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Board dispute escalates: special counsel hired and ethics referral discussed
Summary
The board discussed hiring special counsel and opposing a petition from a fellow board member, and referred possible School Ethics Act violations to the School Ethics Commission. The exchange between the president and the member who filed the petition became heated on the record.
Board leadership announced the board has hired special counsel to respond to a petition filed by a board member and that the board had referred potential School Ethics Act violations to the state School Ethics Commission.
The board president read a prepared statement saying the board had followed legal counsel and administration guidance in filling a board vacancy and that a petition filed by a member took a position adverse to the board and staff. The president said the board believes referral to the School Ethics Commission was appropriate to determine adherence to the School Ethics Act.
Board member Anag Graio (spelled in the record multiple ways) sharply disputed the characterization, saying she followed guidance from the New Jersey School Boards Association in pursuing the complaint and called the board’s public statements inaccurate. The exchange was heated and included mutual accusations that the other side was acting improperly; both sides asked that their positions be noted on the public record.
The board moved into and approved a motion to enter executive session to address student matters, collective bargaining and potential litigation/attorney‑client privileged matters. No further public votes on the dispute were recorded in the public session; the board noted the ethics referral will proceed through the commission.
