Letter to the Editor About BOE Meeting: 'I am extremely disturbed by the events of the evening.'

Dear Editor,

I attended the Paramus Board of Education meeting this past Tuesday night (2/10), and I am extremely disturbed by the events of the evening.

Over the past several months, I have been following the ongoing issues with regard to Superintendent Ken Rota and Coach Jon Morrisette. I am a passionate supporter of Mr. Rota and the work he has done in this district and was encouraged by the Trustee vote to rescind the 12/9 vote not to renew his contract. However, I left the meeting feeling terribly discouraged.

I’d like to reiterate my public comments to the board from that night - I wish we were talking more about educational issues rather than simply personnel issues. While these personnel decisions are vital to the success of our district (hiring a Superintendent is possibly the single most important task facing the BOE), there are other significant topics to discuss: PARCC testing, budgeting, school calendar, long term planning initiatives, etc. The open session portion of the meeting on Tuesday lasted four hours and was spent only on these personnel issues, with the exception of one PARCC question, a question about remediation of tanks, and five minutes where basically the rest of the agenda was approved in one vote. I sincerely hope that in the coming months, these divisive issues begin to heal and this town can get back to serving our kids with passion, positive energy, and the respect that every last one of us deserves.

Perhaps more importantly, I was completely surprised and ultimately very disheartened by the behavior of the citizens of this town during the course of the meeting. I understand that people are upset on both sides of every issue and that many feel like they are not being heard. However, that does not excuse rude and uncivil behavior.

There were audience members heckling and interrupting others while they were speaking into the microphone, Trustees angrily yelling at the audience, and a real lack of listening and compassion in general by many in attendance. There was much talk of HIB (Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying) and yet no one seemed to see or hear how disrespectful and detrimental their actions and words were all night long.

Maybe I’m a foolish optimist, but I had hoped that every person commenting to the BOE would be respectful. I was seriously disappointed. People keep telling me that “emotions were running high” and that “people will cool off” but what I was a part of looked and felt to me like a significant problem here in town where adults act like angry kids facing a punishing parent, rather than educated individuals engaging in a public debate.

Of course this is personal.

I want to keep Ken Rota because I think he’s been doing a wonderful job and is very dedicated to the students of our town. I understand why the members of the baseball team want to keep Coach Morrisette, he’s their coach and a great one at that.

After hearing the allegations at the meeting, I appreciate why there was question about his appointment for some. I do believe that his hiring was the right choice and plans are in place to support him and the players. However, I also saw the anguish and distress that several parents felt in their opposition. And here is where I was most disappointed. These human beings are devastated. And yet, they were treated so rudely by others in the audience that I could see why they felt so isolated. I saw a father in tears about his son’s distress, a mother looking for answers, parents who care about their kids as much as I care about mine and who saw them hurting and wanted to do something about it.

Isn’t that what we all want to do for our kids? Shouldn’t they be heard with the same respect as those on the other side of the issue? Unfortunately, they were. Or I should say, they weren’t. They were interrupted and harassed just like those speaking on behalf of the coach’s hiring.

There were multiple times in the night where I was concerned for the safety of myself and those around me. This is 2015. Is this the year that we decide to change this kind of behavior, that we challenge ourselves to be better? Because I saw lots of kids at that meeting, and they are smart.

They learn that its okay to interrupt, yell, heckle, treat someone with a complete lack of respect when you disagree with them instead of listen and evaluate, research and return with an informed argument. They learn that it’s okay to disrespect and completely disregard someone in pain because they are on a different side of the issue from themselves. Is this really what we want? Is this how progress is made? I just can’t believe so.

Jennifer Landa

Paramus, NJ