Watchung school board members cleared of ethics charges including sex ed vote
WATCHUNG – The state School Ethics Commission has dismissed 10 ethics charges filed against two members of the borough's Board of Education on a variety of allegations, including their votes on a proposed health curriculum.
The Commission also found that the complaints filed by Patricia Dunham against board President Amber Murard and board Vice President Anthony Ingrassia were not frivolous and denied any sanctions against her for filing the complaints.
Dunham filed six complaints against Murad who ran unsuccessfully last year as a Republican for a seat on the Somerset County Board of Commissioners.
Durham filed ethics charges against Murad for voting no on proposed social studies and health curriculums on Aug. 25, 2022, and abstaining on a proposed health education curriculum on Sept. 22, 2022.
In addition, Dunham alleged that Murad had violated ethics rules by saying in public at a Jan. 6 board meeting that the school administration was "gaslighting" parents about COVID guidelines.
Dunham also alleged that Murad "politicized" her position as a school board member by conducting a radio interview with a personality "known for his incendiary, right-wing blustering." Dunham accused Murad of "blurring" the lines between her political campaign for county commissioner and her school board role.
The School Ethics Commission dismissed all those charges. In response to the complaints about the votes, the Commission wrote in its decision that Murad "is free to vote on any and all agenda items in the way that she feels, based on the available information, and what she believes is best for the district, its staff and its students, regardless of whether her viewpoint is shared by the community at-large or by her fellow board members. "
Earlier:Watchung Board of Education infighting stalls voter-approved $16M schools project
Also see:Warren school board member again cleared of ethics charges over sex ed vote
The Commission also wrote that there was no evidence that Murad used her position on the school board to promote her county commissioner candidacy.
The Commission also ruled that there was no evidence that Murad took "deliberate action" to undermine, oppose, compromise or harm district personnel."
Dunham also charged Ingrassia with ethics violations surrounding the votes on the social studies and health curriculums.
Dunham also alleged that Ingrassia sent out a Facebook invitation for a school board candidate "meet-and-greet fundraiser" on Oct. 16, 2022. Dunham alleged Ingrassia did not state on the post that he was holding the event as a private citizen, not as a representative of the school board.
The Commission likewise dismissed all the charges about the votes for the same reasons cited in the decision on Murad.
"There is no requirement for any member of the board to vote with the majority of the board, to vote as recommended by the board president or the district's administration, and/or to refrain from offering opinion merely because the sentiment is not shared by the district's administration, the community or even the other members of the board," the Commission decided.
The Commission also decided that the fundraiser flyer "merely evidences that (Ingrassia) agreed to host an event at his home; no more, no less."
The Commission's decision came after rifts opened on the school board at the beginning of the year when former board President Dorie Harvey and longtime member Richard Buccarelli voiced strong concerns about what they perceive as the agenda of Murad, and Ingrassia and their political aspirations and plans for the recently approved referendum.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Watchung Board of Education members cleared of ethics charges
