‘Painfully clear’

Their union’s contract expired nearly a year ago. Since then, Middlesex Borough teachers have continually voiced their discontent. Meanwhile, the Board of Education’s working relationship with municipal officials has been tense, to put it kindly.

Combine the two realities, and it’s often unpleasant for the Board of Education and its superintendent to sit through a meeting’s public comment portion. It can include brutal reviews, that reflect district turmoil.

Two were particularly harsh during the board’s Wednesday, June 18 action meeting.

Middlesex Education Association (MEA) member Nadine Pietrowski told the board that the union had taken a no confidence vote related to the high school’s block scheduling. She read a statement outlining the reasons. The new schedule was implemented for the 2024-25 academic year and has been a major issue in contract talks with the board. 

The union, Pietrowski said, wants the board to re-evaluate block scheduling before the September start of the 2025-26 school year and have the MEA participate.

A union’s no confidence vote against its negotiating partner can have varying effects. They range from nudging the two parties towards more productive talks, to increasing tensions, to no impact at all.

The board then got an earful from Borough Councilman Jeremiah Carnes, regarding the working relationship between the respective school and town governments. Carnes serves as the municipal governing body’s liaison to the district.

The stinging reviews were not disputed by board members and top administrators. They sat through the commentary directed their way by both Pietrowski and Carnes, and chose not to answer the criticism.

The MEA’s statement identified points of contention with block scheduling implementation. It did not accept or reject the scheduling’s educational merits, but addressed concerns with its execution, primarily in the lead-up to the current school year.

“Rather than continue the six-year-long collaborative relationship between the association and the administration,” the statement read, “the administration has chosen to abandon that partnership in favor of unilateral action, disregarding established norms of mutual respect.”

The statement noted that block scheduling violates the language of the expired contract the MEA continues to work under. Union concerns “were summarily dismissed, and the schedule was pushed through without resolving contractual misalignments or ensuring adequate preparation,” the statement said.

The MEA found fault with a consultant brought in by the board to faciitate the schedule’s rollout, adding there was a lack of transparency and communication. 

“Teachers were yelled at, spoken down to, dismissed, humiliated, and/or ignored when expressing valid data-driven pedagogical concerns,” the MEA asserts. “This undermined the professional integrity of the process and eroded faculty trust.”

The union also pointed to a marginalization of members’ opinions and insufficient training and planning time. The situation has led to increased stress, burnout and low morale, according to the MEA.

“This vote is a call for corrective action, transparency and collaboration,” the MEA said, in caling for a re-evaluation of block scheduling this summer with staff involvment.

After Pietrowski spoke, Carnes followed. “I’m kind of really disturbed by what I just heard,” he began.

Carnes voiced concerns about how he had been received during the board’s committee of the whole meeting the prior evening, saying he came to promote better dialogue between the council and board. He said he’d hoped to advance shared services and potential cost-cutting efforts.

“This meeting made it painfully clear that we have a breakdown in how our governing bodies are communicating,” Carnes said. “These concerns go beyond politics and strike at the heart of the public trust, intergovernmental cooperation, and our shared responsibility to serve Middlesex with transparency, professionalism and mutual respect.”

Carnes also commented indirectly on the lack of a council-board agreement to place Class 3 officers in district schools. During recent meetings, there have been conflicting versions given of whether municipal or school officials are to blame for the delay.

Carnes said that School Superintendent Dr. Roberta Freeman had denied having a text exchange or conversation with Mayor Jack Mikolajczyk regarding a meeting.“I have a copy of the text message, directly contradicting the denial,” Carnes said.

While he expressed optimism that the board and council might be moving closer to a joint session, Carnes pointed out that there is community unrest regarding the school district.

“A leadership culture that tolerates silence, intimidation or retaliation behind closed doors is not one our community should accept,” Carnes said. “I’m not saying that’s happening. I’m saying it’s what I’m hearing is happening, allegedly.”

“The people are not happy,” Carnes added. “They are confused by financial decisions, frustrated by the lack of communication, and increasingly uneasy about the direction of leadership.”

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