Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norma Fernandez reacted to the arrest of a parent at last week’s board of education meeting, writing in a letter to public schools parents yesterday that “board meetings are, and must remain, a safe space.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“First and foremost, I want to assure you that the safety, well-being, and academic success of our students especially our students with disabilities, Sec. 504 plans, and IEPs-remain our absolute highest priorities,” she wrote.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of an ongoing law enforcement matter, I want to clarify our stance on public discourse and our commitment to our families:
Board meetings are, and must remain, a safe space. While passion and disagreement are natural parts of advocacy, we must maintain a respectful environment so that all voices can be heard and the essential business of governing our district can take place.”
At Thursday’s BOE meeting, Emily Pecot, a member of Parents United for Special Education Reform, was arrested for defiant trespass after allegedly disrupting the meeting for yelling out, with footage of the incident first posted by HCV going viral.
This reporter filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request seeking the police report and police body camera footage related to the arrest.
In the wake of the subsequent outrage, BOE Trustees Dr. Matthew Schneider and Tia Rezabala spoke out against Pecot’s arrest via a joint letter to the editor published yesterday.
Further, Ward E Councilwoman Eleana Little asked the school board to stop reducing public comment time and to only remove an audience member if there is no other option, to which BOE President Noemi Velazquez responded condescendingly, as only HCV reported.
“We take any concerns regarding district operations seriously. We are committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and ensuring that every dollar allocated to our schools directly benefits the children of Jersey City,” Fernandez continued in the letter.
“As I have assured you previously, the auditors will present the second part of the special education audit at the June 25th Board meeting. The claim that our district does not care for our students with disabilities could not be further from the truth. Our educators, therapists, and administrators work tirelessly every day to provide tailored, compassionate, and high-quality support to our exceptional learners.”
The BOE has called a special meeting on Thursday that will take place at their administrative offices, 346 Claremont Ave., with a start time of 5:30 p.m., with the agenda not yet available on their website.
Norma is disgrace. She should resign immediately
JC BOE is in shambles. They pay inflated salaries to top admins that do nothing. Our schools are some of the worst in the state.