---

Prior to the board of education’s vote on renewing Superintendent Dr. Denise Lowe’s contract at the Oct. 10 board meeting, members of the staff and the public spoke about the upcoming vote during public comment.

In the end, the vote was inconclusive, with three board members voting yes and three abstaining, while two more were absent and one had just resigned. A majority of the nine-member board is required for such a vote.

The board will vote again at a special meeting on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m., according to district communications officer Christina Coloma.

At the Oct. 10 meeting, longtime faculty member Desly Getty spoke in favor of reinstating Lowe [pictured at right at an April meeting]. Some staff members “were removed who should not have been” five years ago, when Lowe began her tenure, but “thankfully, those mistakes were correct and people were brought back,” Getty said.

“The district has now become firm, fair and consistent to an extent,” she said. “Money has begun to come back in from the state … You never know what you’re going to get. You leave one husband, you think you’re going to get a catch. We know what we have but we don’t know what we’re going to get.”

She suggested the board “look at what we have rather than start over again.”

Nora Hyland, an education professor at Rutgers, said she was “concerned” by some of Lowe’s decisions, saying the high school’s agreement with Brookdale Community College had lapsed so students were unable to receive college credits. Also, Hyland said she had suggested Lowe look at another program that enables high school students to receive college credits, but Lowe “was not interested.”

“I can give you more examples of half-baked plans and missed opportunities,” Hyland said. “In my opinion, the district leadership has shown a lack of leadership and I hold the board accountable.”

Lowe recently called Hyland’s employer at Rutgers University “to complain about my speaking up at meetings,” Hyland said. “Luckily, my boss recognized that it was inappropriate and unethical. My concern is not for my job. My concern is for the community members.

“I don’t want this board and district to be open for litigation,” she added. “When you call somebody’s boss and complain about them because they’re a parent speaking up, that opens you up to litigation.”

Hyland sent a letter to board members detailing the situation, she said, but never received a response. She said their lack of response amounted to “implicit support for silencing community members.”

Lowe did not respond to Hyland’s comments at the BOE meeting. When contacted for a response after the meeting via email, she said, “We encourage and welcome community members and parents to come to board meetings, participate, and bring up any concerns and comments they may have.”

Also at the meeting, city resident and community activist Duanne Small advised the board members not to take into account the opinions of people who don’t live in Asbury Park when voting on Lowe’s contract renewal.

“I hear a lot of people coming in here speaking about what you all should do as a board and they don’t live here, so what they say really doesn’t matter,” Small said. “I don’t see them in the streets addressing these kids trying to stop this violence in the street … If you don’t vote here in Asbury Park, don’t try to influence our educated officials on what they should do.”

———-

[CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, it was erroneously stated that Lowe wrote an email to Hyland’s supervisor. In fact, Lowe contact him through a phone call. The Asbury Park Sun regrets this error.]

---