During the time I served on the Millstone Township Board of Education, my fellow board members and I, many of whom are running in the 2016 election on Nov. 8, accomplished tremendous things, including delivering effectively flat school budgets for five years, a claim not many school districts in New Jersey can make, along with significant advances in curriculum and technology.
To help achieve these goals, the board successfully refinanced debt and implemented energy conservation measures and shared services. I am proud of my time on the board. The board members who made all of the preceding possible should be commended for their work and dedication. I believe they have earned the public trust.
Being a member of the board requires a broad level of commitment and more time than two meetings per month might suggest. Each meeting requires significant preparation from a board member who is taking their responsibility seriously. I urge voters to carefully consider the proven value that well-prepared board members have brought to our school district.
Which leads me to a very significant issue facing our district today. You may have seen some of the presentations, emails or content on the district website about ongoing litigation with the Upper Freehold Regional School District.
You may have read social media posts or maybe you received your information via word of mouth. I encourage you to review the documentation on the district website for yourself and not rely on social media posts or gossip.
To date, Millstone has prevailed at each turn in the suit brought by Upper Freehold Regional and continues to preserve the opportunity for our students to attend all high schools with which we have a relationship.
That presents a fantastic range of educational opportunity to Millstone students. I applaud the current board for following through and for not backing down simply because defending ourselves against baseless claims might save short-term dollars. Had they backed down, what would have been the price of opportunity lost for our students?
We need accomplished and experienced board members who have the vision and ability to discern the difference between a right worth defending and a situation worth avoiding. We do not need, nor want, a board that is unwilling to stand up for our students and our taxpayers. Caving in to a bully is the surest way to encourage one.
John Saxton
Millstone Township