Regional Board Member Criticized for Newsletter
West Morris Regional Board of Education Member Marcia Asdal said her newsletter is protected free speech.
Photos
A newsletter written by a West Morris Regional school board member should clearly differentiate between board action and personal thoughts while presenting all relevant information, according to the board’s vice president.
Board Vice President Jacke Schram addressed concerns during the board’s last meeting about the monthly newsletter published by member Marcia Asdal, who represents Chester residents.
Schram, who brought up the newsletter during the meeting’s new business portion, picked apart various aspects of Asdal’s most recent edition, which covers the board’s Aug. 20 and Sept. 10 meetings.
The majority of Schram’s critiques dealt with differentiating the opinions Asdal expresses in her newsletters from board decisions.
In particular, Schram took issue with Asdal’s name and relationship to the board as a Chester representative being bolded and larger than the disclaimer below stating the newsletter is “an informal dissemination of information by a private citizen” and any views are “mine alone and not necessarily those of any other Board member.”
“I’m hoping that somebody who looks at this quickly catches that part because it’s so small,” Schram said.
In addition to the disclaimer at the top of the newsletters, which Asdal houses on her blog, the board member also sends an accompanying note to everybody on her mailing list stating it “is not an official document.”
Schram also disagreed with the inclusion of an article from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute about special education, which discusses special needs classifications and states that special education spending should have limits.
“This could mislead people to think the school board can put limits on special education with no consequences,” she said. “There could be lawsuits or loss of federal funds, and that’s not discussed in here. To me, this is a misrepresentation of what you can do with special education costs.”
Asdal said she does not think her readers would confuse the article’s statements with those of the school board, especially since she always devotes the last page to an external article she pulls from one of many education blogs she reads.
Though noting that he was not singling out Asdal, board President James Johnston cautioned that, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association, communicating personal opinions as they relate to board actions is a sensitive issue.
“That can be, for lack of better words, misleading to the public and disruptive to the function of the board and the administration of the schools,” Johnston said.
Asdal said she is aware of the sensitivity but also reiterated a statement saying that board members don’t give up their rights to free speech.
Schram’ also expressed dismay regarding the efficiency of the information presented, including the articles about the board establishing qualitative and quantitative criteria for Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast’s annual merit pay.
“What’s not specified here is this is the first year this has been implemented by the state,” she said. “Someone not knowing that and reading this would think this is something our board just initiatied ourselves when all board are subject to this.”
Schram also mentioned she thought there was as much space given to explaining the board action as feedback from Chester residents and how Asdal and member Jamie Button voted against the resolution.
After this and almost every point Schram brought up, Asdal responded that the vice president – or the whole board, for that matter – should start her own newsletter. Asdal also suggested that Schram submit a rebuttal or opinion piece for consideration in her newsletter.
“You are not my spokesperson,” Schram said. “I’m a member of the board of education. My spokesperson is Mackey [Pendergrast] or Jim [Johnston]. We should have one cohesive voice coming from the board.”
Button, who frequently votes similarly to Asdal on board decisions, told Schram that the contents of the newsletter are “the direct result of you and the prior president of this board [Cristen Forrester] collaborating to quash dissenting opinions.”
“Our opinions will not be quashed by you and the majority,” Button said. “We’re going to express our opinions and let them be known.”
In response to Asdal’s assertion that it is her responsibility to inform her constituents, Schram reminded that Chester residents can come to the meetings to hear for themselves or read the minutes from the meetings.
“I’m done talking about my newsletter,” Asdal said. “I stand by my right to send it.”
LVMom
12:06 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
she can say how she feels.. and as for special ed i REALLY would love to be a hard a## and say that until gifted education gets the same treatment a limit should be put on it...but i won't make special ed kids suffer because the state/federal government are to afraid to admit that we need to educate our 'best and brightest' just like we get to spend money on our 'best athletes'...
... yes, i know hate mail is coming, but what can i say... NO child should not get a robust and challenging education.
Darth Vader
11:49 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Money is spent on the best and brightest....the IB program. The IB program is funded very generously and the students even have their own office, where they can come together and play ping pong, heat up their meals, have access to a refrigerator and computers....only for them. No one else has that......not even those really MEAN athletes....oh and the middle of the road students who always get the short end of the stick...
Linda Alexander
12:24 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Can the Board attorney be consulted (if there is one) on this, or the NJ School Boards' Association? I understand that this newsletter was also on the Mendham Township Committee's website which is totally inappropriate. Ms. Asdal does not represent Mendham Township.
LVMom
12:33 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
the newsletter says it's not from the board VERY clearly! and i LIKE that she is pointing stuff out to us like we are overpaying for staff...
..
it's about time someone stood up to our board!
Oldtimer
6:46 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Ms Asdal has every right to continue sending these out. At no time have I, or anyone I know, thought this to be an "official" Board statement. I have never had any doubt that she has been speaking "as a private citizen". It is quite clear. The Regional Board itself is more than free to create and distribute their own newsletter, but of course, that would just be a "warm, fuzzy fluff" piece that just pats them on the back. I'm glad Ms Asdal takes the time to inform us of what is going on. And attend a meeting? You have to be kidding. I quit going because NOTHING was ever accomplished IN PUBLIC.
Oldtimer
6:47 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
" I understand that this newsletter was also on the Mendham Township Committee's website which is totally inappropriate. Ms. Asdal does not represent Mendham Township."
If it is on the Mendham Twp Committee Website, direct your questions to them about it. Ms Asdal has never stated that she represents Mendham Twp.
