Popular Pinelands Regional Football Coaches, Could Lose Their Jobs Because They Lack Tenure

Concerned parents and residents have packed the last two Pinelands Regional Board of Education meetings to try and get some answers about whether the district's varsity football coaches and another teacher will still have jobs next year, according to the Pine Barrens Tribune.

So far, they haven't gotten any answers.

All of the non-tenured teachers are history teachers. They all received contract non-renewal letters back in the beginning of April.

Board President Susan M. Ernst read a statement into the record at the April 19 meeting that did not provide any details on the matter.

"As a board, we have a responsibility to provide a safe, thorough and efficient education to all of our students,” Ernst said. "But we also have a fiscal responsibility to this district and to our community.”

The district's buildings need repairs and the student population has dropped by 300 students since Superstorm Sandy, she said.

"Up until now, this board has tried not to make cuts in staff and instead, what we’ve attempted to do, is manage through retirements and resignations.," Ernst said. "Unfortunately, we are now at a point where that is not enough.”

Pinelands Regional serves from Eagleswood Township, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough in Ocean County and from Bass River Township in Burlington County.

Ernst said that the board also must honor the rules of the teachers union.

"Tenured teachers have seniority,” she said. "Meaning, the last hired are the most vulnerable. We are not firing coaches. We are reviewing staff positions with the focus on those subject areas with the lowest staff to student ratios. Any individual with the expertise to coach, whether employed within our district or outside of our district, can apply to coach for Pinelands."

Brian Wilkinson, Pinelands' varsity head coach for the varsity Pinelands Wildcats football team, said he and teachers Catherine Applebee, John Raffle, Ed Ochs and Anthony Allocca had all received the notices.

Wilkinson left his tenured teaching position at Toms River High School South to take the Pinelands job. He said he did this because of the guarantee the coaching position would come with a salaried, full-time teaching position. He added that without a salary, it would be unlikely that he would be able to continue to coach football for Pinelands.

Wilkinson has requested a Donaldson hearing, which is an informal appeals process for non-renewed teachers who lack tenure.The hearing is scheduled to be held at Pinelands Regional Junior High School on May 1 at 7 p.m.

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Image: Pinelands Regional High School