'Critical Race Theory,' Mask Controversies Ignite NJ School Board Meetings, Elections

NEW JERSEY — School board meetings used to be mundane affairs. But in 2021, they're among the most intense meetings into which basically anyone can walk.

Mask regulations, fears of "critical race theory" and other controversies have heated up school board meetings and elections, to the point where feds have stepped in. There's been a "disturbing spike" in harassment, intimidation and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers and staff, according to the Department of Justice.

The Oct. 4 notice began a series of measures designed to address threats and criminal misconduct toward school personnel.

While many heated discussions around New Jersey schools haven't amounted to threats or prosecution, the temperature has risen at many board of education meetings. Here's a glimpse at some of the issues around the state.

The term "critical race theory" has prompted local and national outrage, bills banning its teaching and even the outcome of some elections. Gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli even raised the issue on the campaign trail, saying "there is systemic racism ... (but) critical race theory has elements to it that suggest that the white student, the white person is the oppressor and the Black and brown is the oppressed."

But the New Jersey School Boards Association says the term has been inaccurately used and that it's "primarily used in higher-level university and graduate courses."

The political football has nonetheless sparked fights at school board meetings in New Jersey, including a brief but heated argument over the topic September in Middletown. Several board members asked the governing body's attorney to investigate whether the district or New Jersey schools taught critical race theory, and to what extent.

The bill in legal services came out to $2,250, prompting other board members to demand to know who authorized the work.

"Some of the work I saw here were things like putting together a map of other states' bans on CRT and the '1691 (1619) Project;' downloading House bills of states that passed CRT bans," said Board Member John Little, who said he was indifferent to critical race theory. "Some of this stuff people could Google on their own." Read more: Middletown BOE's Critical Race Theory Research Sparks Fight

During a school board meeting April 26 in Chatham, a man got up to speak and said, "I'm a person that this town believes is a racist." Robert Vessechia did not get up to a specific school issue during his comment.

But days later, police said he went to Chatham High School. He was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing after becoming "verbally abusive" and refusing to leave the premises, said Police Chief Thomas Miller. Read more: Chatham Parent Charged With Trespassing At High School: Police

Elsewhere, issues such as mask regulations and sexual education have ignited school board meetings. Gov. Phil Murphy mandated masks for grade schools this fall. The mandate expires Jan. 11, and he hinted there's a possibility he might not extend it. Read more: Murphy: K-12 Mask Mandate May Not Need To Be Extended

In the Toms River Regional School District, some parents have suggested that the school board reject the state's mask mandates, as well as other rules. At recent meetings, sex education has become a primary concern, with multiple parents speaking out against changes that critics believe push explicit lessons at very young ages.

The sex education changes, defined in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, were supposed to be implemented by school districts for September, but the state has postponed those curriculum changes to Fall 2022.

But school board attorney Stephan Leone has said the district will continue to follow the state's rules.

"We are a nation of laws," Toms River school board attorney Stephan Leone said, emphasizing the school board must follow state laws. "If you don't like the laws, go to Trenton and tell the senators, tell the assemblymen, stop passing these laws." Read more: Toms River Parents Tell Board To Say No On Sex Ed, Masks, Vaccine

In the Wayne Township School District, a meeting became consumed by shouting, when a group of residents described "pornographic" literature.

The book in question, "Gender Queer," is among a small group of books that can be found in libraries throughout the district depicting sexual themes.

Things took a turn for the strange, and potentially troubling, at this point. Board members called for police to try and reign in a resident speaking, and at one point, a man from the crowd leveled a threat against Board President Cathy Kazan. Read more: Wayne BOE President Considers Charges At Raucous, Profane Meeting

At the next meeting, five of nine board members didn't show up to the public portion after the executive session. Therefore, the meeting failed to meet quorum and didn't occur. Kazan, speaking for herself, told Patch that safety concerns prompted here decision not to attend, saying that the meetings have become "quite contentious, menacing and unpredictable." Read more: Safety Issues, Illness Factored Into Wayne Board Of Ed. No-Shows

But with election season over, what does that mean for contentious school board meetings? The aforementioned controversies haven't disappeared. But at least at the first Wayne Township Council meeting after the election, the mayor and council members expressed hope that turning the page on elections could bring down the temperature at school board meetings.

"There's always that silly season that intervenes," Ward 5 Council Member Francine Ritter said of election season. "And now thankfully, we're done with that." Read more: Can Wayne Politics Become Civil? Council Members Have Hope

With reporting from Karen Wall, Carly Baldwin and Montana Samuels/Patch Staff