Letter to the Editor: Schaumberg Resigns from Mountainside BOE

(This letter to the editor was sent to Patch on Tuesday afternoon, September 6, 2011 by Mary Beth Schaumberg, a member of the Mountainside Board of Education for the past 11 years)

With very mixed emotions, I have tendered my resignation as a Mountainside Board of Education member.  

Having been elected as a write-in candidate in 2000, thanks to overwhelming community support, I joined the Board at a time when the community was extremely concerned about our test scores and the preparedness of students transitioning to high school. During my first year, I mostly observed and learned. This first year is designed to provide Board members with the necessary understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Given that there is so much to learn about school governance, to this day, I continue to gain new insights.  

Most unfortunately, over the past year, it appears as if this mantra has not grounded novice Board members. Instead, these individuals have disregarded the history of the district and suggested significant change within days of joining the Board. Following the 2010 election, several astute community members expressed concerns to me about the changing complexion of the Board. This has been particularly difficult to endure in that I have served on every Board committee and in every Board liaison role, which has often led to me sacrificing time from my career, and more importantly from my family.       

Even with the challenge of balancing my time, prior to 2010, I had always found my Board experience to be quite rewarding. A healthy give and take anchored exchanges between and among Board members and members of the administrative team. At no point in time was character assassination part of my experience until the March 2010 Candidates' Night. A now novice Board member serving in a leadership position on "your" Mountainside Board of Education called my integrity into question when indicating that I intentionally misled the community about fiscal savings realized during the previous school year. Portrayed as a liar, I was completely taken aback by this false accusation, which was later clarified by our then Board attorney who confirmed that all of my representations were accurate.  

This aside, the real beginning of the imminent demise of the present Mountainside Board of Education and my need to distance myself from this Board occurred at the end of the 2008-2009 school year when the then current Board approved an unpopular personnel decision. That decision set into motion a series of politically charged actions that have resulted in the pronounced dysfunction of this current Board.

At our June 2011 Board retreat and ethics training, our New Jersey School Boards Association representative cautioned that the behavior of the Board would result in each member being painted with the same brush. With that, I knew my time on the Mountainside Board of Education had come to an end. To be painted with the same brush as the current Board members would devalue the many, many years I spent away from my family dedicated to this Board.

Rather than engaging in political crockery, during my tenure as a Board member, we focused on what matters most, student achievement. Consequently, test scores and staff performance rose to the highest levels observed in our district. As the former Board President and Vice President, I am pleased to know that I contributed to effectuating this type of change. This is in large measure due to the continual and unconditional support of the thinking people in this community, those who serve and support for the betterment of the Mountainside children.

To the thinking people, trust your insights. Know that it is not a coincidence that multiple Board members and administrators have resigned in just over one year's time. I implore you to stand up, take notice, and ask questions. Acknowledging the recent comments of former Board member, Carolyn Williams, "keep looking for the transparency that was promised you." In the current environment, the sharing of information occurs most selectively. The implications of this mentality are detrimental to the community at large, as is the widely held concern regarding confidentiality.

I am truly saddened and frightened by what the future holds for the Mountainside children, although I remain grateful for the opportunity to have served the community I have resided in and cherished my whole life. With the blatant and unwarranted lack of respect experienced by me and departing administrators, I will not be exercising my option to serve out the balance of my term.   

Warmest Regards,

Mary Beth Schaumberg