It’s been quite a week in bucolic Montclair. How are recent events relevant to New Jersey education? Simple: The mayor of Montclair, Sean Spiller, happens to be president of the state teachers union, NJEA, and is said to be contemplating a run for governor. Hence the new dark money super PAC “Protecting Our Democracy,” funded by NJEA teacher dues and promoting, well, Sean Spiller.

Running a town isn’t the same as running a state. Yet, we can cull some inklings of Spiller’s leadership style, courtesy of indefatigable reporters at Montclair Local. Just this week, the site reported on three new hires for the Township offices. Yawn. Wait: The first one is a new Department of Community Services, who will make $184,798 a year. Fifteen other people applied for the position but she must be Spiller’s favorite. Her background is she was recently fired from Palisades Park.

The Town Council also hired a new Director of Administration. The job posting says the post requires  a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field obtained from an accredited college, three years of experience working within municipal government, and a “minimum of five years in senior-level management roles.” The top contender? Someone who has Bachelor of Arts in professional career photography from the Center for the Media Arts (i.e., not a related field), no experience in municipal government, and no experience as a senior-level manager.

From Montclair Local:

“The Local received and reviewed the resumes of all the applicants through an OPRA request. Four had township work experience, six held Master’s degrees, and one possessed a PhD. Additionally, five of these applicants had educational backgrounds in administration or closely related fields.”

The new hire will make $113,250. a year. The third hire, a “communications specialist,” will make $85,000 per year.

Also, this week was a update on the whistle-blower complaint filed by Padmaja Rao, Chief Financial Officer for Montclair Town Council. Rao has added another name to her complaint, the new Town Manager who replaced the old one. He, she says, is continuing the “hostile, retaliatory work environment.” Also named in her suit maintaining for fostering a toxic environment is Mayor Spiller.

You know what workers do when management is terrible? They unionize. Take advice from someone who knew, Albert Shanker’s mother, who helped unionize female garment workers. Her son was enduring terrible conditions as a teacher in New York City schools and she reprimanded him,  “even in the sweat shop, we have time for lunch. You teachers are supposed to be so smart, but you’re dumb not to have a union.” So in 1960 Shanker started the UFT, NYC’s teachers union. Now teachers have great benefits and can make as much as $128,657 a year.

Be like Albert, not like Sean. From the reporting in Montclair, it appears that Spiller runs a city government that disenfranchises staff, ignores job qualifications when deciding among candidates for positions, and makes essential employees so miserable they file lawsuits. It’s time to really protect your democracy! Workers of Montclair, unite!

Photo courtesy of Workers World.