The following is an email provided to BHCW from Berkeley Heights Resident and Parent Michael Leblond to the Berkeley Heights Board of Education on the 04/15/2024 Meeting.
Dear members of the Berkeley Heights Board of Education,
I read about the meeting this past Monday night, the actions taken by the Berkeley Heights Board of Education both astounded and disappointed as a parent and teacher. I was a part of the committee that brought Zoom meetings to our district just a few short years ago. The point of that committee was to improve parent engagement via zoom or similar technology. The Board has continued to shut out parents and community members who may not be able to attend meetings by ending zoom participation and refusing to reinstate Zoom or a similar technology.
For the board to claim that the expense of Zoom or its equivalent is a problem is comical and insulting. The district spent more than one hundred thousand dollars on lawyers last year and is well on pace to spend another hundred thousand on lawyers this year. Arguing that the cost of Zoom or a similar product is too costly is utter nonsense. The board should be actively pursuing parent opinions, feedback and engagement. Any excuse to limit parental involvement is unacceptable. Any individual part of the educational system that is actively working to limit parental engagement should step away from education. As a teacher I work to get parents involved using technology, including zoom for parent conferences and school wide meetings. Getting parents engaged should be the top priority.
I strongly urge the board to stop stalling and disenfranchising parents and reinstate zoom or its equivalent immediately. The board spent thousands of dollars to acquire and set up the technology and materials to use zoom for these meetings just a few years ago.
