Glen Ridge Parents, Librarians Flood BOE Meeting Opposing Cut of High School Media Specialist
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More than a dozen residents, teachers and professional librarians lined up during two public comment periods on May 10 to press the Glen Ridge Board of Education to reverse the elimination of the high school library media specialist position, a cut that was folded into the budget the board approved on April 26. Superintendent Dirk Phillips told the board the district would consider reinstating the position only if it receives American Rescue Plan relief funds, but said the state had given no specifics yet on how much money is coming or when. Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg opened the meeting by reading aloud emails opposing the cut, including one from Lisa Straubinger, president-elect of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, warning that "students in schools with effective school library programs learn more, get better grades and score higher on standardized tests." Iveth Mollinedo read a similar letter on behalf of the American Library Association calling school librarians "the heart of their schools," and James McGuire read a letter from NJEA Vice President Sean Spiller urging the board to "sustain the library media specialist currently employed." Speakers including Molly Eisen, Erin Ackerman, Ingrid Kozlowski, Holly Belli, Brian Arbour and Lisa Petruzzi — the latter speaking for the teachers' association — argued that classroom teachers cannot absorb the research-instruction and information-literacy duties the position currently covers; Petruzzi noted the cut would also force the reassignment, and effective termination, of the elementary media specialist who has served the district's three lower schools for nine years.
In personnel business, the board voted to accept, with regret, the resignations of paraprofessional Isabella Badagliacca and teacher Allison Meeker, both at Ridgewood Avenue School; teacher Jennifer Oriondo at Central School; and counselor Vivian Petrosino at Glen Ridge High School, all effective June 30. The board also approved the termination of an employee identified only by personnel number 6959, effective March 1.
The board approved financial reports covering $308,933.02 in bills and claims and $1,035,668.15 in payroll and related expenses for April, along with student activity account bills ranging from $3,413.43 at the high school to $100 at Linden Avenue School.
Phillips also highlighted recent recognitions for Glen Ridge High School: the Class of 2020 ranked 27th in the state in SAT scores (11th when admission-only schools are excluded), and U.S. News & World Report ranked the school 345th nationally and 14th in New Jersey — first in the state among non-admission schools.
On the pandemic, Phillips reported New Jersey has held at the "moderate" COVID-19 activity level for two weeks, allowing the high school and middle school to move from six feet to three feet of social distancing and cutting quarantine time for close contacts from 14 to 10 days. He said the district is on track to return to full school days districtwide starting May 24, with building principals to share lunch and scheduling plans with families shortly, and that outdoor and indoor capacity limits for end-of-year events such as promotions, graduation and prom are also loosening.
Separately, Ginsburg read a letter from resident Kylie Krabbe objecting to the eighth-grade English curriculum's use of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Of Mice and Men," arguing both books' repeated use of racist language should be replaced with more diverse works such as Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Asked during public comment whether the district would consider adopting the "1619 Project," Phillips said the district is adding a diversity component to its English and social studies curricula but is not currently considering that specific program.
During a second public comment period, several speakers pressed the board on transparency around the librarian cut. Karen Eisen, a former board member of 12 years, asked pointedly, "Is this a done deal? Are we spitting into the wind tonight?" and asked how residents could weigh in before decisions are finalized rather than after. Ginsburg and Phillips responded that the position's elimination was part of the budget presented and opened for public comment before the April 26 vote, even though the specific personnel action itself could not be discussed publicly in advance. Later, resident Jacob Schwab asked for "a raise of hands here who voted for the elimination of the media position, so we know who we can vote against in the upcoming election in November," and questioned why the district could spend an estimated $25,000 to $30,000 on an equity survey while cutting the librarian position.
Action items
- Accepted, with regret, the resignations of paraprofessional Isabella Badagliacca (Ridgewood Avenue School), teacher Jennifer Oriondo (Central School), teacher Allison Meeker (Ridgewood Avenue School) and counselor Vivian Petrosino (Glen Ridge High School), all effective June 30.
- Approved the termination of employee #6959, effective March 1.
- Approved financial reports totaling $308,933.02 in bills and claims and $1,035,668.15 in payroll for April.