Newly elected board members lauded and criticized over similar issues
OCEAN CITY — “You have no fear. You know, relax, OK, because everyone is appreciated,” Janice Webber told the LGBTQ+ community during a school board meeting last week. “It doesn’t have to be categorized into a particular category. If you are respectful and loving toward humanity, we have no need for all of us.”
Webber, identifying herself as an Ocean City resident, spoke during the Board of Education meeting Jan. 4, lauding the “courage and determination” of three newly seated members – Liz Nicoletti, Robin Shaffer and Catherine Panico – and ignoring the fourth, Kevin Barnes.
That came after multiple speakers condemned Ocean City School District Superintendent Matthew Friedman for his failure to respond to a letter from an alumnus featuring the signatures of 100 members of the community.
Friedman himself had nothing to say, nor did he respond to a request for comment sent via email.
However, after the meeting, Friedman offered to meet with the group.
“I don’t think this specifically is making progress, but it’s a willingness to communicate that can lead to progress,” outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate Jakob Pender said. “I’m very pleased and happy with his willingness to communicate with us.”
Pender, a member of the Class of 2022 and speaker at June’s OCHS commencement, told the board he had never gotten a response to a letter he sent to the district asking for clarification about a sex education policy.
He had spoken earlier in the meeting about the code of ethics each board member must swear to uphold, saying he wanted to “remind new board members that the code of ethics applies to all students. They should be made to feel welcome and have the same rights no matter what their gender identity, sexual identity, religion or any other way.”
“When you take this code, it’s something that you have to follow,” he said.
After advocating for Dr. Wendy O’Neal to be named full-time principal and welcoming all of the new board members, he talked about “some very unfortunate things that have been happening over the past couple of months that I feel have been completely ignored.”
Pender said he sent a letter to the superintendent and Board of Education Sept. 29, noting it’s been almost three months and there’s been “no response at all from the superintendent.”
“I gathered 100 people and decided to send this letter and there still has been no response. I understand PR concerns with making public statements, but there are no PR concerns with an email back saying, ‘I read this, I understand.’ I think it really shows a lot of students and a lot parents who believe the superintendent is not a true ally to the LGBTQ community because there has been such a lack of communication by emails, by public statements,” Pender said.
Because of the length of the letter, he and others took turns reading it before the board.
“To superintendent Dr. Matthew Friedman, we are reaching out because of concerns we have had about LGBTQ+ rights in the Ocean City School District. On numerous occasions you have declined to comment or respond to messages regarding LGBTQ+ issues,” Pender said.
The Rev. Cricket Denton, who identified herself at an Ocean City High School alumni and the parent of two children who will attend the school in the future, took over from Pender.
“We understand that not all demands can be met by the school district and that progress is a slow and steady race. However, it is imperative that the school district communicate with members of the LGBTQ+ community and advocates,” Denton said.
“Some examples of how we have been ignored are:
— A petition titled LGBTQ Students Belong at OCHS was formed in September 2022 in response to community actions which made LGBTQ students feel unsafe. A public email by the superintendent appeased the concerns of the group which caused the issue but did not once address the LGBTQ+ community. After the petition was updated and a staff member called the email an insufficient response, there have been no further statements from the superintendent. To date, the petition has garnered over 5,000 signatures.
“An email was sent to the superintendent by an alumnus and We Belong Cape May County, a human rights organization, regarding a statement reported in The Press of Atlantic City that an Ocean City School District official made which was detrimental to LGBTQ rights. The email included the newspaper article as well as the New Jersey law against discrimination. It was sent Sept. 29, 2022, and also arrived at the school district via USPS on Sept. 30, 2022.
“While the Ocean City School District official went out of her way to reach out to contact the alumnus, the superintendent has not released a public statement as requested in the email.
“Over 68 days later, the superintendent has still failed to respond and has yet to address the existence of the email.
“Many people have directly addressed the superintendent during the September, October and November school board meetings regarding LGBTQ+ issues during the public comment section. This has included parents, students, staff and alumni who have gone out of their way to be present at these meetings. However, when given an opportunity to address their statements, the superintendent has chosen to stay silent.”
Kat Trout picked up later.
