MTEA Vote of No Confidence Handout

The public received the following release at last night's BoE meeting.

                                       Mullica Township Education Association
                                            We Care About Mullica's Children

CONTACT:   NJEA Communications                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                  609-599-4561 ext.2316                             March 5, 2015

                  Mullica Township Education Association Takes Vote of No Confidence
                                    in Superintendent Dr. Brenda Harring-Marro

Mullica Twp, NJ - Today, the members of the Mullica Township Education Association (MTEA),
which represents more than 100 teachers and educational support professional, took a vote of no
confidence in Mullica Superintendent Dr. Brenda Harring - Marro.

"The members of the MTEA have been frustrated and dismayed by the superintendent's serious and
disturbing lack of judgement in her pursuit of tenure charges against kindergarten teacher and Mullica resident Kelly Mascio,said MTEA President Barbara Rheault.  "Her actions have hurt our school
and our community.

"The superintendent's failure to appropriately address this incident has caused significant damage to the moral of the school community and the unity of Mullica Township as a whole.

"Keep in mind, Mrs. Mascio reported this incident immediately and followed the established
protocols.  However, the superintendent mishandled the situation from the beginning.  Her decision
to immediately suspend Mrs. Mascio without taking the time necessary to adequately investigate the situation displays an egregious lack of judgement.

"In addition, the superintendent has repeatedly counseled the Board of Education to pursue tenure charges against Mrs. Mascio despite the fact that she was cleared by the division of Child Protection and Permanency(CPP), which was formerly known as DYFS.

"In her pursuit of tenure charges, the superintendent has failed to adhere to appropriate disciplinary protocol; she has ignored normal due process disciplinary action; and her actions have created a
hostile work environment for every school employee.

"But perhaps most disturbing is the fact that the superintendent permitted two five-year old
students to be interviewed about the incident without informing the children's parents or obtaining their permission.

"Ms Harring-Marro has ignored the public outcry by parents, other taxpayers, and local elected
officials in her single-minded pursuit of a punishment for Mrs. Mascio that is unsubstantiated by the
facts in the case. In doing so, she has made the district- and ultimately taxpayers- responsible for skyrocketing legal fees.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Harring-Marro's poor judgement has extended beyond the school staff
employed in this district. She has contacted the employers of parents who spoke at a Board meeting in support of Mrs. Mascio in an an attempt to have them disciplined when these parents were well within their First Amendment rights.

"Ms. Harring-Marro's inability to function as a school leader extends beyond this case, as serious as
it is. She has involuntarily transfered staff with whom she disagrees, even when those staff are
simply trying to make decisions that are in the best interests of the students. She has created a
climate of fear and retaliation in the school. Since she has been the superintendent, the school lost its popular Gifted and Talented program, caring and committed staff have left the district, parents lost
access to the affordable after-school childcare program that was staffed by district employees, and
standardized test scores have plummeted.

"It is clear that Ms. Harrin-Marro is not motivated by what is best for Mullica Township's students
and we therefore have taken this vote of no confidence in her ability to lead the Mullica school
community."