Public presses board to finalize police MOU and coordinate districtwide safety steps

Multiple parents and staff told the Middlesex Borough School District Board of Education on May 20 that they have experienced lapses in school security at Hazelwood School and urged the district to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the township that would allow Class 3 school officers in district buildings.

A parent who identified herself as a Hazelwood attendee described an enrichment expo in which about 30 visitors waited outside in the rain and later entered the vestibule without consistent ID checks. “We were not escorted, just pointed in the right direction, and no one was checked for verification that they were supposed to be there. That’s a major security issue,” the parent said, adding that parents could have walked out with any child without verification.

Another commenter asked specifically about the status of an MOU between the board and the town for Class 3 officers and asked the board to put final approval on a June agenda so police could hire and train officers for a September start. The public speaker said the town had been ready and requested that the board expedite the agreement so Chief Matt Geist could proceed.

Superintendent Roberta Freeman and other board members said the MOU has been the subject of back-and-forth drafting and review by both parties’ attorneys and that the process takes time. The superintendent said she would ask the district’s business administrator to follow up and to request dates for a meeting with the mayor and township officials. The board said it would work to expedite the process from its end but could not provide a specific completion date at the meeting.

Board members also debated whether the board should create a standing safety and security committee. A motion to create a committee was made and seconded in new business; some members noted the superintendent had already been directed to work with principals and a special assignment administrator to develop uniform safety procedures. After discussion about committee scope and bylaws, the board agreed to let the superintendent coordinate the initial work and bring a proposal back to the membership at the next meeting rather than immediately creating a separate board-controlled committee.

Public commenters tied the security concerns to broader administrative transitions at Hazelwood and said recent lapses underscored the need for consistent procedures districtwide. Board members said they want a uniform set of practices and said day-to-day operational control remains with administration rather than with the board.

The board recorded its intention to follow up; the superintendent agreed to request a meeting with township officials and to provide an update when available.