A school board member took $8,000 in bribes from two teachers seeking promotions to vice principal, a federal grand jury charged Monday. Malcolm George, 32, of Newark, was indicted by the panel on two counts of bribe-taking and two counts of extortion by a public official. He faces 60 years in prison if convicted on all counts. George, the board's second vice president, allegedly took $5,000 from one teacher as early as spring 1987 and $3,000 from another teacher last August in exchange for improving their chances for promotion, the indictment said. U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Alito Jr. declined to identify the teachers or their schools or say if they were ever promoted. ``This is part of a continuing investigation into activities of this type,'' Alito said. Sheldon Bross, a board attorney, said he believes the teachers were not promoted. George could not be reached Monday. His phone number is unlisted, and his attorney, C. Robert Sarcone, did not return a message. No date has been set for George to appear in court. He was not arrested. Authorities said George was a former Essex County employee but did not know his current occupation.
