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Parents demand reinstatement of Hazelwood principal; board member moves to restore his access
Summary
Following intense public comment about personnel changes at Hazelwood School, a board member introduced a motion directing the superintendent to restore access for the district’s principal on special assignment; the motion was introduced under Robert's Rules but no final vote was recorded in the transcript.
A wave of public testimony about conditions at Hazelwood Elementary culminated late in the meeting when a board member introduced a motion to direct the superintendent to restore access to Hazelwood for the principal on special assignment, John Keelier.
Multiple parents, teachers and former colleagues had spoken earlier in the public comment period about what they described as the abrupt removal of a well‑liked principal and recent staffing turmoil at Hazelwood. Speakers said students had lost continuity in classroom coverage, music and technology instruction, and access to counseling, and they called for board action to restore community trust.
At the close of the public comment session, a board member asked the body to suspend the rules under Robert's Rules of Order and moved "that the Board of Education directs the superintendent to restore access [to] Hazelwood School for Mr. John Keelier, principal on special assignment, to immediately support the Hazelwood school community." The mover described the item as a direction to the superintendent under the board’s statutory authority.
The motion, as introduced at the meeting, did not record a second or a roll‑call vote in the public transcript; the acting president proceeded to close the public portion and asked for a motion to adjourn. Several speakers had earlier publicly urged that the principal be reinstated; others who identified themselves as family members or staff also spoke in his support.
Why it matters: the motion reflects a flashpoint between the community and the board’s leadership about personnel and leadership decisions. Restoring access for a principal on assignment could affect building operations and local perceptions of board responsiveness.
What was said in public comment: - Multiple parents described students who now resist attending school, missing classes and emotional distress after the principal’s removal. One parent said the school had "spiraled" and described teachers as "not wanting to stay." - Family members and former colleagues spoke in support of the principal's record and urged the board to correct what they called a mistake.
Board procedure and status: the mover cited NJSA 18A:11‑1 (board responsibility to oversee the district) as the authority for the direction; the motion’s text was read into the record and introduced under a rules suspension request. The transcript does not include a recorded vote on the motion; the meeting was then closed.
Ending: The introduced motion and the volume of public testimony leave the Hazelwood situation as an active point of contention; the transcript does not reflect whether the superintendent acted on the direction or whether the board took further action after adjournment.
