A few weeks after Dr. Ronald Taylor, Superintendent of South Orange-Maplewood Schools, issued a decision to end school-sponsored Halloween events in the district, citing issues of both equity and financial hardship, the Board of Education has weighed in with a statement from President Kaitlin Wittleder.
See the statement here:
In light of recent developments regarding the status of Halloween celebrations in district schools, the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education would like to clarify its role in this decision.
The Board was informed by the Superintendent that the decision to remove Halloween celebrations from all schools within the district was an administrative choice and, as such, did not necessitate formal approval by the South Orange – Maplewood School District Board of Education. The Board, therefore, did not cast any vote related to this decision. The Administration deemed it fit, based on various reasons, which they have previously stated, to make this move without a formal voting process.
While the Board always values the feedback and concerns of parents, students, and staff, some decisions are made at the administrative level and are outside the purview of the Board’s immediate authority.
If parents and guardians have concerns or questions, please reach out to the Superintendent’s office for more details on the decision.
Best regards,
Kaitlin M. Wittleder
President, South Orange – Maplewood Board of Education
(she/her/hers)
Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday a message that seemed to disagree with the Superintendent’s decision:
