I’ll keep this short.

For years, parents have asked the District to adjust the rotate-and-drop schedule to allow for core classes like math to be taught every day.

During the February 14 Math presentation, Dr. Curtiss shared that tutoring support could be available—but only if the District chose and funded one of the new proposed math approaches.  That left many wondering: was this a real plan or just another empty promise?

Meanwhile, for two consecutive years, a CMS student has led a widely supported petition—with hundreds of signatures—asking simply to bring back the school’s beloved mascot.  No answer.

In the recent budget survey, parents made it clear: academics and staffing were the top priorities.

When facilities were mentioned, concerns centered around the condition of our school buildings—not benefit time for law enforcement.

So what happened at the BHPS budget meeting?

No real discussion of how math at CMS would be improved.

No mention of the tutoring program that was supposedly in the works.

No acknowledgement of the student-led mascot petition.

Instead, the spotlight was hijacked—redirected to the turf field and an odd push to frame School Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs) as the community’s top concern.

The Business Administrator’s presentation tried to paint this as a priority for families—but that narrative aligns more with the Mayor’s long-running campaign to force the District to fund SLEO/SRO benefit time without limits—a contract structure that most districts wouldn’t touch.

But is it really just the Mayor’s fault?

The most heavily attended meeting of the year wasn’t filled with concerned parents asking about math or science. It was full of residents demanding the District give the Mayor what she wanted. She entered the meeting flanked by her entourage—including a District educator—publicly backing her position.

Who could blame them?

There was a community-wide push involving local organizations and a complicit paid media outlet.

The administration and BOE spent more time dissecting a lease agreement than they did discussing a tutoring program that had been discussed just one month prior.

What if we held our leaders equally accountable for academic outcomes?

What if we rallied around student achievement with the same energy we gave to turf?

Imagine how much stronger our District could be.

Instead, we’ve sent a troubling message: the Mayor’s agenda takes precedence over our students’ needs.

And now, we’re left to live with that—for another year—while the core mission of our schools is sidelined yet again.

Oh, one more thing – with all the urgency of “this has to happen now” and “the council plans to meet on this tomorrow,” we find that the special meeting on this isn’t until the 25th.

Will we see a similar number of parents attend this meeting and demand that the Mayor and Council direct PILOT dollars to our schools so that rich developers pay their fair share and working families don’t carry all of the burden?

Read More on the BHPSNJ BOE

Read More on the CMS Lease Agreement

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