Pam Rogers, former Middletown BOE President, found guilty in ethics case

“Nothing is going to happen from this ethics violation,” predicted Rogers. Turns out, something did.

TRENTON, NJ – A ruling (seen below) by Judge Mary Ann Brogan found Former President Pam Rogers guilty of disregarding legal counsel; failure to consult other Board members, and; using Board of Education contacts and resources to host a political protest on school grounds. Judge Brogan further ordered that Rogers be reprimanded for violating the School Ethics Act, N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 to -34.

Charges against formers members listed in the complaint, Nick DiFranco and Robin Stella, were dismissed.

Former President Rogers, and members DiFranco and Stella, who suffered a crushing defeat in their 2020 re-election, were served an ethics violation notice in October of 2020 by Laurie Tietjen. The complaint pertained to their involvement in a “Black Lives Matter/Spread Love, Not Hate” march at Middletown High School North on June 28  right after the famous George Floyd protests that swept the nation. Tietjen, whose brother, Ken, passed in the line of duty on September 11^th, 2001, filed the complaint with the New Jersey School Ethics Commission which was later transferred to the state Office of Administrative Law.

The complaint alleged that the protest was Rogers and company’s way to gain votes in a contentious Middletown Board of Education election.

(L to R: Pam Rogers, Robin Stella, Nick DiFranco)

Discretionary board funds were used to pay for the rally which were approved by then-superintendent Dr. Bill George. An OPRA request showed that $4,899 in police overtime, and board funds also paid for security and janitorial services, the Patch reported.

The march included signs displaying Antifa symbols, anti-cop language, and a heckling of Middletown Police Chief Weber during a speech.

Rogers, who once equated the infamous “All Cops are Ba****ds/ACAB” phrase to being “punk rock,” also said that “ethics violations are something that people throw out when they want to throw shade on someone.”

“Nothing is going to happen from this ethics violation,” predicted budding progressive activist Rogers.

Turns out, something did.

DECISION- Tietjen v. Rogers, Stella, DiFranco, Middletown BOE

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CJN NOTE: A previous headline implied that former members Nick DiFranco and Robin Stella were also found guilty. While the original reporting did indeed say charges against them were dismissed, the headline implied others. It has been corrected. We apologize for the mistake.