“Again, we understand that there are many aspects of these decisions and the way decisions are made are ultimately up to you. However, the lack of recognition the LGBTQ+ community has received from you is seen both by the students and the community. We ask that you show proper recognition of the LGBTQ+ community by communicating with those striving to provide a safe space for all students in the Ocean City School District. We look forward to your response to this email and your comments at the next school board meeting,” Trout said.
Caroline Rush of Sea Isle City, who was a candidate for the Second Congressional District in the past election, welcomed the new board members and wished them well. She said she does not have children in the high school, noting all five of hers are adults, but said she knows high school is a very difficult time in the lives of teenagers.
“I want to make sure that you understand that the LGBTQ+ community needs to be treated with respect and dignity,” Rush said.
She said she became aware of Facebook posts under the name Ocean City High School Christians, noting she understands the board cannot control what students say outside school.
However, she said, “students who do come to your school harbor feelings toward the LGBTQ community that are very unhelpful, very hurtful. Be aware of that and do everything you can to stop bullying that may happen within your walls.”
She implored the board to “be conscious of what’s going on and take every measure you possibly can to make members of the LGBTQ+ community feel safe in this environment.”
Upper Township resident Gina Abarno-Johnson, who identified herself as a parent, teacher and alumni, expressed dismay at the election of Nicoletti, Panico and Shaffer.
“There are many people in our community who share my concern regarding the newly elected board members and how they intend to represent the best interests of the students, teachers and parents in a manner that is fair, equitable and inclusive for all,” she said. “With the majority of students being residents of Upper Township, I can say with certainty that the outcome of this election did not represent the will of all of the stakeholders of this community. Unfortunately, those of us who do not live on the island do not get a vote.
“Moving forward, as a parent it is my hope that the priority of all board members will be to ensure that our children are educated in a safe environment that offers inclusion, compassion, acceptance and understanding.
“As a teacher, it is my hope that board members will allow my fellow educators and administrators to do the job they have been entrusted to do. While parent input is certainly appropriate, there is a difference between input and control. I hope that board members will recognize the difference and set appropriate boundaries.
“As an alumni, it is my hope that board members will respect and honor all the good that has been associated with the district throughout the decades.
“As both a parent and teacher, it is my hope that board members will recognize and respect that a public school is just that — public. It means recognizing, acknowledging and including individuals from all walks of life, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. It also means recognizing and acknowledging pronouns by which individuals want to be identified.
“Finally, it is my hope that all of you will be able to come together and acknowledge the importance of your role as a board member as well as your responsibility to abide by the code of ethics that go along with this role. I would like to remind this board and specifically those elected officers, that your responsibility includes representing the needs of all students and staff and how you approach that will be a reflection of the district’s commitment to promoting a positive environment for learning.”
Webber countered by saying Nicoletti, Panico and Shaffer “are high-quality characters, they are people who are dedicated.”
“If you are a respectful person, and I know these three people and they are, and I know that they have taken a lot of abuse and a lot of unnecessary criticism for just their own beliefs, so if you truly want to have a spirit of tolerance, let us all be tolerant of one another, even if you have disagreeing opinions, ” she said.
Marie Hayes, who identified herself as an Ocean City resident and retired college professor, congratulated the new members, saying they all won by large margins.
“There are many things that need to be done and we know you will do a good job,” she said.
She then went on to condemn those who spoke out against the new members.
“I take exception to some of the previous speakers who are obviously upset with the results of the school board election and are again resorting to accusations and name-calling,” she said. “Let’s be clear, we are all welcome and support all students regardless of sexual orientation and identity. This election was only ever about the rights of parents to be involved in their minor children’s education and nothing else.
“The opponents of parents rights speaking tonight are the same people who turned the school board campaign into a divisive, hateful and dishonest attack on the candidates who ultimately won the election in a landslide.
“Free and fair elections are the backbone of our democracy. Maybe teachers need to be teaching about the Constitution instead of personal pronouns, because obviously students don’t understand civics, democracy and our Constitution.”
Nicoletti then made a statement, saying she cried when she had to enroll her students in public school.
She said she attended her first board meeting to find out what could be done to get the schools operating after the shutdown for the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It really disappointed all of us,” she said. “I had no intention of coming and sitting here, but I’ve made a commitment to myself that if I’m going to have my kids here, I am going to get involved.”
Nicoletti said she wants everyone to be able to get the same education.
“I really think it’s great that everyone who is here is here. We all care. I know my heart is in the right place, give me a chance,” she said.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff