There appears to be a very strong possibility, because the three boards of education refused to let the public know the terms of the resolution they unanimously approved at a joint meeting, that Superintendent Tara Beams and the three Boards of Education entered into backroom agreements with the school regionalization adversaries, Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts. Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal Deal
Without knowing anything about the resolution board members of all three boards of education signed without even themselves seeing it in writing or making it known to the public, it could well be an agreement which all but blocks Sea Bright from ever entering the newly formed Henry Hudson PK-12 district.
Why else would these board members refuse to answer questions?
Why else would they not tell the public what ‘deal’ they were making in the back room that the taxpayers couldn’t know anything about?
Why else would the board members put their names and approvals on an official resolution without having the resolution made public?
Why else would they give their presidents the authority to sign a paper the taxpayers can’t even see until the deed is done?.
To add salt to the wound, the Superintendent, the Henry Hudson Regional boards and their attorney refused to take any questions on this critical issue Tuesday evening from concerned residents.
That alone should certainly cause alarm bells to ring loudly.
This action is in clear contrast to promises the boards and the superintendent made regarding seeking Sea Bright’s inclusion. Remember “Approve the two town regionalization as Step One. Step Two will follow to have another vote to include Sea Bright? ”
All that, even though every feasibility study…and there were many…recommended Sea Bright in the first place?
Instead, if their actions in that back room agreement last week block the ability to bring Sea Bright into the new district , it says goodbye to over $2 million of potential tax benefit to Atlantic Highlands and Highlands.
Those closely watching the series of events over the last few years have said it is clear all of this is due to heavy handed manipulation by Superintendent Beams. She has had the most to gain by regionalizing just Atlantic Highlands and Highlands and blocking Sea Bright: it both lightens her workload and helps keep her and her neighbors ‘property taxes lower in Oceanport where she lives.
This is the greatest disgrace of all and the present three boards of education in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands have sat by silently and given their approval by their silence as this has all unfolded. They never even questioned a possible conflict of interest. They sat back and didn’t say a word to the public.
Superintendent Beams and the boards have violated the trust of the residents, parents, and students of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands. They have set a course which will see declines in academic performance, continued departure of quality teachers and staff, declining enrollment, escalating property taxes for residents. It could also see the newly former Pre-K-12 district of the three Highlands and Atlantic Highlands schools most likely become the stepchild of the Middletown School system.
If residents of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands do not stand up and take action removing Superintendent Beams and the present board members, they will be looking back five years from now asking how did this all happen.
The clock is ticking.
Henry Hudson Regional High School Board of Education
Atlantic Highlands Elementary School Board of Education
Highlands Elementary School Board of Education
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