To the Editor:

On October 27, Superintendent Carol Kelley announced her resignation, ending a controversial tenure at Princeton Public Schools (PPS), during which thousands of students, parents, and residents continually called for her resignation.  While I applaud the Board of Education (BOE) for finally facilitating Kelley’s departure (though they are paying her through August 2024), the community is left wondering what took so long. Furthermore, the timing of this announcement, less than two weeks before an election in which three BOE seats will be filled, should not go unnoticed. It is more important than ever to hold current BOE members accountable for the damage done by the superintendent under their watch.

I started following local politics more closely at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and was shocked not only by the BOE’s pattern of irresponsible decision-making, but also by the lack of transparency and the indifference shown toward local experts, parents, and even students. Students suffered during unnecessarily prolonged school closures which have undisputedly resulted in significant learning loss and social-emotional trauma. These policy failures were compounded by further mistakes such as: the hiring of a superintendent who clearly was not a good fit for PPS; attempts to weaken the math program and eliminate accelerated tracks; funding of numerous consultants and public relation firms, costing Princeton taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars; the firing of a universally beloved high school principal in the middle of the school year without good reason; the exodus of many high-quality teachers and staff; and most recently, replacing the local YMCA afterschool care program with an outside for-profit company (with connections to the superintendent) which did not do appropriate background checks of its counselors and which some believe put our children in harm’s way. 

This election, three new challengers (Eleanor Hubbard, Rene Obregon, and Adam Bierman) are running for BOE against two incumbents (who nearly faced a recall challenge from a group of PPS parents/residents who organized to represent the interests of PPS children). I encourage all voters to vote for these three candidates. They are each experienced, independent thinkers who will make their voices heard and advocate best for parents and students rather than acquiescing to outside forces who do not have our children or our town as their top priority. They also understand the responsibility the BOE has in the larger community, as it is the largest recipient of Princeton taxpayer dollars (50 percent). There are critical financial decisions on the horizon, and taxpayers deserve a well-functioning BOE.

Advocating for our children and our town is a responsibility that all voters should embrace on November 7, election day. It is time to hold BOE members accountable for their mistakes and to elect new members who will listen to their constituents. Our children deserve better than what PPS leadership has given them these past several years.

Jason Rogart, MD
Marion Road