SECAUCUS – The Secaucus Education Association (SEA) will take a ‘vote of no confidence’ in Cynthia Randina before the end of the current school year, said Secaucus teachers’ union President Robert Anderson Wednesday.
The 2009-2010 school year ends on Monday, June 28 with the Secaucus High School graduation.
Anderson declined to specify exactly when the vote will be taken.
The SEA, a local teachers’ union with about 225 members, met on June 22 and agreed to give members an opportunity to hold a ‘no confidence’ vote on Randina’s leadership, he said.
The union’s decision came one week after Randina met with teachers to make amends for recent transfers and lay-offs that didn’t sit well with many parents and school staff members.
Most of the transfers and lay-offs have since been reversed. But union members believe the school district has been on the wrong track ever since Randina appointment in 2008. Teachers have opposed many of Randina’s hiring and spending decisions, in addition to her emphasis on technology in the classroom.
“Her apology wasn’t an apology,” Anderson said, referring to Randina’s meeting with staff last week. “There have been mistakes made by everybody.
And I’ll admit the SEA has made some mistakes.I’ve tried to put off the vote of no confidence. But right now it’s not a happy school] district.”
When the vote is taken, Anderson said he believes a majority SEA members will vote that they have no confidence in Randina.
In Secaucus, the schools superintendent answers to a nine-member board of trustees. If the no confidence vote passes it will be presented to the board, which is not bound to take action on the union vote, and Anderson admitted it’s unclear whether a vote of no confidence would have any bearing on Randina’s job.
But such a vote could put political pressure on board members, who are elected to their posts and who have so far have largely backed Randina and her decisions. – E. Assata Wright
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