A lawsuit by the Igud Hamosdos was filed yesterday against the Board of Education after the District Superintendent Ms. Laura Winters made a sudden busing adjustment that would cause chaos in tomorrow’s busing schedules for the non-public schools, TLS has learned.
Approximately two days ago, the Igud Hamosdos was notified that the Superintendent has decided this year to establish this Friday as the ‘make-up’ day for lost snow days, instead of the usual day of Monday – as has been done for years.
The sudden change in the busing schedule would cause the public and the non-public busing schedules to clash, thereby inconveniencing the approximately 20,000 private school children, and cause chaos with carpooling and scheduling for parents and staff.
In fact, the change was so sudden – despite the fact that Askonim say the Superintendent knew her scheduling for months but failed to notify anyone – that even the BOE attorney wasn’t aware of the change until he received the attorney’s letter from the Igud Hamosdos.
In the letter, obtained by TLS, the attorney for the Mosdos writes that such a decision from the superintendent would create a safety hazard, and is just not acceptable.
The following is excerpts from the letter:
“I represent Iggud Hamosdos, an organization comprising of tens of private schools in Lakewood, New Jersey. Each of these schools received notice within the last couple of days from the Board of Education that they will not receive their scheduled transportation for this coming Friday, June 19, 2015, due to a last minute adjustment to the Lakewood Public School Schedule.
A last minute change to that arrangement on just a few days notice is simply impossible to accommodate. Sending home the children via carpool on a busy Friday is a safety hazard as anyone familiar to this township can attest to and is simply not acceptable. Moreover, the personal hardships for our many parents who rely on our pre-established schedules for their work and personal schedules is enormous.
Adhering to the pre-established schedule is a necessary component of the contracts between our member schools, the various contracted companies, and the Board of Education. A last minute change is lacking in good faith and is a breach of the contracts relied upon this entire year.
Accordingly, demand is hereby made that the Board of Education honor its obligation and restore bussing as scheduled for this coming Friday. If the Board fails to do so, the Iggud Hamosdos and its member schools will suffer irreparable harm and will have no choice other than to seek legal redress in the appropriate forum.”
Askonim tell TLS the blame is squarely on Ms. Laura Winters, who they say has been nothing but a thorn for Lakewood’s private schools for years.
“Whoever we turn to, they all point to her,” an Askan told TLS.
Another Askan shared the same sentiment, and says it’s not just with busing, it’s an ongoing issue.
“This type of treatment isn’t only in regards to busing , it’s a hostile environment in the district with everything regards to the non-public schools,” the Askan said. “There’s no communication.”
The Mosdos are waiting for a court injunction to prevent the superintendent from imposing the breach of contract.
[TLS]
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I call for the immediate resignation of Mrs. Winter.
Sign the petition
About time!! lets not forget about Helen Tobia
This does not make sense. We have school tomorrow. We have known that school does not end until June 23 for several months now. What is the problem?
i guess you didn’t get a letter from your child’s school saying it will end at 10:30. who can work with such a schedule?
Last year for 2 days everyone drove in order to prove a point. This is a gift to prove it again that we need bussing for next year.
does the BOE think that if they make enough trouble for jewish schools, our schools will close down and everyone will report to the one local public school that is in lakewood? for all our property tax money, they should be thanking us for taking the ‘burden’ of schooling thousands of children off their hands. wait, i have another idea. just as muslims are demanding halal meat in the schools their children attend (and getting it, too, because everyone is afraid of them), perhaps we can make similar demands. hmm, just a thought
To me it’s a shock that Winter has been a thorn in our side for years & SHE’S STILL THERE !! If she’s incompetent, let her go. If she’s competent, why is she doing this ? Is there, perhaps, some childhood trauma ? I can get her a therapist or a life coach. This is NUTS !!!
All I can say which no one will say including the Vaad, Igud and BOE members. Michael Inzelbuch was the man who made that place run, removing him is the reason for the last 4-5 years of slow failure.
Where are our elected officials, from the Governor and down? Why are we constantly told to elect officials who continue to blatantly ignore the needs of our children and families. As a taxpayer, i am horrified and disappointed.
They can’t fire Winters because the state monitor won’t allow it. The State sent in a monitor, to make it appear as if he is helping out, he has accomplished nothing, accept frustrate any possible solution members of the board have had.
Even he stated because as he stated, the problem is lack of funds, not mismanagement. Since he said that by his own admission, then there is no point in him being here. Until the state funding formula is corrected, the problems will only get worse.
I am not sure what qualifications the State Monitor has that would make anyone think he is competent. He oversaw Camden’s school district. He made things look good for a while, by deferring expenses, but now they are in worse shape then they ever were.
if this is a state problem – lets take it to Cristie. All the Republican candidates are running with school choice on their top agenda. If he doesn’t get this fixed, we’ll embarrass him loudly! I’m talking about broadcasting our woes on every TV station.
Please sue Helen Tobias with Ms. Winters!!! They are a duo of trouble. Tobias constantly ignores the law and gets promototion after promotion. She casts her spell of evil to all administrators and state monitors who get under her “spell of intelligence” She does not care about the law and worse yet…she does not care about children. She has one agenda…get close and cozy with whomever is in charge. Before long, we get a bunch of ms Tobias’ running the district and private schools. Why are these elected people in power?????????? Where are out votes going?????
Christie checked out 3 years ago when he decided he was going to be the next president. He hasn’t done anything in his last term, and the way things look he has no shot at being the Republican nominee,big miscalculation on his part. If you want to be President, you need to be succesful as a governer, like Walker and Perry have been.
@angry
Her name is Helen tobia, not Tobias. Makes it seem like you are just restating other people’s opinions when you don’t even know her name.
@Lakewood teacher
No one gives a flying hoot about what her name is.
Quite with the semantics, and discuss the facts.
Helen Tobia and Laura Winters have been and continue
to be a thorn in the sides of every non public school child’s
education. If they cannot do their jobs in a competent and
civilized manner because of some hidden (or not so hidden)
agenda, then get out and go harass some other community.
i like how you write a comment and it gets reject freedom of speech not on this web page