Morrisette Hired as Paramus HS Baseball Coach at Tuesday Night Meeting

Tensions flared at the Paramus Board of Education meeting Monday, but the majority of the audience got what they wanted: the decision to not offer Superintendent Ken Rota a new contract was rescinded and Jon Morrissette was appointed the head coach of the baseball team.

But it wasn’t an easy start.

Residents made comments in favor of Rota from the get go, followed by positive and negative comments about Morrisette.

After listing all the improvement’s Superintendent Rota has made, including improving the district’s ranking, a parent said, “it seems odd we’d be shopping for a new Superintendent.”

Another resident asked the Board, “Do you even know how difficult it is to find someone like [Rota]? I don’t think you know that.”

One said, “If [Rota] chooses to leave us after his mistreatment, it is our loss.”

“I believe you have your priorities mixed up,” another resident said to the Board.

Even Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III made an appearance to share his dismay with the Board.

“I call into question some of the actions of some at the table,” Tedesco said. “You are the representatives of this community and when the community speaks, you have an obligation to listen.”

His statement was met with cheer and a standing ovation.

But the audience members weren’t the only ones with comments - the Board made some as well - some they later apologized for.

Trustee Anthony Balestrieri said “never has politics been involved” in a Board of Ed meeting, to which he was met with an uproar from the audience.

And when the audience said an apology should be given, Balestrieri said, “you should apologize for the attitude.”

The Board suspended the public portion of the meeting in order to vote whether or not the decision to not renew Rota’s contract should be rescinded. It passed.

The baseball team, along with other Paramus High School students, also came in by the numbers to support Jon Morisette, a beloved teacher and coach who’s contract was not renewed after a Board of Education meeting last year.

“I think it’s disgrace that he was terminated,” one resident said, while another said, “I have a hard time believing that you do what’s in the best interest for students,” a common phrase used by Bergmann.

But some painted a negative picture of Morrisette, claiming he had bullied players on the team. One even said his son contemplated suicide as a result.

Another parent said Morrisette used to “bash” his son and tell him to quite the band.

A parent also said her son was benched after missing a game due to missing a flight and that her son was often benched even after having a stellar game.

“[Morrisette] gives it and takes it away,” she said.

“Obviously in Paramus it’s not about protecting the kids,” a parent said.

Another parent was upset after he said he sent 30 emails to Rota about alleged abuse by Morrisette and never heard back from him.

“You’re both gangsters,” he said to Rota. “You should go hang out with Tedesco.”

The same man later got asked to sit in the back of the auditorium by Paramus Police.

But students spoke in favor of Morrisette, saying “there’s a difference between a coaching decision and bullying.”

Others called Morrisette “a great man,” a “kind individual,” and an “inspiration and mentor.”

But according to the Board, Morrisette could not be reappointed as the baseball coach last year because he was not recommended by the administration for the position.

“That is not our problem,” Board of Education President Bower said of the lack of recommendation before saying she “stands corrected.”

“We care very much about this program,” former Board of Education President Joanne Bergmann said.

Bergmann then began questioning Rota about Morrisette’s abuse allegations - so much so that the Board’s attorney, Cheri Adams, attempted to stop her by saying “we’re here to address this current motion,” as others said, “Rota’s not on trial.”

After Adams said the investigation of Morrisette’s bullying accusations turned up negative findings, and after Joanne Bergmann had to be told numerous times - even by Morrisette himself - the Board decided to vote in favor of Morrisette to be appointed head coach.

The decision came after the Board did not get enough votes to reappoint Morrisette last year. Some speculated it was Bergmann’s way of taking it out on Morrisette for not playing her grandson and fellow board member Jeffrey Warren’s way of taking it out on him for cutting his son.

But both refuted those allegations.

Bergmann said she has always had the best interest in mind for all the students, while Warren said he was disappointed for his son, but was not upset since he didn’t want him to go out for the team in the first place.

And although the Board also decided to rescind their decision to not offer Rota a new contract after the current one expires, that does not mean they will offer him one, either.

It was stated throughout the meeting that the Board was there in the best interest of the kids. If that truly is the case, then it appears like the students got what they wanted: their coach back.

For them, all their hard efforts finally paid off. The baseball team won Monday night.

In the words of junior Vinny LaBarbiera, “We got our coach back and now it’s time to do what we do best, which is win.”

Photo caption: Jon Morrisette speaks to the Board as student unite behind him.

Related stories:

• Paramus Looks for Answers As Beloved Baseball Coach Does Not Get Reappointed
• Paramus HS Students Wear Shirts in Support of Former Baseball Coach