Everyone is Learning From Berkeley Height’s Mistakes…Except for Berkeley Heights

Quick Note on Tomorrow’s Meeting

Back in 2021, as BHCW was sort of getting started, I wrote the following in a Tap-Into Op-ed regarding the District’s de-facto settlement with the Union County Prosecutors office on an OPMA violation:

I’m looking to dissuade future BOE’s and Superintendents from trampling over the rights of parents and children by making what this BOE and Superintendent did to our community a cautionary tale. To demonstrate that it is always better to partner with families and children than it is to make big and terrible decisions in secret illegal meetings then spin it as something good and give people only two meetings to say something about it. I am also attempting to send County and State regulatory bodies a wake up call. source

Since then, many communities have learned this valuable and important lesson.  

New Providence announced its FDK program almost a year in advance, providing parents with a coherent overview.

Chatham, a school Dr. Varley invited as evidence of her plan, is changing its configuration and implementing FDK in 2025-2026, with discussions taking place in 2022.

Both processes represent strong outreach and involvement on the part of all stakeholders.

Both processes occur soon after communities saw what was happening in our community.

While it is good that other districts are learning from our mistakes, our District’s leadership has yet to acknowledge them and continues doubling down on factors that created the problem.

It’s time for a change and regardless of how you feel about Dipti or Tom or Sai or Natasha – if you are really honest with yourself you know it’s true.

It’s time to give up control and give someone else a chance – give someone else with a different approach two years to turn this around – for everyone’s sake.