The REAL REASON for the Abrupt Adjournment Of The RIH 1/24/22 Meeting, and Local “Journalists” Spinning False Narratives
The January 22, the board of education meeting was abruptly adjourned. On January 27, 2022, NJ.com journalist Marsha Stoltz published an article with a wildly inaccurate headline perpetuating a narrative from the board president Mr. John Carolan that audience members were defying the mask mandate. In truth, there were only four attendees without masks, and each had a medical exemption.
Two days before this meeting, Dr. Dionisio sent an email to parents that said medical exemptions were possible and that attendees should bring proof from a medical professional. However, there was no procedure to collect medical exemptions, no considerations for HIPPA laws, and no arrangement for where those with medical exemptions would sit. The board president approached one of four audience members, who was visibly shaken, and later shared that Carolan made all of them feel very uncomfortable and upset since they were being asked to discuss their medical issues in public. Still, Carolan returned to the stage intending to have the meeting, but the Board Vice President’s antagonistic and unprofessional behavior caused a major disruption. Ms. King’s rudeness and discontent prevented other Board Members from discussing the matter further and creating a solution that might have mitigated the situation. This is evident in the archived video, as is the remarkable amount of conflicting statements between the board President, the superintendent, Mr. Lambe, and the board attorney (FOGARTY & HARRA) who, months earlier, was part of establishing a segregated area for people with medical exemptions.
Here are a few of the contradictions that caused even greater confusion:
Mr. Lambe says the district “strongly encourages.”
Mr. Carolan says, “masks are required.”
Mr. Lambe says, “medical exemptions are only for students.”
Mr. Lambe’s closing comment, “there are no medical exemptions.”
Add Mr. Harra’s statement.
This meeting illustrates the reason why bylaws and protocols for policymaking exist.
Again, this was not about defiant parents not wanting to wear masks, as the biased Stoltz article portrays. Instead, the poor execution of a policy change to an open public meeting, the Vice President’s unprofessional outbursts, and disrespect for the Board President (who tried to gain control but could not) resulted in the abrupt adjournment of the meeting.
For five months, parents with masking medical exemptions were given accommodations by our previous acting superintendent with the board’s full support. They were asked to sit on the far side of the 350+ seat auditoriums in our schools, socially distanced from stakeholders without exemptions. This changed on Saturday, January 22, two days before the next board of education meeting. The failure to provide clear communication, much-needed specificity, and procedures before was critical.
This meeting further illustrates the many documented incidents of animosity the board majority has for the public. From laughing, ridiculing, name-calling at meetings and on social media, their attitude and interactions with the people have been shameful and disrespectful, including the public mistreatment of minority board member Ms. Judy Sullivan.
The abrupt adjournment delayed actions on essential items that the district needs to function, including delayed resolutions for special needs families.
There were only four community members without masks in a 350+ seat auditorium with only a few dozen public members in attendance. How much leadership is needed to assess the situation, apply a measured approach to gain control, and calm the situation to talk through options that respect all parties and requirements to allow the meeting to take place?
As attendees at this meeting, we were proud to see our community members, once again, maintain their composure under another unbelievable and unnecessary incident perpetrated against them. Our parents and stakeholders always maintain their composure no matter what accusations or rudeness the Board Majority have dished out. It’s difficult to understand the level of contempt towards people who simply disagree with you. Even outside in the parking lot at the end of this meeting, Mr. Robert Fortunato said to stakeholders on the way to his car, “see you at the next meeting with a mask on,” basically mocking them.
Continuing to fan the flames of discord brewing throughout our community is not a winning strategy. We are not the enemy; we are moms, dads, grandparents, and taxpayers who love our children, the FLOW community and want the best for them—treating us without consideration, empathy, understanding, and kindness is a definite reflection on yourselves.
~ Flow Parents Defending Education
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100% accurate. And if the Administration had provided a hybrid option for remote and in person BOE meetings perhaps they could have been avoided in the first place. But we are all still waiting… last I check it is 2022 and this is an easy ask.
Since the beginning of the school year, accommodations were permitted for attendees who had mask health issues; they were allowed to sit in one small section of the 350 people auditorium without masks. However, this abruptly changed with the new Board. Why? Did someone threaten the board? Was board leadership usurped by another board member? Or both?
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