Marlboro BOE Member Fundraises To Attend Law Forum After Board Vote Denies Funding

MARLBORO, NJ — A Marlboro Board of Education member started a fundraiser to attend a professional development training after some board members voted to deny funds for her attendance, which she claims is due to her conservative viewpoints.

Board member Danielle Bellomo started her GoFundMe campaign following the board’s meeting on June 17, where her request to attend the NJSBA’s Spring School Law Forum in Monroe Township was discussed.

According to the meeting agenda, the forum is set to take place on Thursday, June 26 and costs $299 in total.

By attending, Bellomo says she would be given tools to ensure the district “is aligned with best practices and legal protections for students" as the forum "covers the latest developments in education and special education law."

During the meeting, board members Jenna Corraro, Aditi Gandhi, Board Vice President Chad Hyett and Dr. Susanne Miskiewicz voted to deny funding for Bellomo’s attendance.

“This is the only professional development denied this year,” Bellomo said. “Why? Because I represent a different viewpoint. I stand for transparency, traditional education, parental rights and fiscal responsibility, and that makes me a target.”

During the board’s June 17 meeting, Hyett said board members have voted “no” to funding professional development in the past, and said that some of these instances have occurred in recent months.

On her GoFundMe page, Bellomo said that the vote is part of “a larger pattern of discrimination” and that she’s been “excluded from plans, denied access to information, and intentionally left out of discussions around equity, technology, and even school security.”

In a statement sent to Patch, Corraro, Gandhi, Hyett and Miskiewicz denied Bellomo’s claims and said their vote “had nothing to do with political views or ideology.”

According to the board members, the board voted to deny Bellomo’s request due to concerns about accountability and proper alignment with board responsibilities, which are standards that apply to all members.

Though the requested training was educational in nature, board members say the training “did not clearly support Mrs. Bellomo’s current committee assignments or responsibilities within the district.”

They went on to say that publicly funded professional development “must have a direct connection to a board member’s role and district priorities.”

“This was not a political decision. It was a governance decision,” Hyett said. “All board members are expected to follow the same process and standards. Mrs. Bellomo has not met those expectations, and approving this request would have undermined the accountability we owe to our taxpayers.”

Bellomo has previously attended professional development conferences, and applied for funding to attend the NJSBA's Fall School Law Forum in October.

To the board members' knowledge, they said there have been "no significant updates or changes to the content that would warrant attending the same conference again just eight months later."

The board members also claim that Bellomo failed to submit required written recaps of conferences to the Board Secretary, which they say are necessary to “ensure transparency, enable shared learning and justify the use of public funds.”

Noncompliance with this requirement could put the board at financial and procedural risk, the statement said.

“It’s important to note that Mrs. Bellomo herself has voted against professional development requests from other board members, then misrepresented the reasons for her vote to the public,” Hyett said. “She has repeatedly created controversy where none existed, undermining the spirit of collaboration we strive for on this board.”

On her GoFundMe, Bellomo said additional funds raised for the forum will go toward “supporting future professional development, legal training, and tools and possible legal fees required to continue fighting for transparency, accountability and parental rights in Marlboro and beyond.” As of Monday afternoon, the page has raised $1,245.

In their statement, Corraro, Gandhi, Hyett and Miskiewicz said they find Bellomo’s fundraising appeal misleading to those who donated for the explicit cause of covering the original donation requested (the $299 conference fee plus travel).

Going forward, the four said they remain committed to “responsible stewardship of public resources” and to “fostering an environment of professionalism, equity and collaboration in service to the Marlboro Township Public Schools.”

On Thursday, Bellomo posted a thank-you message to those who donated to her campaign, which raised four times as much as the original goal of $300 and allowed her to register for the forum.

She went on to call the donations a powerful testament to "the strength of our community” and a “shared belief in the mission of bettering our schools.”

“While it’s unfortunate that some members voted to block this opportunity, I remain hopeful that what I learn will be well received by the full board,” Bellomo said.

“My commitment remains steadfast: to use my education, experience, and energy to refocus our work on what truly matters, the students," Bellomo continued. "Together, with your support, I will continue striving to make this board functional, focused, and, most importantly, for the children again.”

Bellomo was re-elected to the Marlboro Township Board of Education in November with over 10,000 votes.

In June, she ran for the Republican Party nomination in the race for Monmouth County Clerk, but lost to incumbent Christine Giordano Hanlon.

To can watch the full Board of Education meeting on June 17 you can click here.