We, the undersigned parents of children attending Middletown Township Public Schools (MTPS), and community members who share similar concerns, respectfully request that the Board cast a vote of “no confidence” for MTPS Superintendent, Mary Ellen Walker. Her gross mismanagement of the MTPS “Phased Reopening Plan” and associated governance of the district during the COVID-19 pandemic is inefficient and negligent. She has neglected her duties to the school district and frequently miscommunicates with parents, students, teachers, and other community stakeholders, in a manner which demonstrates her inefficiency and incompetence. For example, during a Board of Education meeting on January 20, 2021, Ms. Walker stated “the number of COVID cases and the transmission rate has increased over the last two months.” This information is categorically false (See: https://rt.live/us/NJ - RT of 0.98 on 11/20/20; RT of 0.95 from 1/1/21-present). It is unclear whether Ms. Walker does not understand the data (which is a requirement of her job, under the current circumstances), or simply misstated it, but this sloppiness is indicative of a greater issue with Ms. Walker’s leadership. If Ms. Walker is citing public health data as a basis for implementing Phase 6 of the Reopening Plan - a return to five days of in-person instruction for all students who want it - she is obligated to be absolutely meticulous in her understanding and communication of that data.

Ms. Walker is the sole decision maker as to when Phase 6 is implemented in Middletown. Yet, she provides the community with no transparency on the “facts and data” driving her decisions. She has yet to provide examples of the data she utilizes, information about the qualifications of the “health experts” with whom she consults, or what exactly the metrics are by which she makes her decisions. Her statements regarding school reopening full time appear to be at her whim. For example, during the meeting on January 21, 2021, Ms. Walker stated that elementary grades K-1 were targeted to return to in-person instruction 5 days per week on February 16, 2021, with subsequent elementary grades following suit every two weeks. Of course, if “public health data” worsened, that date could be changed - but as case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths, and the rate of transmission are dropping, such a change is unlikely. Nevertheless, during the Board of Education meeting on January 26, 2021, Ms. Walker backpedaled, claiming the 2/16 date was a mere “possibility”. 

Additionally, Ms. Walker made the decision to “pivot” grades 7-8 at Thompson Middle School, and grades 9-12 at High School South, the night before in-person instruction was due to resume on 1/25/21, but provided absolutely no information as to why such a move was necessary. The COVID-19 “dashboard” the District created does not say whether the COVID-19 positive individual is a student, teacher, staff member, or even whether that individual was in the school building at any time while exhibiting symptoms. Indeed, we believe that even fully virtual students have been reported on the dashboard. The dashboard also does not indicate whether any transmission of COVID-19 took place in school, nor has Ms. Walker ever provided that information with any certainty when asked. 

What is most egregious at this time is Ms. Walker’s new proposal, as set forth in the Board meeting on January 26, 2021, to form “committees” to “guide” the implementation of Phase 6 of the plan. While input from stakeholders is important, parents, teachers, and other community members have been writing and calling the administration and Board members for months, voicing their opinions and views on returning to 5 days of in-person instruction, citing facts and data. It is inconceivable what a teacher or parent could offer at this time that Ms. Walker has not heard before. The formation of these committees - which were not open to the public to join - is merely another attempt to delay Ms. Walker making a decision about when to reopen schools, and abiding by it. This extraordinarily ineffective leadership is hurting our schools, our community, and perhaps most importantly, our children.

Ms. Walker has been put on notice of the significant mental health issues plaguing our students, particularly as the lack of full time in-person schooling continues to drag on. She appears to place no value on that element of students’ “health and safety,” instead focusing solely on undisclosed/misrepresented “public health data” regarding COVID-19 when making the decision when and how to return students to 5 days in person. This is a tragic misstep that could be deathly serious (See 1/24/21 NYTimes Article), much more so than any risk presented to students or teachers by COVID-19 through full time in-person learning with appropriate precautions in place. Everyone from Dr. Fauci to the CDC to the American Association of Pediatrics has stated unequivocally that it is safe for children and school staff to be in school with the exact precautions Middletown has already implemented. There is absolutely no indication from any of those sources that it is only safe when a certain number of students are in the classroom, nor is that set forth in any of New Jersey’s specific guidelines for schools. Moreover, some Middletown school classrooms already have 17, 18 or 19 students in-person every day, with no adverse impact on health conditions in the schools. It is abundantly clear from the data that COVID-19 in schools does not mirror community spread at all. The only question that should need to be asked is, “Are our schools equipped to continue following applicable school mitigation policies - masks, dividers, and distancing where possible - with an increased student population?” The answer here is YES. Nothing else - community public health data, the opinions of parents and teachers, the astoundingly obtuse views expressed by the Middletown Township Education Association - matters.

Ms. Walker’s inability to adequately facilitate this district’s return to full-time in-person instruction demonstrates a gross inability to perform her job with efficiency and competence, both of which are required by the laws of New Jersey governing job responsibilities and performance of a superintendent of schools. We respectfully request that the Board cast a vote of “no confidence” against Ms. Walker, and consider dismissing her for cause from her role as Superintendent of MTPS.

Our preference is to see the Board address these concerns in the manner requested here. We do not want to be driven to legal action, but will pursue that path if necessary. 

Thank you for your consideration of this request.