Barbara
7:20 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Like many tax payers, I believe transparency should be encouraged, not discouraged, and I fully support Mrs. Asdal's efforts in keeping her constituents informed. Mrs. Schram may I suggest that you redirect your efforts towards addressing the REAL problems facing your Board like the district downtrend in SAT scores and state rankings, diluted AP programs, and poor IB results, to name just a few. In other words, get off Mrs. Asdal's back, stop acting like a bully and do your job.
LVMom
8:37 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
YES!!!!!!
About Me
8:56 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
"In other words, get off Mrs. Asdal's back, stop acting like a bully and do your job."
That says it all...adults should know better about bullying. Apparently the BOE does not always practice what it preaches.
Lynne
6:45 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Agree 100% with Barbara. Keep up the good work and transparency , Marcia.
Liberty
10:11 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Freedom of speech has its boundaries. I don't think the board was trying to "quash" their opinions. The board does not want Ms. Asdal's newsletter misrepresenting her opinions as those of the board's. Ms. Schram said Asdal is not a spokesperson for the board; Asdal's newsletter should not imply that. Libel is one of those boundaries.
Kyle Wiggins
11:38 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
She does have the right to free speech, but as long as she is on the board Asdal should watch the way she carries her opinions to the public. Thank god the whole board is not like her! Knowing Asdal and her thoughts on Education I am not surprised she choose the article for the end of her newsletter. The Asdal family in a whole are always IB, Honors or Valedictorians. She probably thinks that Mendham High went down in rank because of special education programs. The board has duties to all children and people like her can say all they want how they care, but the truth is NOT TRUE!
Who Killed Bobby Joe
2:21 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Ms. Asdal needs to stop mixing her facts with her opinions. She continues to purposefully confuse people to further her and Mr. Buttons personal agendas. She has the right to free speech, but as a board member she has a duty to be accurate. Maybe she should consult the School Erhics Commision before she sends out her next missive.
AshleyA
3:15 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
I love her newsletters - they give me a perspective and depth to the conversation that does not always appear at your average school board meeting. She obviously does her homework and cares deeply about our public school system. Keep it up, Mrs. Asdal!
LVMom
3:42 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
like!
Harvey
6:27 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
While Ms. Asdal has the right to her own opinion, as the saying goes, she doesn't have the right to her own facts. Though she appears well meaning and sincere, her comments are her opinions; the fact that she produces a beautifully formatted newletter leads many to believe that this is an official board statement. Her disclaimer may satisfy the letter of the law (or in this case, the Ethics Board), but it certainly doesn't satisfy the spirit.
Barbara
7:33 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Harvey- no need to worry. Official board statements are nonexistent so there is no confusion.
What spirit is not being satisfied by Mrs. Asdal's well designed newsletter? Would that be the mean spirit, the mediocre spirit, the nontransparent spirit, or the "you are too smart to play in our sandbox, and that threatens us, so take your pail and shovel somewhere else" spirit?
Thomas Lotito
9:47 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
There is legal precedence to support a BOE member voicing their opinion to the general public on BOE matters. McCurdy Vs. Harmon. The case was thrown out and Harmon prevailed setting a precedent in the state of NJ for a BOE member to communicate to the general public.
This matter arises from a complaint filed on April 5, 2006 by Ruth S. McCurdy
alleging that James Harmon, a member of the Washington Township Board of Education
(Board) violated the School Ethics Act (Act), N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 et seq. Complainant
first alleges that the respondent violated N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1(g) of the Code of Ethics
for School Board Members when he sent a letter to the editor, which was published on
April 7, 2005, containing inaccurate information regarding the 2005-2006 school budget.
http://www.state.nj.us/education/legal/ethics/2005/c07-06.pdf
Harvey
10:52 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Barbara: your comments discredit anything you might say. Your vitriol is indeed poisonous.
Thomas: no one is talking about the legality. One is talking about appearances.
Thomas Lotito
8:21 am on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Harvey, Barbara's remarks are not vitriolic.There's no need to attack her because she's right and you don't like being corrected.
Appearances do indeed become legal when the word ethics is invoked.
Mrs. Schram does not want the pubic to know the details of the goings on at WMRHS BOE. Jacke Schram comes off as angry because she wants the BOE to look unanimous to the public and Marcia Asdal in her mind (Shrams) is preventing that.
Shram cannot control Marica Asdal and she will probably file an ethics charge to gain what she thinks is control of the situation.
This is exactly what Ruth McCurdy did in 2006 and she lost.
Look for a long winded letter to the papers by Mrs. Schram explaining how unethical behavior hurts the the quality of education. I bet Shram uses the word ombudsman at least 3 or 4 times.
Tracy Buckner
8:19 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012
Keep it up Barbara...your comments are right on. The truth hurts. Marcia Asdal has MANY supporters.
Harvey
6:02 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
Question: Is Ashley A Marcia Asdal's daughter of the same name??
phyllis florek
11:30 am on Friday, October 12, 2012
The Regional Board, in my opinion, should be happy to have someone like Marcia on it. Her integrity, compassion, devotion to getting our kids the best education are evident - if there is nothing to hide why is anyone upset over a newsletter that after reading these posts seems to be objective. Perhaps if the Board began to televise the meetings the newsletter would not be necessary - so why not look for solutions to an alternative?
Who Killed Bobby Joe
2:03 pm on Sunday, October 14, 2012
For all of you who are so great full to have a factual reporting of the boards actions from Ms Asdal, you would be better served by attending a meeting yourself. Then you could witness firsthand that Ms Asdal is not in fact paying attention at all. Since she has been on the board, Mr Button has taken great pains to rearrange the seating so that they can sit together and pat each other on the back. They carry on long, private conversations, oblivious to the business being conducted around them or in spite of their interruptions. On more than one occasion, they have had to be gaveled to pay attention to the business at hand instead of their own affairs.