Asbury Park board approves two‑year teachers' agreement as parents, advocates press to save bilingual staff and add translation

The Asbury Park Board of Education voted May 27 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Asbury Park Education Association retroactive to July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, while community members urged action to protect bilingual teachers and ensure real‑time translation at meetings.

Board members said uncertainty about medical costs tied to state policy made a longer contract impractical and that a two‑year agreement was the safest path. A board member summarized that decision as intended to “protect all parties” while keeping district and union negotiations ongoing.

Parents and community organizers packed public comment to press the board on staffing and access. Karen Moscowitz, founder of Community Food Connection, spoke about food insecurity and asked for a small district contribution to a summer produce distribution; she told the board the program would provide “$1,800 worth for a every other week distribution” and said, “Fresh food is a basic human right.”

Several Spanish‑speaking parents and organizers, some speaking through translators, urged the board to stop cuts they said would remove bilingual staff and interpreters who help families access services. One speaker who identified as a retired district employee asked the board to consider “another solution” because bilingual parents “are going to be suffering based on the budget cuts.”

Acting Superintendent Mr. Ruiz responded to those concerns, saying the administration prioritized classroom services: “No teacher, no ESL teacher, no bilingual teacher was cut,” he told the board, and said the administration would look for ways to use existing Spanish‑speaking staff as conduits in school offices while it seeks other solutions.

Still, board members acknowledged gaps between district decisions and public perception and acted on two steps: they voted to require administrators to investigate a community food distribution proposal (the Little Bishop/Living Well initiative) and, separately, they directed the superintendent and business administrator to search for any existing district translation equipment, explore technology and human‑interpreter options, and return costed recommendations with the goal of providing English, Spanish and Creole accessibility at meetings.

The memorandum with the teachers' association passed on roll call after discussion. Several board members and union representatives said the two‑year term was chosen because of state uncertainties about medical costs in a possible third year. Board proponents described continuing negotiations and said they did not expect talks to stop after the vote.

What happens next: administration will investigate the Little Bishop food‑distribution request and will report back on costs, program logistics and whether district funds should be used. The communications committee and administration will return proposals and cost estimates on meeting translation equipment and services for the board to consider at a future meeting.