Piscataway BOE Protest For Woman Some Say Was Fired For LGBTQ Activism

PISCATAWAY, NJ — This Thursday night, students and parents plan to again rally at the Piscataway Board of Education meeting to show their support for a school psychologist who they say was fired for her LGBTQ+ activism.

The school psychologist is Cassia Mosdell, who works as a psychologist at T. Schor Middle School in Piscataway.

Mosdell said the Piscataway school district decided not to renew her contract this April after she organized something called "Day of Silence." This is where LGBTQ students and allies across the country — and world — take a day-long vow of silence to protest LGBTQ bullying.

Mosdell said organizing the Day of Silence was part of her job as the school’s anti-bullying specialist.

According to these screenshots posted by a parent, Mosdell encouraged students to take a day-long vow of silence and wear all black.

"One week before the Day of Silence, there was a complaint about my lessons to the superintendent," Mosdell wrote in this op-ed published on Tap Into. "I was told that all of my lessons would be canceled and teachers were told to disregard my resources. There would be no lessons on LGBTQ history and rights this year. When I objected to the cancellation, I was dressed down for my efforts and told 'the community is not ready' for this type of education. Several days later, a parent posted screenshots of my announcements to students on a community Facebook page. I was pulled into the principal’s office and interrogated. They were furious that I called the Day of Silence a protest ... They were upset that I had suggested students wear black (another very common tradition for the Day of Silence)."

The Piscataway school superintendent who chose not to renew her contract is Frank Ranelli.

He has repeatedly declined to comment to the media about this, saying her firing was a confidential personnel matter, but did previously tell parents that the district "supports LGBTQ students, and we welcome and endorse activities and actions held for them and by them."

On April 12, all three Piscataway middle schools and the high school did indeed hold the Day of Silence, and students were allowed to remain mute.

“For anyone ... who thinks they know why any staff member has been non-renewed, please be aware that there is confidential, internal information that has not been shared with you, and shouldn't be, as it is personal to the employee,” Ranelli said, according to Tap Into. “What I can say is that the several versions of those reasons that have been circulating on social media are inaccurate.”

Mosdell has many supporters: Nearly 40 students and parents attended the May 12 school board meeting to urge the Board to reverse Ranelli's decision. On May 16, there was an in-school protest planned at Schor and plans for a student walkout, both of which Ranelli said would not be tolerated.

The May 12 and June 9 protests in support of Mosdell were organized by parents, teachers and community activists who say she is a beloved — and badly needed — teacher, especially for young people struggling in the teenage years.

"She helped me when I was at my lowest last year," one young girl, clearly on the verge of tears, told the Piscataway school board at the May 12 meeting. "Whenever I don't know who to talk to, I always go to her."

"She made student feel safer. Students feel that they don't have anyone to vent to," said another girl.

"She's someone we can talk to, even we can't talk to our own parents," said another.

An Instagram account has also been formed called Hands Off Dr. M!

Because a large crowd is anticipated at Thursday night's meeting, it has been moved to a bigger venue and will now be held at Piscataway High School on 100 Behmer Road. The public comment portion begins at 7:30 p.m.

Original Patch report on this matter: NJ School Employee Fired For LGBTQ+ Activism, Advocates Say