'No Confidence' Votes Spark Concerns In Freehold Borough School Community

FREEHOLD BOROUGH, NJ — Freehold Borough Superintendent Dr. Asia Michael vowed to work with school staff, administrators, and board leadership during a recent school board meeting after votes of no confidence were cast against her by two school associations.

During a board meeting held on Nov. 4, Dr. Michael addressed concerns from community members and staff after separate, anonymous votes of no confidence were taken by the Freehold Borough Education Association (FBEA) and Freehold Borough Administrators Association (FBAA).

Of the 232 eligible FBEA members, 194 participated in the vote: 184 voted no confidence, five opposed the motion, and five abstained. About 95% of FBEA participants expressed no confidence, officials said.

In the FBAA, seven of eight members voted no confidence, while one abstained.

• Read More: 'No Confidence' Votes Cast In Freehold Borough Superintendent

These votes followed a period in which both associations say they "repeatedly brought critical concerns to district leadership" involving student and staff safety, support services, consistent implementation of district policies, staffing, and administrative decision-making.

While some responsive measures were taken, the associations say "too many fundamental issues remained unresolved" and that "decisions and follow-through often failed to match the urgency of the concerns raised."

"This decision [the no confidence votes] was not the result of an isolated disagreement or difference in leadership style," said Jennifer Donnelly, FBAA Co-President. "It reflects nearly three years of documented concerns regarding these seven critical areas: trust in leadership, student and staff safety, student services, fiscal responsibilities and oversight, stakeholders' involvement in decision-making, timely decisions and procedures, and leadership transparency and accountability."

Donnelly went on to say that the FBAA's loss of confidence did not develop overnight, citing incidents dating back to 2024 where association members voiced their concerns about hiring procedures, communication, administrative authority and professional responsibilities.

FBEA President Stephanie Cholak echoed the concerns voiced by the FBAA, adding that a concern that has risen to the forefront of this school year is staff and student safety — specifically focused at the Freehold Learning Center, which serves PreK-2nd grade students.

"FLC has experienced a growing number of aggressive student behaviors in both special education and general education populations," Cholak said. "This concern was first brought to the superintendent last February. We explicitly asked to address the rising number of students requiring a behaviorist."

"At that meeting, we learned that the director of special programs had also been requesting an additional BCBA [Board Certified Behavior Analyst] based on documented student needs," she continued. "However, Dr. Michael stated that the budget did not allow for it and the solution was immediately removed as a discussion point."

At the start of the 2026-27 school year, Cholak said staff concerns were proven to be valid, as in just a few days of school, there were nearly 20 staff injuries from students, several CPI and calm-down calls, and a staff member who had already gone out on injury on workers' comp.

After a request for an additional BCBA in the district was denied, the FBEA and FBAA filed a joint grievance, which was denied by Dr. Michael, Cholak said.

According to Cholak, the superintendent said that decisions about staffing are administrative responsibilities and that the grievance "did not establish that the district staffing decisions violated the statutory provision," in her denial.

"With all due respect, injured staff and students who need support don't care about a statutory provision," Cholak said. "This clinical response completely ignores the reality on the ground."

The FBEA President went on to cite over 80 documented injuries of staff at FLC, more than 35 calm-down reports, and over 30 calls for CPI intervention to date.

"When leadership turns a blind eye to predictable, preventable violence, it creates a climate of deep anxiety that shakes the entire building," she said.

Following the votes of no confidence from the FBEA and FBAA, Dr. Michael addressed the concerns raised by staff and administrators, telling meeting attendees that she takes those concerns seriously.

"Student and staff safety is my highest priority," Dr. Michael said. "I recognize how demanding it can be to serve our most vulnerable students, including students with disabilities who need intensive behavioral support."

"The work requires skill and patience, qualities our wonderful teachers and support staff demonstrate every day, and it requires us to provide the support that they need," she continued. "No employee should be expected to accept injury as simply part of the job, and every student deserves a safe environment in which to learn."

Dr. Michael went on to say that she has spent time in school buildings and classrooms to observe firsthand some of the challenges students and staff are experiencing.

Those observations, along with the experience of those doing the work each day, are "important to understanding where additional support is needed," she said.

"I want to reassure our families and community that our schools remain safe places for teaching and learning," Dr. Michael said. "We have taken steps to provide additional classroom support and strengthen our response to our administrators and special services personnel."

While concrete actions have been taken, Dr. Michael added that putting a support in place does not always have the same effect as knowing if the need is being met.

She said that she and the district need to "listen to the staff, use the supports, and assess whether they are making a meaningful difference."

"We strive to do that," she said. "I encourage staff to report any incident, injury, or safety concern promptly, including situations in which a support is unavailable or is not working as intended. Accurate reporting and careful review of that information are essential to an effective response."

