Thank You Mayor Santos

[Guest Townsman]

Thank you Mayor Al Santos for standing up for abused and forgotten taxpayers, not to mention, students, at last nights Board of Education meeting. Without attacking anyone or group, you articulated well the fact that this current board is reckless in their premeditated removal of Superintendent Frank Ferraro. With no regard for stability, continuity and accountability, and the fact that this is going to cost taxpayers upwards of a million dollars in settlement costs and legal fees, the board has not given good, solid reasons for placing the Super on paid leave and than placing their friend in the role of "acting" Super. I am a regular to board meetings and I am taken back by some board members actions. I was at the board meeting when Mr. Viscuso read the same nonsense, which I am sure someone in the Central Office provided to him after a lengthy search, on paid board time, dating back to 1982. You tried then to embarrass him as you tried again last night. You reference ONLY substitute teaching experience both times. You failed to mention his High School and College teaching experience after his start in Kearny in the 80's. The Board policy you refer to is 1230, what you mention is Line #1, which states: A minimum of 10 years classroom experience at the elementary and/or the secondary level. You decided to stop reading after the elementary part, you failed to include "secondary level". Add up all his experience and you will come up with 13 years. #2- He holds a Master's Degree. #3- He has a NJ School Administrator's Certificate. He meets and exceeds #4 listed below.

Now using the same policy you try to hang Mr. Ferraro on, apply it to Ms. Blood. Line #4, Minimum of 5 years experience as an administrator, i.e., PRINCIPAL or above. Central office experience as a Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, or administrative Principal preferred. Ms. Blood, at her own admission, stated, she was a teacher for 8 years, took 10 years off from education to raise a family, returned as a teacher in Freehold for 9 years before making it to the level of Vice Principal for only 6 months and than came to Kearny. No Principal experience, No 5 years as an administrator and certainly NO experience as a Superintendent or Asst Superintendent. The rules apply to ALL, including your friends.

This board has now gone on a "witch hunt" and removed a qualified, experienced administrator, who meets all State and Board requirements and replaced him with a teacher with no experience, does not meet State and Board requirements to be a Superintendent, who could achieve no higher than a VP for 6months in her old school district, where she worked for 14 years, comes to Kearny and is catapulted to the top position by her buddies who now, are a rogue board.

Mayor, something further needs to be done. Can you petition to the State for an appointed Board? This Board has made it very clear that they want a puppet once again that they can control the strings. They attacked prior boards for spending money we didn't have on "useless" items, which turned out to be valuable tools/items to save money and increase accountability, yet now they are prepared to waste a million dollars to get a Super "out of the way". I also found out last night that Board member James Doran had tried numerous times over the past 2 and a half years to get Board member George King off the board. His actions cost the taxpayers over $45,000.00 in legal fees and each time he filed actions he lost. Is this True? Can we OPRAH request these bills?

Edited January 15, 2014 by KOTW
The above information has not been verified.

[Guest Guest]

It was all apparent at the BOE reorg meeting and at lasts nights special meeting that Bernadette McDonald had and has NO intentions of ever working with Kearny's first non-political, call them as I see them, student and tax payer accountable Superintendent in a long time.

When McDonald was removed as BOE President back in June 2013, for reasons of not be able to work with the Super, obstructing district business and outright disrespect, she denied all charges. Now minutes into her reinstatement as the "new" board President she moves to a vote of "no confidence" and removal of the districts past years Super, who has made tremendous advances in one years time, while consistently being challenged by BOE members, initiating a Strategic Plan, implementing programs to improve student achievement, moving the High School construction project, moving the Midland Ave building, conducting a Risk Assessment (forensic audit), forging relations with the community, appointing students to serve on the BOE, moving BOE meetings to schools each month, implementing a "time accountability" system, (which the NEW acting Super has sent out notice the day after being appointed NOT to use it), restructured central office to operate and make more efficient use of employees, (one employee who the morning after the NEW acting Super was appointed was moved BACK into the Super's office making $90,000.00 + a year)

Now you also have 2 new BOE members, Paris and Sherry, both voting to remove Ferraro, how can this even be possible. Both members are minutes into their term and vote in favor of his removal? Big deal they attended BOE meetings for the last 10 months, what knowledge of the inner workings at the BOE and the work ethics of Mr. Ferraro do they have........NONE.

This was nothing but a step backwards, back to the FRIENDS and FAMILY days!!!! A total disgrace, no regard for STUDENTS or taxpayers. Retaliation for a firing of a BOE members brother, who was a sitting BOE members for (4) years while having FULL knowledge that his brother was ineligible to work at the BOE and did NOTHING about it. Not to mention never receiving authorization to start working from the State of NJ, not being truthful on application........Oh but where were all the applications? Ask the employee who was moved back to her old desk, seems she had her own file system.

McDonald sites she has no confidence in the Super because he could not hire a Truancy Officer, nonsense, this goes back 2 years, there has been (3) quality candidates, all were held because McDonald did not want them. Her boy, who lost his politically appointed job, is now waiting to get another political appointed job as truancy officer, with NO experience at all in handling investigations or appearing before a judge.........watch who gets this job next Tuesday, it will be a joke.

McDonald held up the appointment of an English Dept head at the High School, stating she needed more information on the candidate, who happens to be a Kearny resident, when she was presented the information all was in order and then she and her flock went out in public and voted down the appointment, no regard at all for the candidate who was in attendance. The next day (director of curriculum) now the NEW acting Super approached the Asst Super with a candidate for the job from Freehold......amazing, I guess McDonald did not need the information and that her request was just a ploy.........watch who gets this job next Tuesday, it will be a male from Freehold.

