Doctrine of Necessity Invoked; Will Caffrey’s Third Strike Really Be an Out?
PERTH AMBOY – One by one, the Board of Education members were polled. (Member Maria Garcia was absent). It was unanimous. The Board Members wanted Superintendent Janine Walker-Caffrey suspended. She would be placed on paid suspension.
The announcement was made after the Board returned from an executive closed session held at a special meeting on Wednesday, October 2, 2013. Those in attendance were very pleased with the decision and voiced their approval with loud applause.
Although the special meeting was well attended, there were those who criticized the short notification and that an agenda was not available.
There was a single sheet handed out to the audience listing the order of the meeting.
Board Attorney Phil Stern conducted the meeting in place of Board Secretary Derek Jess who was absent.
Stern read a statement letting the public know that the meeting was properly publicized.
Board President Mark Carvajal called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and after the roll call and the pledge of allegiance the meeting was open to the public.
Following are statements made by the public that the Board Members had to ponder before they went into closed session.
One by one, many members of the audience not only spoke of their displeasure with Caffrey, but also let some of the Board of Education Members know they were not pleased with them and why.
Resident Mel Knight said, “Two regular meetings that had important items on the agenda were canceled, but the Board saw fit to hold a special meeting. I looked on the website and there’s not even an agenda for this meeting. This doesn’t make any sense.”
Perth Amboy High School student Stephanie Rodriguez and resident Michael George both spoke at the meeting.
Student Stephanie Rodriguez who has spoken out against Caffrey at other meetings described her injuries which makes it necessary for her to use a wheelchair or walker. She said that before becoming disabled she was very athletic and involved in many school activities. She is enrolled in the Gifted and Talented Student Program. “Because of my disability I’ve had to modify my diet (to lessen the number of times necessary to use the restroom). My wish is to attend Cranford High School to enroll in their Honors Program and have the Perth Amboy schools to pay for it.”
Resident Linda Cruz said she saw an article quoting Dr. Caffrey as calling, “my town (Perth Amboy) a Crazy Town.” Cruz continued, “There are people sitting at home collecting a salary. Test grades are declining because of you. (Referring to Caffrey) You are throwing away a lot of money. Administrators should be doing the budgets and if they can’t, they shouldn’t be doing it. In my 38 years when I was employed in the school system I have never seen such discourse. This is despicable. For you to stay here and not do anything – now that’s crazy!”
Businessman Eddie Trujillo said, “I don’t live in Perth Amboy and I am not here to bash Dr. Caffrey. My first time coming to a meeting was in June, but then I would read in the papers about your suspensions. I contacted Stephanie Rodriguez’s father and I decided to spend some time with her. (Over 10 hours) And I must say she is much brighter than I am. If she were my daughter, she would not be treated this way. I am a product of the school system. Then I read about you (Caffrey)fighting about the graduation time and the Honors Program (Referring to Caffrey). Then I saw what you said in the newspapers and then you put down the town. That was the last straw. Now you have a problem because the whole town is against you. I am just asking you to consider leaving here on good terms.”
Resident Linda Ferria told Caffrey, “You called us crazy and uncivilized.” Addressing Board President Mark Carvajal, she told him, “You were called out. Nothing is being heard from the students and parents. You Board Members who are following Caffrey need to get out. You know who you are. You should stop listening to blind eyes.”
Anthony Bermudez said, “My fight with Caffrey started in May. This lady is tearing the community apart. We became aware of other atrocities committed by this woman. If I were Mayor I would be making phone calls. The truth is she (Caffrey) controls the majority of the Board. She is a dictator and uses the media to make herself look good. She exiles people who don’t agree with her. Well, last week the Seniors took a vote and decided that the 2014 High School Graduation will be held at 6 p.m. We’ve seen a lot of damage done to this district and we need to take this district back.
Alan Silber agreed with the speaker who didn’t understand why this special meeting was taking place. “There is no agenda. You just can’t say we have to go into an executive session. There is no need for it. The Superintendent goes to the newspapers and talks about everything in public. There was a school employee that hasn’t been here that long and he sat out 15 months and got paid. Caffrey puts out stories thinking we wouldn’t read them. I wish the Superintendent would just go away. We should take a cue when Mr. Trujillo comes up to speak and it has nothing to do with money. Everything was not fine before Caffrey came; we needed some reform but we are not getting the reforms needed with this Superintendent.”
