Elimination of supervisor post causes controversy
Charges traded as board ends 30-year staffer's post
BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer

ABERDEEN — Accusations of misogyny and testimony from frustrated parents divided the audience in the cafeteria of the Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School at the Nov. 17 Board of Education meeting.

A resolution eliminating the supervisor of special services position and establishing a director of special services position won the board's approval after a long round of public comment.

Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District parents and staff took their turns at the podium attempting to sway the Board of Education vote on a resolution that would eliminate a 30-year employee who holds the position of supervisor of special services.

"The state of New Jersey seems to be going away from the title of director and instead replacing it with supervisor, and this district seems to be doing the opposite," said Sarah Kelly, 31-year school psychologist. "This means that Helen Rappaport would no longer be head of special services."

Kelly listed Rappaport's 30 years of service to the district and called her the "goto person" for staff in the district and others outside the district.

"It is a travesty to lose her, and you will not find her equal," Kelly concluded to a round of applause and a standing ovation from faculty and parents in the audience.

According to the resolution authorizing a reduction in force, Rappaport's position of supervisor of special services would be eliminated at the end of the calendar year, and the position of director of special services would be established.

"The position of supervisor of special services … is abolished effective Dec. 31, 2008," the resolution states. "Be it further resolved that the employment of the following employee in the position listed above … is abolished pursuant to the above described reduction in force.

"Now, therefore, be it resolved that the table of organization be … revised to abolish the position of supervisor of special services and to establish the position of director of special services."

During the board's discussion, Board of Education member Dr. Thomas Gambino attempted to explain why Rappaport's title could not simply be changed from supervisor to director.

"A director has a master's degree in administration, and this supervisor does not have the authority to oversee the child study team under New Jersey administrative codes," he said.

After the public comment portion, Superintendent Richard O'Malley explained why he suggested eliminating this post.

"This recommendation is not based on Ms. Rappaport's performance, it is about moving this district forward," he said. "This is not about the person, it is about the position."

Board member Charles Kenny stated that the reason for the public comment and discussion around this particular personnel issue was that Rappaport waived certain privacy rights, and the matter was allowed to be discussed publicly rather than in an executive session, which is not open to the public.

Speakers at the podium continued to plead their case.

"Helen Rappaport's evaluations in the last 23 years have been nothing but glowing," said Rappaport's attorney David Nash, of the New Jersey Principals and Administrators Association, Monroe Township. "I think you all need to ask yourselves, 'Why are we doing this?' Clearly, the reason cannot be performance."

Nash went on to say that the district was retaliating against Rappaport for the ensuing legal action.

"Two months ago I filed an unfair practice charge … because the superintendent, in my words, wanted to freeze [Rappaport's] salary because she shouldn't have been called supervisor, but rather director," Nash said. "The district always knew she had certification to be a supervisor and it seems that the timing of this decision is unusual. Looks to me like we may have a case of suspicious timing here. Looks to me like we may have a case of Ms. Rappaport being retaliated against by the district for trying to exercise her rights as a public employee. Certainly this is not for the benefit of the children, and I ask you to reject this misguided recommendation."

The board and the superintendent sat silent while another attorney, who does not represent Rappaport, accused the superintendent of victimizing female administrators in the district.

"I came here actually to represent two other employees who are not on this agenda, but when I found out about Helen Rappaport, I was astounded," said Frank Campbell, who said he is an attorney who has practiced school law for 30 years. "When I found out that [Rappaport] was one of five female staff members who have been victimized by this superintendent, I started saying to myself, 'Is this some kind of misogynistic attack on these employees by the superintendent?' "

The audience buzzed in reaction and looks of incredulity after that remark.

Campbell referenced former Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Honnick, whose contract was not renewed for the 2008-09 school year, and former Administrative Secretary Ruth Stoveken.

While supporters of Rappaport listed praises and reasons why she should remain, O'Malley was not without his own group of supporters.

"My son was diagnosed with a learning disability in 2006 and he needed the Wilson reading program," said Elizabeth Hayward, a district parent. "We had trained teachers and we paid for their training in Wilson, and despite that, my son was unable to get the help he needed. I am not here to attack our teachers, but I went through countless IEP [Individualized Education Plan] meetings, mediations and finally I hired an attorney because nobody would help me. I watched my son suffer.

"This system is broken and my child is suffering. Going to litigation for the sake of litigation is not the answer. The goal here is to fix something."

Hayward continued, "At the beginning of this year, my son received that program he needed, and do you know who gave me the time and listened to my concerns? It was Dr. O'Malley. He gave me the time, his advice and his opinion and eventually he was the one who helped me."

Another resident stepped up to the podium and rejected Campbell's assertions.

"I don't know Ms. Rappaport but I do know Dr. O'Malley. We don't agree on many things, but I respect him," said Joey Warren, an Aberdeen resident. "To say that he does not put this community first is despicable, it is abhorrent. A misogynist? You'd have to be a nut to suggest something like that. I know for certain [O'Malley] has put this district first and foremost."

Kenny and Gerald Donaghue, also a board member, admonished Campbell for his remarks as well.

"Mr. Campbell brought down [Rappaport's] cause and it's an embarrassment that he used the words he did and the name calling," Kenny said. "It's not about personalities. We would criticize our children if they behaved this way."

Donaghue pointed out that almost every principal in the school district is a woman and that most of the teachers in the district are women.

"How many women are in your law firm?" Donaghue challenged. "You embarrassed us tonight. For an outsider to come in here and [speak] in such a way upsets me."

Board member Martin Ruprecht said that he felt the board did not have enough time to discuss the matter.

"We should have had more discussion about this before we came to vote on it," he said.

The resolution passed with an 8-1 vote, with board member Catherine Zavorskas casting the only opposing vote.

"I am concerned about the timing of this," Zavorskas said during the board's discussion. "It is the middle of the year, and I am just concerned that we won't find anyone else to fill this position."

Despite the issue of timing, the board voted in favor of eliminating the supervisor of special services position and established the position of director of special services.

The next regular meeting of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District Board of Education will be held Monday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. at the Strathmore School on Church Street in Aberdeen.