BOE Meeting Tackles Leaked Emails, Ethics Charges, and Superintendent Status
The Glen Rock Board of Education (BOE) held a special meeting on October 8, 2025, during which board members addressed internal ethics complaints, procedures following a breach of communications, and the status of district leadership.
Superintendent Dr. Brett Charleston and Trustee Sinead Rundell were noted as absent from the meeting. The BOE attorney was present, which is not part of common practices.
Confidentiality Breach and Proposed By-law Change
BOE President Dr. Damali Robinson opened the meeting by addressing "an issue that strikes at the heart of the public trust in this board," concerning "screenshots of internal board communications or private emails exchanged solely among board members" that were "improperly accessed and shared outside their intended context".
Dr. Robinson confirmed the steps taken by the board to address the issue: “The board took action to ensure accountability by asking every member to sign an affidavit confirming and affirming cooperation in understanding how this breach occurred. Eight of nine members agreed to do so. One member declined, Ms. Rundell. Dr. Robinson stated she was unsure if this decline was related to why Ms. Rundell was absent or resigned.
To address future governance continuity, Dr. Robinson proposed amending the bylaws “to establish a maximum two week effective date for any board member resignation once tendered,” to "promote continuity and accountability during transitions in service". This proposal followed the previously noted resignation of Trustee Sinead Rundell.
Multiple Ethics Complaints Revealed
The meeting included two separate disclosures regarding ethics complaints related to board conduct and confidentiality.
Vice President Elizabeth Calvez stated that she is currently facing an ethics complaint filed by Dr. Charleston: “Dr. Charleston has filed an ethics complaint against me, which has since been docketed by the School Ethics Commission”. Ms. Calvez alleged the complaint was filed after she sought to inquire about the source of the shared screenshots. She denied wrongdoing, stating her actions were “fully authorized by the entire board” and consistent with the duties of a board member committed to "protecting the integrity of our governance".
Trustee Boaz Cohen also announced he had filed a complaint earlier in the year with the New Jersey School Ethics Commission against Trustee Sinead Rundell. Mr. Cohen specified that his complaint detailed that Ms. Rundell “publicly discussed confidential board matters and made false statements about me and the previous board member... at a private event attended by district employees”. Mr. Cohen stated he raised this issue because “recent events show a concern of misuse of internal materials by providing them to those who are not authorized to have them”.
Superintendent Status and Public Concerns
Dr. Charleston's absence was a focus during the public comment section. Community member Kevin Carroll asked, “I noticed Dr. Charleston is not here. And I’m not aware of anything related to him being suspended or still employed. He’s still employed. So we’re paying the superintendent to be employed and not be here”.
Dr. Robinson clarified that Dr. Charleston is “typically here” for regular meetings, noting that the special meeting agenda would typically only include public comments before moving to closed session, where the Superintendent is often not a party. Dr. Robinson and the BOE attorney confirmed that Dr. Charleston “is still in place as the superintendent of school, he is currently the chief school administrator for the Glen Rock School District”.
When asked about procedures for a superintendent’s extended unavailability, Dr. Robinson explained that “New Jersey law does allow the Board of Education to appoint somebody in the capacity of acting. So in this case, in your example, it would be acting superintendent of schools”.
Several community members expressed dissatisfaction with Dr. Charleston’s continued tenure. Sandi Stern connected the superintendent’s time in the district to declining metrics: “I have watched our teachers leave. I have watched our schools ranking slip”. Ms. Stern suggested that his recent conduct indicated that “he has to be pushing the community to ask for a buyout for him,” concluding, “I feel like we need to move on”.
Roi Klipper referenced a drop in school rankings from the top 20 to 97. He suggested paying the superintendent to leave: “we have 3,800 homes in town. comes out to about $100 a person to just pay this guy to get out”. Clipper urged the board to “get rid of this guy, start fresh”.
Trustee Statements on Board Leadership
Trustees used the meeting to offer support for Dr. Damali Robinson’s performance as President. Trustee Karyn Stephenson praised the President’s conduct during this “challenging time,” stating: “She leads with integrity, heart, and courage. When decisions are tough, she stays focused on doing what’s right, not what’s easy”. Trustee Christine Parlamis thanked the President for her availability: “You have given more time than anyone could account for, and you have made yourself available to community, to the district, to the board members, and I thank you for doing that”. Trustee Boaz Cohen added that "The town is definitely lucky to have her in the leadership".
Trustee Daniel Corey acknowledged the current environment as characterized by “turmoil and I would call distraction from our primary duty”. He expressed hope that the board could continue responding to the public more openly, noting that "There's no reason our voices need to be muzzled".
In closing remarks, Dr. Robinson noted that tensions rise during election years and that the board receives pressure to take certain actions out of self-interest. She reassured the community that while the BOE listens to all voices, they “won’t always get it perfect” and are focused on making “thoughtful, informed decisions that serve the long-term well-being of our schools, not political gamesmanship”.
For more background on tensions surrounding district leadership, you can revisit this July 1 evaluation meeting where Dr. Charleston’s performance sparked public concern: Superintendent Evaluation Meeting Brings Tension and Transparency in Glen Rock.