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Parents press board over staff social‑media posts; board says policies and law will guide response
Summary
Several parents urged disciplinary action after a staff member's social‑media posts that commenters characterized as mocking a recent death and promoting hateful comments; the board said it will review applicable policies and follow New Jersey law, noting the board does not itself administer discipline.
Multiple parents and community members told the Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education they were upset by social‑media posts from a district staff member and asked the board to take disciplinary action.
At the start of public comment, Matthew Smith (speaker 10) said he had raised concerns with the administration and described social‑media posts he characterized as "absolutely disgusting," linking them to safety worries for his child. "It's absolutely disgusting," Smith said, adding he and others had emailed the superintendent and sought answers.
Chris Molla (speaker 3), who identified himself as the operator of a local parents' page, said parents sent him historical posts they said showed a pattern and demanded termination if the district's social‑media policies were violated. Cindy Castaldo (speaker 12) cited district policy "3 2 8 2" on social networking and said the district's only suggested solution — allowing parents to remove their children from a class temporarily — was inadequate. "If we hold students accountable for their words...why aren't we holding our teachers to the same standards and expectations?" Castaldo asked.
The board read a short, board‑approved statement: "We expect everyone in our school district community to treat each other with kindness and respect and to uphold the policies and procedures that speak to professionalism ... Any actions that threaten the well‑being or dignity of others will be addressed promptly and appropriately in accordance with school policies and New Jersey law." The chair clarified that the board does not administer discipline and that personnel actions are handled under existing policies and laws; board members invited people to speak further after the meeting.
Why it matters: Parents asked for clearer, more substantive district responses beyond advising parents to keep children out of certain class periods, and they invoked contract and social‑media clauses. The board committed to review policies that may apply and to follow legal and contractual procedures.
