Survivors press Leonia Board for acknowledgment and restorative session; board cites active litigation

Several people who said they were abused decades ago by a former teacher urged the Leonia Board of Education to take a public role in healing and restorative justice; the board president said the district is constrained by active litigation and reiterated current student-safety practices.

The public comments matter because survivors are asking the board to lead a community-centered response to longstanding allegations of child abuse and are requesting a confidential, expert-led session to guide the district on restorative steps. The comments also prompted the board to publicly explain why it has limited ability to discuss the matter while litigation is pending.

Paul King, a Leonia resident and survivor, asked the board to "commit tonight to scheduling 1 of these sessions" with an outside, confidential expert the group recommended (RAIN) and to provide survivors clarity about what the board will do. "What, if anything, has the board done or is considering doing for the survivors of mister a? At the very least, give us the courtesy of a response," King said. He and other speakers urged the board to lead a restorative process and described long-term trauma from abuse.

Sam Jones, who identified himself as another survivor, said he had flown to the meeting to press the board and asked for an explicit acknowledgment and an apology: "What do I want? I would like an acknowledgment. I want an apology." Jones described ongoing emotional consequences and said he does not trust the district to have done everything possible so far.

Other speakers who identified themselves as survivors included Edward Mansteinwick (who said he had written a 1998 letter to the school questioning a named individual and received a reply that the person was not on record as employed), Joe Gonzales and members of the Gonzales family, and Michael Gonzales. Several asked the board to change policies and procedures to prevent future abuse, suggested stronger vetting of candidates and closer cooperation with law enforcement and child-protective services, and requested explicit public action from the board.

In response, the superintendent, Dr. Karamanos, emphasized current protective measures and training: all employees, student teachers, interns and board members must pass criminal-history background checks before contact with students; staff receive yearly training on recognizing and reporting signs of abuse; and the district provides age-appropriate instruction on safety, consent and how to seek help. She also pointed attendees to resources on the district website, including the district's student safety page and the superintendent's prior statement posted June 17.

President Lee of the Leonia Board of Education acknowledged hearing the survivors' accounts and said the board's silence should not be read as a lack of compassion. He said board members are constrained by legal obligations because of active litigation, and that public statements could jeopardize the district's position in court. "Our silence on the matter is not a matter of lack of compassion," Lee said. "We are bound by our legal obligation to the school district and our current students. We have an active litigation right now. Any statements that we really make about any of the litigation or any of the case could significantly jeopardize the district."

After public comment the board announced it would move into executive session to discuss personnel matters. No public vote or formal action on the survivors' requests was recorded at the time; board members said they have discussed the matter with legal counsel and are balancing legal constraints with members' expressed desire to address survivors' concerns.