A business owner said that a lot of teenagers were coming into his store to ask for a job. “I see a lot of conflicts going on in the school system with no solutions and no sense of directions by students. They are just waiting to turn 16 to drop out of school. There are too many teen pregnancies. Let’s cut the crap and come together.”
Resident Michael George first addressed the Board Members, “Your loyalty and responsibility should be to the parents, students and the community – not the politicians. You should tell them – You do your job and we’ll do ours,” George continued, “I’m embarrassed to be here. I worked in the district for 36 years. I don’t see a curriculum or an Assistant Superintendent. Superintendent Caffrey – I’m not afraid of you! I’ve had a lot of people that are here as students.” George’s last statement was directed towards Caffrey, “Don’t let the door hit your a** on the way out,” drew loud applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
One of the teachers complained that Caffrey destroyed her bilingual program and encouraged other school employees not to let the last two years make you leave your job.
Former Board of Education President Sam Lebreault who is seeking a Board of Education Seat said that, “I am very upset. Our Assistant Superintendent is not here because she said, “yes” when she was supposed to, then she was relegated to the basement. Superintendent Caffrey has dismantled all the good programs. She has created chaos amongst the parents, created campuses, bullied people and shot down Daycare 100. She has maligned the former and current Board on TV, radio, Facebook and other medias. Now people are fighting back. Place her on leave before she causes more damage and the State takes over.”
A parent, Ms. Middleton who has a daughter in the Charter School pointed to Stephanie Rodriguez as she spoke. She wondered why more people were not outraged about handicapped students not being accommodated. “It’s not just Caffrey. I also hold the Board Members responsible, too. We have to come together. There was a problem and that’s why we hired her. (Caffrey) Now, we find that she is not the solution.”
Junior Iglesia who ran for the Board of Education in 2012 said that he was surprised and happy to see many parents and leaders here tonight. “I would encourage more to come here so we can make it even better.” Iglesia was also concerned about the cancellation of one of the regular September meeting because of the after school programs on the agenda. “It placed the school district in jeopardy of losing $500,000 of funding,” He said that he heard the Board Members voted online on this matter, “And I wonder if that is illegal.”
Board Attorney Stern made it quite clear that none of the Board Members can vote by telephone on the agenda items. “The Board can only act retroactively on this.”
Some of the students wanted their feelings known. One young lady who spoke mostly in Spanish (The student representative translated for the audience). “We, the Spanish students want to learn. I’m here to speak for myself and for my brother. The Honor’s Class is very important to us. It gives us the classes we need. We are not asking for much and we are succeeding in those Honor’s classes.”
Another High School Student stated, “I love the High School and my teachers. But I am disappointed in the administration. My Dad could not be here because he is working to pay taxes which pay your salaries.” She was applauded after she made that comment.
The Student Representative who sits in front with the Board Members said, “I’m tired of all this. I’m thinking about the Freshmen Students. We are united, now. People are coming out for us. Teachers are afraid to speak out and it’s embarrassing. We have a lot of issues. We should not have to be talking about this. I’m talking about a future for all of us. (The students) Even those who have not been conceived.”
Board Attorney Phil Stern explained that the Doctrine of Necessity had to be invoked because of the following. Some Board Members have family employed in the school system and others have ethnic charges brought against them by Caffrey.
Before Board Member William Ortiz voted he said that regular meetings should never be cancelled and at one of those canceled Board Meetings some teachers were supposed to be honored. He also defended the Stem Program.
Board Member Anton Massopust said there were 4 items that he based his decision on: 1.) Dismantling of the Honors Class 2.) The graduation time change 3.) The school calendar 4.) Being thrown out of a meeting.
There was a motion passed for Board President Mark Carvajal to conduct a search for an acting Superintendent.
Caffrey in her defense said, “This meeting was all about politics. The Board has failed the teachers, the children and the community. There is a October 16th pre-hearing conference which will be held in the office of administrative law.” This is in reference to ethnics charges against she brought against Board Members Varela and Tejeda. Caffrey continued, “The needs of the children have been set aside.”
Carvajal said, “This is a sad day. No one wins. Everyone up here is to blame. We need to start anew, we have a great district and we need a time to heal.”
