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Parents, union and residents urge board to preserve language classes and custodial jobs; one parent threatens FOIA if assessments aren’t returned
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Summary
Public commenters at the April 23 meeting urged the board to keep Mandarin and other language offerings, asked the board not to outsource custodial positions, and pressed for timely return of student assessments; administration said Mandarin was not being cut and impact bargaining on outsourcing is scheduled.
Several members of the public used the meeting's public comment period to press the board on curriculum, staffing and accountability issues.
Dave Chan, a parent and vice president of a local Asian‑Pacific Islander advocacy nonprofit, asked the board to avoid reductions to language offerings and described the academic and cultural benefits of his child's Mandarin course. "So, I just find a lot of value in this course for him because he's developed a lot of great pride in it," Chan said, asking the board to mitigate any impact on world‑language programming.
Dana Zimbicki, president of the East Brunswick Education Association, urged the board not to privatize custodial staff and warned that losing long‑time custodians would harm school operations and community relationships. "If we remove our custodians, we are not just changing a system. We are losing something human," Zimbicki said, and urged the board to consider cost‑saving proposals presented by the EBA.
David Pavlik, another resident, said parents are not receiving returned assessments and warned that he will file a Freedom of Information Act request or pursue legal options if testing materials are not returned to families next year. "Either we get it back or we're gonna be having a lawsuit, period," Pavlik told the board.
Board and administration responses: a board representative said the district provided the 90‑day notice required by New Jersey law before any outsourcing and that impact bargaining with the union will occur; administration also responded to the language question by saying Mandarin was not being cut. Negotiations were scheduled for the following Monday.
What’s next: Administration said it will continue negotiations with the EBA and provide clarification about language courses; the board has an upcoming public hearing on the budget May 7 where program impacts will also be discussed.
