Residents to School Board: Stay Focused Despite Attacks

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Mendham High School Library Monday night during the West Morris Regional Board of Education meeting, the majority of which came to voice concern about “divisive tactics” aimed at the board and district administrators.

Members of the group Citizens for Better Schools (CBS)–namely Charlene Arrington of Chester–have filed an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requesting five years’ worth of cell phone records for district Superintendent Anthony di Battista, according to Mendham Borough mayor Neil Henry.

“First we had ,” Henry said. “But we kind of knew how it was going to shake out, and it did just that. Now we’ve got this OPRA situation. (Arrington) has the right to ask what she wants, and I have a right, as mayor, to educate my constituents. I don’t know what she can do with five years’ worth of cell phone records, but we need to let the superintendent do his job.”

Henry also struck a chord with the crowd when he addressed concern over property values in the area, and how poor performing schools or those in turmoil would affect those numbers.

“When I talk to people in town, they always say their biggest concern is property values,” Henry said. “And if your schools aren’t any good, neither are your property values. I’m concerned this will force out our administrators, and employees will want to leave. Who will want to come and work here when there’s constant turmoil?”

Public officials, residents and school faculty members alike attended the board meeting, many to speak, and some just to support the board and the district’s administrators.

“I want to praise the board for its continued leadership,” said Mendham Township resident Rob Strobel. “The tactics of CBS have made them less credible, and their actions have marginalized any role they can play. Please continue your good work despite the attacks from CBS.”

Gil Moscatello, the district’s most tenured administrator and West Morris Central assistant principal, has plans to retire this December. After 40 years of experience in the district, he said, he felt he needed to give some history about the board of education.

“I was always proud to say the board was focused on education in this district,” Moscatello said. “Education used to be the prize here. It’s what we strived for.

“Now, everything is negative,” he said. “We don’t talk about the positives anymore. We’ve been derailed. The board’s goal is to support education. We need to stop being derailed and put education back in focus.”

The crowd rose to its feet and gave Moscatello a lengthy standing ovation for sharing his thoughts.

Regional school board meetings are often lightly attended, and, depending on the issue, can see up to two dozen members of the community and school faculty in the audience.

Monday night’s meeting saw nearly 100 audience members, ranging from parents of current district students, former board members and community members without any children in the district.

Long Valley’s Lisa Woodring wanted to make it known that this shouldn’t be an occasional happening.

“What we need to remember is we can’t come to this one meeting,” Woodring said to the crowd. “We need to be prepared to come to these meetings, and make sure the few people who want to cause havoc don’t get their way.”