Caldwell-West Caldwell educators deliver vote of no confidence in director of special services

Members of the Caldwell-West Caldwell Education Association on Monday presented a formal vote of no confidence in Director of Special Services Erin Madera, telling the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education they no longer trust her leadership and asking the board to notify the district of nonrenewal of her contract.

The association read a resolution during public comment that accused Madera of unilaterally changing special education policies, failing to sustain staff morale and contributing to the departure of special education staff. The association said 26 special education teachers and professionals have left the district in the past four years and said the district has an increasing shortage of special education teachers.

The resolution, read into the record by a CWCEA representative who identified herself as Mara, argued that the director’s actions and omissions “have been contrary to the best interest of the district” and urged the board to provide “immediate notice of nonrenewal of Miss Madera’s employment.” The association submitted supporting documentation to the board, including a survey and resignation letters, speakers said.

“We have gone to roundtables. We have gone to liaison meetings. We have tried to influence the direction of this district and tried to be heard,” said Sue Callahan, English teacher at James Caldwell High School and past CWCEA president, during public comment. “We are here because we care about the kids in our district.”

Several current and former special education staff described a shift in district practice toward broad inclusion and away from smaller resource or replacement classes that they said left some students without appropriate individualized support. Robin Kyle, a 31‑year James Caldwell High School teacher, read a resignation statement from a former colleague and told the board the climate had become “toxic” and “difficult.”

“Taking away resource classes will ultimately set a bunch of kids up for failure,” said Angelina, a junior at James Caldwell High School who spoke about her sister’s experience. “You want these kids to succeed, so why take away what’s helping them?”

Other speakers stressed that the action followed multiple efforts to resolve concerns internally. Trish Martin, a high school counselor, told the board that “over 90% of your faculty approves of this vote of no confidence. 90%. That’s not a whisper. That’s a roar.”

Not all public comment supported the CWCEA resolution. Judy O’Hagan, an administrative assistant in the Department of Special Services, told the board she had observed “great strides towards increased inclusion standards” and described the department as “caring, knowledgeable, approachable, dedicated and compassionate.”

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Conklin and board leaders responded during the meeting’s public-comment wrap-up, emphasizing the district’s commitment to inclusion and warning against breaches of confidentiality. In prepared remarks the superintendent said efforts to segregate students “is not only outdated, it is fundamentally unjust” and reminded attendees that federal and state confidentiality requirements apply to student and personnel records.

The board did not take formal personnel action during the meeting. Board president (Grosso) said the board had met earlier in executive session and that an interim superintendent had been recruited; the board said it would announce that appointment prior to the end of the school year. The CWCEA speakers repeatedly urged the board to act on their resolution.

The session that evening included extended public comment on the special education concerns; the board moved into a scheduled executive session after public comment, and that procedural motion passed unanimously.

What happened next: The board did not vote on the CWCEA resolution during the April 21 public session. Several speakers said they had submitted documentation to the board. District officials said they will review the materials and that personnel actions follow established legal and contractual processes.

Why it matters: The dispute centers on placement and service models for students with disabilities—decisions that affect compliance with federal law and day‑to‑day classroom staffing. Teachers warned that staff departures and instability in special education classes hinder instruction; district leaders said the district intends to continue pursuing an inclusion model while following applicable laws and confidentiality rules.