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Board raises concerns after alleged ethics document mailed from district; members request investigation
Summary
Board members said a document alleging ethics violations was mailed selectively to some board members from the district mail system and is circulating online; members called for an investigation, and district staff said the mailroom process is under review.
During public comment at a special meeting of the Englewood Board of Education, board members raised concerns about confidential material and alleged improper use of district mailing resources to circulate a document alleging ethics violations.
Board member Edith read a prepared statement reminding attendees that “discussions held during closed session are confidential by law and by principle,” and said sharing closed-session material outside authorized channels undermines trust. Another board member, Jason, described the selective distribution as “highly troubling and lack of transparency,” and said anyone who believes a violation of the School Ethics Act has occurred should use the formal complaint process through the New Jersey Department of Education.
Board members said the document was mailed to a subset of members in school envelopes and that images and screenshots of the material were circulating in the community and online. A district official said the central mailroom is currently configured as an open drop-off area where anyone can place items to be mailed and that mail-room staff do not vet every package. The official said the administration would secure the mail area and investigate how the selective mailing occurred.
Board member Jason formally requested an investigation into whether a district employee used district resources to circulate the document without appropriate authorization. The board also discussed whether district staff or protocols should be reviewed to prevent future unauthorized mailings.
No formal sanctions or formal findings were made at the meeting; board members said they would pursue the matter through internal review processes and, if appropriate, the state complaint process.
