Trouble In Nyack: District Unions, Parents, Officials At Odds

NYACK, NY — The Nyack schools are in crisis, with the unions — all in contract negotiations —sending the Board of Education a statement of "no confidence" in the district's superintendent, who has been in the job for a year, and various parent and community groups demanding the resignations of the school trustees as well.

The unions involved are the Nyack Administrators Association, Nyack Teachers Association, School Related Professionals, Nyack Association of Educational Secretaries and Nyack Professional Security Personnel, The Journal News reported.

Superintendent Susan Yom came to Nyack a year ago from the Clarkstown schools.

News12 reported that union members complained that she had bullied staffers. TJN reported that Kathy Kearney, president of the Nyack Teachers Association, said, "We've just decided that Nyack needs better."

Critics on social media have run the gamut, much of it contradictory. One said it was wrong that teachers were being asked to increase their caseloads from 125 students to 140 students. Another demanded spending be cut further. Some complained that the district's equity program is on hiatus; others that it had an equity program at all.

The district has had a leadership crisis since James Montesano retired. The trustees ousted his first replacement, Eudes Budhai, after one year on the job. Montesano returned as interim until the board chose Yom.

The next scheduled board meeting is April 9 at Nyack Middle School. The annual budget vote and school board election is May 21.