As NJ Education Report readers know, this Monday, May 24th, the Asbury Park Board of Education was planning to interview two candidates to replace out-going Superintendent Sancha Gray. Those two candidates are Michael Rossi, recently of Sparta Public Schools, and current Asbury Park Director of Planning, Research & Assessment, Rashawn Adams. Readers also know that the Board has already decided to choose Adams and that staff members overwhelmingly want the Board to choose someone else.

They also have read this letter from Reginald Mirthil, principal of Asbury Park Schools District’s Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, who says, “I’ve worked in the district since 2012 and cannot recall a time when politics didn’t interfere with the everyday operations to negate years of planning and progress; only benefiting the few with political ties to this organized crime syndicate/gang.”

Today the Asbury Park School Board announced they were not interviewing candidates this Monday and instead will postpone the interviews until June 2nd. Here’s the formal notice:

CITY OF ASBURY PARK
BOARD OF EDUCATION

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

The Asbury Park Board of Education has scheduled a Special Meeting on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at the Bradley Elementary School, 1100 Third Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 at 6:00PM:

The purpose of this meeting will be to interview for Interim Superintendent.  The Board may convene into closed session for the purpose of discussing personnel issues, pending litigation and matters of attorney client privilege.  Action may be taken.  Notice of this meeting is being published in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act.

Dated:  
May 20, 2021
Mr. Geoffrey Hastings
Business Administrator/Board Secretary

It is unclear why there is a postponement. Some sources fear that the Board will go ahead and “jam” Adams’ appointment through during the regular public meeting next Thursday, May 27th, despite the fact that the full Board has yet to interview both candidates.

This is a developing story.