Queens superintendent fined $5,000 after violating self-deal ban with city schools

Josephine Van Ess, superintendent of Queens South High School, was discovered to have violated a COIB-imposed restriction that barred her from contracting with schools in districts 27, 28 and 29. Her husband Edward co-owns Excellence in Every Thread, which, through its subsidiary The Modern Day Man, has earned $1.53 million from the NYC Department of Education since 2023. In 2024 the company secured purchase orders totaling $32,525.16 from three schools in the prohibited districts, despite the earlier agreement that allowed Van Ess to retain her ownership stake only if she refrained from such deals.

The board fined her $5,000 and took no further action. The DOE declined to identify the specific schools involved and pledged to ensure ongoing ethics compliance. Officials and watchdogs have criticized the modest penalty, urging a full audit of the department’s multi-billion-dollar contracting system.