The Jersey Metropolis Board of Schooling elected Trustee Natalia Ioffe, an outgoing vp, as their president, with Trustee Noemi Velazquez elected vp eventually evening’s reorganization assembly.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Trustee Lekendrick Shaw nominated Trustee Gina Verdibello, the outgoing tutorial vp, for president, which failed 5-4. Shaw, Verdibello, together with Trustees Lorenzo Richardson and Trustees Afaf Muhammed, voted sure.
Velazquez then nominated Ioffe, which was accepted by the identical shut tally of 5-4. Ioffe and Velazquez have been joined by Trustees Younass Barkouch, Christopher Tisdale, and Paula Jones-Watson in voting sure.
“First, I want to say thanks very a lot. Thanks to your belief and I respect and acknowledge the dissenting voices and I vow to function greatest as I can and carry this workforce ahead to our mutual objectives,” Ioffe advised her colleagues after assuming the board’s prime management submit.
Barkouch then nominated Velazquez for vp, whereas Verdibello nominated Richardson.
Velazquez’s nomination was narrowly accepted by the identical 5-4 tally as Ioffe’s, with the identical trustees voting sure and no.
Throughout public portion, Jersey Metropolis Schooling Affiliation President Ron Greco credited the board for not getting “bamboozled” by an ethics criticism towards Ioffe filed by former worker and state monitor for the district Cathy Coyle.
“I’m glad that you simply weren’t bamboozled by a former worker of this district, a former worker of the division of ed who was a state monitor, a extremely expert skilled – amongst many different titles – that was run out of this district by the JCEA after the 1998 strike,” Greco recalled.
“And was run out of the district once more when Dr. Lyles didn’t take heed to her and we had one other strike. After which after we had an schooling commissioner that may meet with us, me and the NJEA, they eliminated her once more due to all of the interference.”
Greco additionally alleged that he had pictures of Coyle campaigning for the “Change for Kids” workforce final yr.
“You wish to speak unethical conduct? That particular person wrote the e book on unethical conduct,” he asserted.
Ioffe didn’t tackle the criticism, which continues to be pending earlier than the New Jersey College Ethics Fee, however acknowledged the bare-knuckle nature of politics whereas emphasizing that the board has mutual respect and customary objectives.
“Politics is a aggressive sport and it’s all the time private in Jersey Metropolis – and never simply in Jersey Metropolis – however I’m glad to say that by means of historical past, we’ve all the time been capable of compete with each other and work collectively with out query,” she acknowledged.
“We don’t must agree, as Paula mentioned, however we do have joint objectives and a joint mission.”
Earlier than the assembly concluded in slightly below two hours, Barkouch requested Board Counsel Michael Gross why the board was not continuing with two vice presidents as they did final yr (Ioffe was the non-instructional vp).
“That was suspending our bylaw at the moment, for that yr, so we’d have two vice presidents. Proper now, our bylaw doesn’t make reference to 1, two, or 30,” Gross started.
“Definitely, if anybody wished to try this at this assembly, and even at any subsequent assembly, you actually have the power and a proper to try this and nearly all of the board needs to proceed.”
The board adjourned with out taking any motion to nominate a second vp.
