South Orange – Maplewood Board of Education member Johanna Wright charged at the board’s Monday night meeting that the district is “failing students.”
“We are going in the opposite direction of success,” she said. “I don’t have to spell this out for you.”
The charge came amid a discussion on district goals, and specifically whether board members should take a larger or more active role in hiring for administrative positions. Wright said the district had many new teachers and administrators, who were lacking the mentorship of more seasoned staff.
The coming school year will see a great number of new, or nearly-new administrators in the district, including Superintendent Dr. John Ramos, who will begin in August.
Wright said that board members in some school districts sat on hiring and review committees.
Board member Jeff Bennett objected to Wright’s characterization of failure. “That’s demoralizing,” he said, adding in a follow up email that such a characterization was “disparaging to our administrators and teachers.”
Bennett continued, “We can always do better, but we aren’t failing.” Board member Madhu Pai asked Wright to specify failure.
Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad said the BOE already is able to see the candidate pool for administrative positions, and is charged with confirming most district hires.
In a follow-up email to the Village Green, board member Elizabeth Baker (who said she was speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the entire board), said regarding high-level administrative and school leadership positions, “the Board should be informed of the progression of the hiring process and, without politicizing hiring decisions, there should be a mechanism for the Board to ask questions and provide appropriate feedback to Administration regarding the process.”
Baker said the transitions the district currently faces provide an opportunity to “step back, assess our current practices and look at the various models for Board oversight that are in place in other districts.” Such a review and discussion is “healthy” and “critical to ensuring that we are meeting our District goals and our obligations as Board members.”
Board member Donna Smith agreed, noting in an email that while she wasn’t averse to board members reviewing finalists’ resumes prior to a final decision, she was uncertain about having them sit in on interview and hiring committees.
“…we…are elected officials, often having strong opinions on certain educational programs and other aspects of the educational system in our district,” said Smith. “I have not come to a firm conclusion on this subject. We need further discussion.”
Watch the full July 20, 2015 Board of Education meeting here.
