Parents split over 'Unity Day' assembly at Caldwell-West middle school; board pledges better notice

The Caldwell-West School District Board of Education spent most of its Nov. 18 meeting addressing a heated community debate over a Unity Day assembly at Grover Cleveland Middle School.

Supporters said the assembly addressed bullying and gave students access to resources. "I am here to show support for the Middle School administration for highlighting anti-bullying and inclusion," parent Jordan Best told the board, saying her sixth grader found the program "informative, friendly and helpful." Several other parents and staff described sessions led by Caldwell University professors and a Garden State Equality representative as age-appropriate and focused on community partnerships and safety.

Opponents objected to the district's notice and opt-out procedures and to some presenters' remarks. "Parental rights is my number one reason and concern," said Christina Draws, who said she and other parents were not given enough information to decide whether to excuse children. Multiple speakers said they wanted explicit advance notice of presenters and the option for students to be excused from parts of assemblies they consider objectionable.

The meeting included lengthy back-and-forths about whether students were allowed to leave presentations. The superintendent said parents can use the GCMS handbook process for "early dismissal" as an option and that adults would remove any student who appeared visibly upset, but some parents said children reported being told they could not leave.

Board members reiterated their support for staff while acknowledging communication could improve. In a prepared statement read near the end of the meeting, the board said, "We understand and acknowledge the concerns raised by all parents regarding the recent Unity assembly at Grover Cleveland Middle School," and pledged to "drive to provide parents with information and agendas ahead of time so they can make informed decisions about what is best for their children." The board moved to executive session to continue discussions.

The meeting also included routine business: approval of minutes and votes to accept curriculum, personnel and finance items by voice vote. Earlier in the evening a parent had pressed the board to revisit anti-bullying (HIB) procedures after a cleared investigation involving his child.

The district named the sessions as short, 30-minute rotations covering topics such as "Singing for Change," primary-source literature and "Justice through Partnerships," the latter of which included a Garden State Equality representative and a corrections/law enforcement speaker and focused on safety and reporting bias.

The board said it will review communication practices for assemblies, consider formalizing advance notice or permission slips where appropriate, and follow up as needed after its executive-session discussions.