Public and board members criticize district practices

RED BANK — The recent turmoil in the schools has exposed factions on the Board of Education and drawn criticism from the community.

Kathy Noble, president of the Parent Teacher Organization, took the board to task, for what she said was its lack of communication with parents — and with each other.

In a prepared statement she read to the board, Noble said she was concerned over the "disarray and dysfunction of our Board of Education.

"I come to you tonight seeking answers as to why I, as a parent, was not informed by the Board of Education as to the many changes that would directly affect our children." Noble said.

Those changes include the situation with the principals, the possible changing of the school hours to accommodate the busing of students, and the evening’s proposal to hire an assistant at the Primary School.

For Nobel, a major concern would be whether that assistant would be bilingual.

Marti de Daniels, the former principal, speaks fluent Spanish; her replacement does not. Considering the growing number of Hispanics students in the district, a Spanish-speaking assistant would be imperative, she said.

Cruz Roolaart, Peters Place, who is Hispanic, has two daughters in the school system, and, as a member of the Parent-Teacher Organization, often serves as an interpreter.

"I want you to know we are very concerned," Roolaart told the board. "We have a lot of people who speak Spanish. We have a lot of moms who don’t speak the language."

To illustrate her point, Roolaart asked, in Spanish, for the Hispanic parents in the audience to stand. About 20 of the approximately 50 people at the meeting stood.

Later Noble said for the board and superintendent to consider an assistant now, after De Daniels had been asking for help, is an affront.

"I think it’s a slap in Mrs. De Daniels face," Noble said.

Board President Rosemarie Kopka said there had never been a formal request to the board for an assistant at the primary school, but she acknowledged the concerns of parents.

"I hear you loud and clear," Kopka said.

Criticism of the board, was not reserved solely for audience members, however.

Mary Ellen Mess, a veteran board member, said the failure of the district to retain Poteat is the fault of the board’s personnel committee.

The committee is chaired by board member Judy Burton and consists of Kopka, and board members Janet Jones and Barbara Horl. Mess has maintained that the committee is "running amok" and overstepping its authority.

According to Mess, the system’s set-up is supposed to be that the superintendent makes the recommendation for filling a position which is evaluated by the committee before being voted on by the entire board.

But, Mess said later, the committee was slow in addressing Poteat’s concerns, which contributed to his decision to resign.

"[It was] a totally cavalier way to treat an employee who has served us well," she said.

Mess also criticized Kopka for proposing that the board consider hiring a special education director.

"The process has to be straightened out," she said. "Board members do not run the district."

Much like the primary school assistant, this position would need to be established and reviewed by the board’s attorney, before even interviewing any applicants. But Mess said later this is the responsibility of the superintendent, and not for board members to propose. Especially, she added, with school scheduled to open in a few short weeks.

"Why did these comments come up at such a late date?" Mess asked. "If this was coming up, it should have been addressed earlier – in April, during the budget process."

While acknowledging speaking up may cause consternation on the part of some parents and fellow board members, she said it is appropriate to debate and, if necessary, argue in public.

"You start to think your allegiance is to the other board members," she said. "But my allegiance is to the people I serve.

She said she has not been happy with some of the recent developments nor some of the direction the board has taken.

"I have to be more assertive at the table," she contended.

Kopka did agree with Mess, that in a perfect world, these matters would have been brought to the table much earlier, but added "emergencies do arise during the course of the year."

Jones and Horl, offered support for the board and especially for the president.

And board member John McMahon expressed a conciliatory note.

"There’s a lot of tension right now, because things have happened and we regret them happening," he acknowledged, but added, "We can’t choose who stays and who goes.

"If mistakes have been made, we must learn from them and move on," he told the public. "For me it’s not going to be about making the best of what we have but doing the best."