Petition to Restore Civility and Trust in the Administration and Board of Education at Lakeland High School.

In the past week, the Lakeland High School community has been shaken by two serious events:

 1. The Board of Education’s announcement of a budget crisis, proposing the termination of over 24 staff and faculty members while increasing administrative hires.

 2. The arrest of a Lakeland employee on child endangerment and pornography-related charges.

First and foremost, we as Ringwood, Wanaque and Haskell residents would like to take the time to thank local police for their continued swift handling of all instances. We can appreciate that while they’re doing their job and investigating crimes listed later, that we may not be privy to all information given. This petition is to remove Hugh Beattie as Superintendent and hold the other Board Of Education cabinet members accountable for wrong doings. NOT our local P.D. 

 

As concerned parents, students, and community members, we have pressing questions about these issues. Yet, based on past experience, we fully expect Superintendent Hugh Beattie and the Board of Education to either ignore our concerns or respond dismissively.

 

Regarding the budget crisis, we demand transparency. How much of the projected shortfalls were foreseeable a year ago? Why did certain projections differ so significantly from actual costs?

 

Regarding the recent arrest, we have deep concerns about the administration’s handling of the situation. Authorities were informed of the allegations on March 7, yet the community was not notified until March 13—via a vague and haphazard text message. Even more troubling, law enforcement, including the FBI, conducted activity at Lakeland High School on March 14 at 11:30 AM—while students were in class—yet parents were not informed until 1:49 PM.

This lack of timely, responsible communication is unacceptable.

However, we do not anticipate satisfactory answers from Superintendent Beattie or the Board. We have no trust that they will respond in a respectful, transparent, or effective manner. Our past interactions with Superintendent Beattie have been, in a word, unacceptable.

A Pattern of Dismissive and Disrespectful Leadership

 • September 2024: Amid a credible safety threat, Superintendent Beattie responded to community concern with a hostile text message, threatening disciplinary action against students who left school on September 17. That decision was later overturned by a Lakeland faculty committee, yet his dismissive tone exemplified the condescension and lack of accountability we have come to expect.

 • September 2024 Petition: In response to that incident, nearly 850 individuals signed a petition demanding Superintendent Beattie’s removal. The Board refused to act.

 • May 2015 Petition: Even before Beattie’s tenure at Lakeland, 167 individuals signed a petition opposing his hiring. Former colleagues from his time in Ringwood described his leadership as harassing, bullying, threatening, and belittling, creating a culture of fear and intimidation. (Source: NorthJersey.com)

The accusations against Beattie in 2015 mirror our experiences today. Instead of fostering open dialogue, he has perpetuated a culture of arrogance, disregard, and hostility toward those he serves.

 

Our Demands

We have reached a breaking point. We, the undersigned, demand the immediate removal of Superintendent Hugh Beattie.

We do not seek further meetings, explanations, or justifications. We will not engage in another cycle of condescension and excuses.

Furthermore, we will actively work to vote out any Board of Education member who continues to support Superintendent Beattie. His leadership has eroded trust in our school’s administration, and we will hold each Board member accountable for their ongoing endorsement of his failed leadership.

Our Commitment to a Respectful Process

To be clear:

 • We will not engage in or condone harassment of any Board member or Superintendent Beattie.

 • We will not participate in “doxxing” or inappropriate personal contact.

 • We will only engage in lawful and democratic actions to restore integrity to our school’s administration.

We are united, we are fed up, and we will not stand by as Lakeland’s leadership continues to fail our students, families, and educators.

We demand change. Now.