‘Too much Kool-Aid’

If you don’t typically attend Middlesex Borough Board of Education meetings or watch the livestreams, you might want to change that habit in 2026. The sessions that occur next year could be notably different than the recent past.

That possibility increased after the Tuesday, Nov. 4 general election victory by the “For the Taxpayers” ticket comprising board candidates Jeremiah Carnes, Martin Quinn and Justine Decker.

Carnes, Quinn and Decker won a six-way contest for three board seats. Along the way, the campaign made no secret of their desire to shake things up in the Middlesex school system. That might cause agita for district administrators and board members who don’t share their views. But it will likely be music to the ears of disgruntled parents and taxpayers.

During their campaign, the victors called out perceived school district shortcomings. Standardized test scores have dropped while property taxes have risen. Email communications between board members and the public are restricted. Special education families deserve accountability. The strained relationship between the board and Borough Council needs repair and parents need to feel heard.

Nothing revolutionary in those positions. Test scores, taxes and communication are sticking points in many New Jersey districts. A few of the newly elected board members’ other goals, however, could rattle the status quo.

In an August Facebook post, Quinn wrote that he and his running mates want to “fully review” all current district administrative positions. That would appear to include Superintendent Dr. Roberta Freeman. It’s safe to say that administrators would not enjoy the prospect of scrutiny from new board members.

The election winners also favor replacement of the Busch Law Group, which now serves as the board’s legal counsel. Further, the trio seeks an end to the practice of the monthly Committee of the Whole (COW) sessions.

The COW sessions include presentations and a review of the following evening’s action meeting agenda. Occasionally, the COW discussions lay the groundwork for future decisions.

While the action meetings are livestreamed on the board’s website, the COW sessions are not. That fact, and other aspects of the COW meetings, Quinn posted, speak to the need for different legal counsel.

“The (COW) is not attended by the current legal team, and they are discussing things that just become ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ at the (board’s action) meeting,” Quinn wrote. “This meeting is taking place the day before, and has minimal minutes and no recordings. This legal team is allowing this to happen. For real transparency, they need to go.”

Ambitious as they are, the reality is that the Carnes, Decker, Quinn alliance comprises a minority of the board’s total membership. They will need two voting allies among the other six board members to push through reforms.

They appear to have one in board member Thomas Thornton, who is a voting district rep in the Middlesex Borough Republican Organization. Carnes, a current Borough Council member, and Quinn, a former councilman, have both been active as well in the local GOP. Can the For the Taxpayers contingent find a second board member to back their proposals?

Uneasy silence sometimes grips board meetings when constituents air concerns or ask probing questions. Freeman, the board’s attorney and Board President Danielle Parenti answer public comments, if there is any response. Other board members tend to sit passively nearby. Will Carnes, Decker and Quinn be able to buck that culture and engage with the public?

Responding to questions from Inside – Middlesex the day after the election, Quinn said he is not expecting cooperation from most colleagues. He, Carnes and Decker don’t intend to remain quiet, Quinn noted, despite the threat of ethics complaints that board members can face for speaking out.

“Aside from Tom Thornton, I do not anticipate much support from the current board members,” Quinn wrote in an email. He also implied that board members tend towards compliance and avoid rocking the boat.

Quinn wrote that “there has been too much Kool-Aid (drank by board members) over too many years” and that “favors” have “cemented” their positions. He did not elaborate.

“I don’t anticipate Jeremiah, Justine or myself silently backing anything we disagree with,” Quinn added. “Dissenting is not an ethics issue. As far as complaints being filed, it’s about when you can speak out, and what you can speak on just like on council. As long as we stick to the rules, we shouldn’t have any issues.”

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