Now, because all these phonies want "their" person at the helm, so they can DIRECT their person what to do and who to hire, Kearny goes back to the dark side and our students get screwed, not to mention the $500,000.00 Ferraro is owed plus what ever the Civil Lawsuit filed against the Board turns out to be.

Yes, this is a sad time in Kearny, but oh so typical.

PS- Ms. Paris what is going to be done with the DP case. He has been on suspension with pay for months now. He is telling everyone that you were going to take care of things for him. I guess that will be your second wrong doing. Keep up the good track record you started so soon.

Can there ever be a Board that puts their differences aside at the table and work to make the district the best and educationally sound district for our kids? We owe it to THEM.

[Guest Embarassing]

The best way to address a board of education or council that has gone "rogue" is to attend every meeting and to challenge their statements and actions. Most of the members of this board of education are motivated primarily by personnel decisions that affect their family and friends. That's why they need control of the Superintendent, apparently at any cost to the taxpayer or to the students. Student performance is secondary to their "Personnel Crusade",

[Guest Guest]

The best way to address a board of education or council that has gone "rogue" is to attend every meeting and to challenge their statements and actions. Most of the members of this board of education are motivated primarily by personnel decisions that affect their family and friends. That's why they need control of the Superintendent, apparently at any cost to the taxpayer or to the students. Student performance is secondary to their "Personnel Crusade",

Unfortunately, there's a lot to that. I would like to see a BOE that put the students' education first and foremost.

[Guest SOS]

Thank you Mayor Al Santos for standing up for abused and forgotten taxpayers, not to mention, students, at last nights Board of Education meeting. Without attacking anyone or group, you articulated well the fact that this current board is reckless in their premeditated removal of Superintendent Frank Ferraro. With no regard for stability, continuity and accountability, and the fact that this is going to cost taxpayers upwards of a million dollars in settlement costs and legal fees, the board has not given good, solid reasons for placing the Super on paid leave and than placing their friend in the role of "acting" Super. I am a regular to board meetings and I am taken back by some board members actions. I was at the board meeting when Mr. Viscuso read the same nonsense, which I am sure someone in the Central Office provided to him after a lengthy search, on paid board time, dating back to 1982. You tried then to embarrass him as you tried again last night. You reference ONLY substitute teaching experience both times. You failed to mention his High School and College teaching experience after his start in Kearny in the 80's. The Board policy you refer to is 1230, what you mention is Line #1, which states: A minimum of 10 years classroom experience at the elementary and/or the secondary level. You decided to stop reading after the elementary part, you failed to include "secondary level". Add up all his experience and you will come up with 13 years. #2- He holds a Master's Degree. #3- He has a NJ School Administrator's Certificate. He meets and exceeds #4 listed below.

Now using the same policy you try to hang Mr. Ferraro on, apply it to Ms. Blood. Line #4, Minimum of 5 years experience as an administrator, i.e., PRINCIPAL or above. Central office experience as a Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, or administrative Principal preferred. Ms. Blood, at her own admission, stated, she was a teacher for 8 years, took 10 years off from education to raise a family, returned as a teacher in Freehold for 9 years before making it to the level of Vice Principal for only 6 months and than came to Kearny. No Principal experience, No 5 years as an administrator and certainly NO experience as a Superintendent or Asst Superintendent. The rules apply to ALL, including your friends.

This board has now gone on a "witch hunt" and removed a qualified, experienced administrator, who meets all State and Board requirements and replaced him with a teacher with no experience, does not meet State and Board requirements to be a Superintendent, who could achieve no higher than a VP for 6months in her old school district, where she worked for 14 years, comes to Kearny and is catapulted to the top position by her buddies who now, are a rogue board.

Mayor, something further needs to be done. Can you petition to the State for an appointed Board? This Board has made it very clear that they want a puppet once again that they can control the strings. They attacked prior boards for spending money we didn't have on "useless" items, which turned out to be valuable tools/items to save money and increase accountability, yet now they are prepared to waste a million dollars to get a Super "out of the way". I also found out last night that Board member James Doran had tried numerous times over the past 2 and a half years to get Board member George King off the board. His actions cost the taxpayers over $45,000.00 in legal fees and each time he filed actions he lost. Is this True? Can we OPRAH request these bills?

Mr. Mayor come out to the next board meeting and let the board have it!!! After all the questions you ask and concerns you brought to their attention they have totally disregarded everything. They do not have a single thought of the taxpayer in mind. You asked about paying 2 supers and they told you Blood was working for her own salary and not getting an increase.........LIE, they now are paying her an additional $24,537.00 in stipend money. You asked why the Asst. Super did not assume the role of Acting Super, which IS the RIGHT thing to do and TYPICALLY the protocol for filling the void, they decided to install THEIR FRIEND, who they stated knows the staff and system and has their respect.........LIE, Blood has been here only 1 year longer than Dr. Sheard and Blood has done nothing in her time here to show any improvement, (knows the staff) what they mean is she knows the people who they want her to know, and has the respect?????, the staff laughs at her, she has problems with every program she tries to implement and gets nothing running smooth at all. Last , but not least, you should have them INVESTIGATED, (not the Super) because they just gave away $10,000.00 to another friend, Ex-principal Baumgertner after the last board agreed to her offer and acceptance of $7,500.00, definitely organized CORRUPTION !!!! At tax payer EXPENSE .

Edited January 28, 2014 by KOTW
The statements above are not verified.