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Parents urge Mount Olive board to reverse non‑renewal of special‑education teacher, citing students' progress
Summary
Multiple parents used public comment to ask the board to reconsider a personnel non‑renewal they say will disrupt continuity for students with autism; one parent said she has retained counsel and described measurable gains under the teacher's care.
Several parents used the public‑comment portion of the Mount Olive Township Board of Education meeting to urge the board to overturn a decision not to renew a special‑education teacher's contract.
At length, a parent identified as Stephanie Sherman described her non‑verbal son's progress under the teacher she named in her remarks (transcript: Mrs. Paz/Mrs. PZ) and asked the board to reconsider a non‑renewal. "Removing a teacher who's already proven, trusted, and effective just days before tenure creates unnecessary disruption for students who depend on her the most," Sherman said, describing improvements in communication, motor skills and toileting that she said were documented and linked to the teacher's consistent implementation of the IEP.
Sherman added that some related services on her child's IEP had been scheduled less frequently for the coming year (for example, speech and occupational therapy reductions she described), which she said made retention of the classroom teacher even more important for continuity. She said she had retained legal counsel and requested an emergent IEP meeting to address gaps she identified.
Other parents spoke in support. Kabella Cole described the teacher as supportive of her child with autism and ADHD and brought her son forward to say briefly, "They're very kindhearted. They helped me in one of the hardest moments in my life." Another parent, speaking as a father, said the teacher had helped his child make measurable reading gains.
The board declined to discuss personnel decisions in public. The president acknowledged receipt of correspondence and said the concerns would be heard in closed session: "We'll be hearing those tonight. Really can't get into detail about it because there's a personnel issue," the president said. Board members later reiterated that personnel matters require due process and that the board expects administration to follow established procedures and union agreements.
The board moved into confidential session to discuss personnel and other matters; no public decision on the teacher's status was announced at the meeting.
