstension for Joseph's reinstatement.

Joseph was denied the opportunity to read a statement at the public meeting.

Joseph will be awarded back pay for the time he was on suspension, minus unemployment payments made to him and the amount Joseph made while recently working in a bagel shop. Bennett has asked for a full accounting of Joseph's income while he was suspended on the trumped charges she filed against him.

Not only was Joseph forbidden to address the board, but, we have been told, the public comment session of the meeting was ordered edited from the video broadcast on local cable TV.