"We may disagree about particular decisions or the best use of resources. Those disagreements deserve a candid, respectful discussion, focused on practical solutions," she continued. "Supporting all of our students, including students with disabilities, and protecting the people who work with them are shared responsibilities, not competing priorities."

Dr. Michael went on to say that she is committed to sitting down with the leadership of both associations, together with board leadership, to listen to specific concerns, review the information, and work collaboratively on next steps.

Those discussions should help the district to "identify immediate needs, evaluate existing supports, and determine where adjustments are needed."

"My responsibility is to list and evaluate what is working and work with our staff and administrators to make adjustments where they are needed," she said. "I'm committed to making our discussions productive and keeping student and staff safety at the center of the work, and, of course, being transparent with that work as it progresses."

Dr. Michael then thanked community members for attending the board meeting, as well as those who spoke and shared their concerns with district and board leadership.

"I hope this a path that we can move forward in," she said.

At the start of the meeting, the Freehold Borough Board of Education also acknowledged the votes of no confidence cast by the FBEA and FBAA, saying that while the board "affirms its full faith and confidence" in Dr. Michael's leadership, it also takes the concerns raised by employees seriously.

"We want to make sure that we understand [the employees] and give them the attention that they deserve," the board said. "With this in mind, we invite the leadership of each association to a sit-down meeting with the board leadership and Dr. Asia Michael to review the specifics of the underlying issues and work collaboratively towards a path forward."

The board went on to encourage both associations to engage in "open, constructive and collaborative dialogue" with the district administrators "grounded in mutual respect and shared commitment to our school community."

"We hope that by listening to one another and working together to address the concerns, we can rebuild the relationships that strengthen our schools and move forward with a shared purpose, helping every student in Freehold Borough learn, grow, and thrive," the board said.

During the public comment portion of the school board meeting, community members, parents and staff took to the floor to speak about Dr. Michael's leadership and the no-confidence votes.

Attendees such as Jean Holtz, the chair of the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, voiced their support for Dr. Michael and asked the board to consider "the full picture of her leadership."

"I have heard the concerns expressed tonight by the teachers and administrators in the unions," Holtz said. "I don't presume to know anything, let alone everything that happens inside the district, and I respect the importance of listening to employees' concerns; I just wish there was a better way to do it."

"But I do find it difficult — very, very difficult — to reconcile the person I know and work with with the characterization of the leadership that you have all presented tonight," she continued. "I don't believe the narrative surrounding Dr. Michael should be defined exclusively by those who are unhappy with her leadership. Voices of those who have experienced her commitment, dedication, and genuine care for this community deserve to be heard as well."

"Leadership is complicated," Holtz said. "Not everyone will agree with every decision, but disagreement should not overshadow the contributions, dedication and relationship a leader brings to a community."

Alongside those who voiced their support for Dr. Michael, some meeting attendees also took to the floor to echo the concerns of the FBEA and FBAA.

Jennifer O'Shea, the district's Director of Special Programs, said they are "falling apart" within the walls of the school district, and that they have no leadership.

"I don't think anyone is questioning Ms. Michael's ability to be a community leader," O'Shea said. "We all think she does a great job as a community leader. She does wonderful things for the families and the parents. But we are falling apart. We are falling apart within the walls of the school district. There is no leadership."

"She [Dr. Michael] doesn't allow us to lead our departments. She doesn't allow us to have transparent communication anymore," she continued. "...It's wonderful what [Dr. Michael] does in the community, but being a community liaison is very different than understanding special education law, general education law, DCP&P protocols and policies, safety for the students, safety for the teachers, protecting the staff."

"194 staff, 7 administrators, over 95% of this school district, have no confidence in her leadership," O'Shea said. "Because she is not transparent with us, her staff, her administrators."

Garrett Gallinot, a teacher who has been at the Freehold Learning Center for 10 years, spoke directly to parents at the meeting, emphasizing the commitment of the school district's staff to students and families over the years.

"Your kids will spend more time with their teachers than any other adult in their lives, except for you," Gallinot said. "I just want to reiterate that when this many [staff members] show up at 7 o'clock, right before a weekend, we're here advocating for your students."

"...Your community will persist," he continued. "And when the cornerstones of that community and of your children's learning — the people that will spend more time with them than anyone except for you — come here tonight and make an argument with data and support, I just ask you to listen seriously."

"Don't just think about the argument you want to make. Listen, because we are here tonight for you guys," Gallinot said. "And whether or not you agree with us, it's fine. But we're here for you, and when we advocate and when we make arguments and when we spend all this extra time that we don't have prep time for to make these reports to transparently give to you, it is coming from a sincere place of love for this community and for the parents and for the students."

To watch a full recording of the Nov. 4 meeting, you can click here.

Previous Coverage

• 'No Confidence' Votes Cast In Freehold Borough Superintendent