IT'S OVER (for now): Colts Neck transgender policy tabled until neighboring schools' lawsuits over

In a CJN first, we reflect on the Colts Neck Board of Ed. meeting that left supporters floored and opponents relieved as Policy 5657 was killed for the foreseeable future

COLTS NECK - Once Policy 5657 was tabled by the Board until the lawsuits from Hanover, Marlboro, Middletown, and Manalapan were settled, opponents of the policy cheered and all made a mass exodus. It was clear that it was the only reason folks from all over attended.

According to parents aghast at the decision, Board President Heather Tormey caved to special interests out of fear of litigation and public shame. We couldn’t help but notice the irony: the public could not have cared any less about Tormey trying to carry on the night’s business.

Arguably the most significant insignificant person in the room, she had both total control over the evening (depending on who you asked), yet zero control over the crowd and proceeded with the meeting amid the exiting chatter.

Christian Fuscarino, the Executive Director of Garden State Equality who was at risk of losing his voice earlier that evening, held a GSE sign high with a look of victory. For one of the busiest people in state, this was his “Dewey Defeats Truman” moment as the policy was expected to pass like others have across the state. Fuscarino handed out signs and greeted everyone - whether they be an opponent or proponent.

Fuscarino’s “happy warrior” demeanor contradicted both the anger of the policy’s opponents and the oft-joked moniker that policy proponents had for Tormey’s Board. One frustrated parent said that the board’s nickname is “Cowards of the County.” (Kenny Rogers could not be reached for comment).

The Board opened up public comment shortly after the 7:00 pm start time.

Similar, but different, to other policies.

Policy 5756 was similar to Middletown’s parental notification measure. Parental notification would follow should a student disclose to a staff member that either:

• they would like to be addressed by a name other than their legal name, or;

• they identify with a gender not corresponding to their biological sex, or;

• they would like to be addressed by a pronoun not corresponding to their biological sex.

The policy went a step further than Middletown. Board member John Camera, in an interview with CJN, agreed that this could be seen as an “olive branch of sorts” to those who feared any harm or retribution from parents.
That particular caveat policy read:

“…[the] Principal or designee shall not be obligated to notify a parent/guardian if there is a good faith and reasonable belief, based on documented evidence and circumstances, that such disclosure will pose a threat of harm to a student.”

Camera noted that the Board oversees students from pre-k to 8th grade, an estimated age range of four to fourteen years old, underscoring his duty to uphold his oath to do no harm.

“We have an obligation to protect the student if there is any threat of harm,” said Camera, who mentioned that the school would be directed to work with the respective state or local agency to ensure no harm is being or will be done.

Nevertheless, a standing-room-only crowd packed the Conover Road facility.

The kids- and parents- are not alright.

Everyone agreed on that. The first speaker set the opponents’ tone:

"Don't have a trans kid? Keep your ill-conceived opinions to yourself because they are hurting our children." Fuscarino nodded his head during a score of applause while Board members sat stoic.

Shawn Hyland, President of the New Jersey Family Policy, provided the opening salvo for the policy’s proponents.

"To keep parents in the dark, to lie to parents and to view parents as a problem is grossly irresponsible and a serious violation of parental rights.” A chorus of boos and thundering of cheers made for a symphonic awkwardness, a normal tune at these kinds of meetings.

"A kid, a child who believes in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny,” said one parent as the wave of boos began to crest "does not have the emotional or intellectual maturity to decide what their parents should and should not know."

Two events of the evening warranted a police escort out of the building. One man made an unintelligible remark towards a pastor during his introduction. Another drew the ire of policy opponents wherein both camps started taking pictures of each other.

Both instances provided a buffer in the evening’s events.

This will be my testimony.

The emotional sledgehammer of the evening came when a transgender citizen named Claire cited not only Trevor Project statistics regarding suicide. They then began to testify to their own struggle.

”I was terrified to come out to my parents, friends, and especially my teachers…but having teachers top confide in made me feel amazing, and with Policy 5756, you’re taking that moment away from potentially hundred of students.”

An elderly woman, describing growing up in the 1950’s, told the board the she “didn’t now who [she] was for [her] whole entire childhood..”

”All I knew is, at a certain point when I was very young, about eight years old, I decided to not talk to my mother about anything that I was feeling.”

One man expressed his “love for all God’s children,” going so far as to say that “live and let live” was one of “his mottos - “however,” he paused “I believe the rights of the parents and the health and well-being of the parents of their children supersedes any and all other ideologies or political agendas.”

Pamela Renee, a Neptune City Councilwoman, appeared again with her Trinity Church cohort, making a plea against the policy similar to the one she made in Middletown the previous week.

“For you just to vote, to change it, goes against your oath of office,” she said, but that alleged violation seemed small compared to the specter of a lawsuit from Attorney General Matthew Platkin which loomed over the Board.

“If it goes to litigation, so be it - because I don’t put a price on my relationship with my children,” said one father.

The last testimony of the evening was the only one that some proponents of the measure believed mattered: “put your faith in Jesus Christ and turn away from your sin.”

CONTINUED BELOW…

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Surprises, expectations, disappointments abound.

Board Member John Camera, a conservative member who won his election as a “Colts Kids First” candidate in 2022, hung his head. He ran on a platform of recovering from learning loss and emphasizing fiscal responsibility. He was one of the three that voted against the motion to table, losing to the remaining six board members- four of whom, including Board President Heather Tormey, were the surprise votes to Camera.

"It was the other four - Heather Tormey, Amy Dimes, Tracy Kramer, and Andrew Rytter - who had voted ‘yes’ on first reading and voted ‘no’ on second reading,” he said.

“My opinion is not to put the Board in a position where we are subject to litigation,” Heather Tormey said to the Asbury Park Press once the meeting had ended.

“That is not something that is fiscally responsible for a policy that can wait.”

One parent, speaking under the condition of anonymity, was not surprised at member Alison De Noia bringing forward the motion to table, seconded by Kevin O’Connor.

“If it helps her in her race for County Commissioner against [Shrewsbury Mayor Erik] Anderson, she’ll seize the moment, and she did.”

Another parent slammed Heather Tormey for allowing outside groups to influence the Board.

“Whether it was the fear of Matt Platkin or members from other towns that forced Heather to cave,” they said, “she should be ashamed.”

The end - for now.

While on opposing sides, Camera and Fuscarino both acknowledged the political realities of their respective endeavors.

“We are pleased with the Colts Neck Board of Education's decision to table their anti-LGBTQ policy, prioritizing student safety and inclusivity until they can come to an agreement to ditch the policy completely,” said Christian Fuscarino in a statement to CJN.

“We encourage ongoing dialogue and collaboration with the community. Garden State Equality stands ready to support Colts Neck in creating a safe and inclusive school environment for all.”

When asked about modifying the policy to move it off the table, and committed to including the good faith portion about preventing harm to the student, John Camera feels “resigned to wait” until he feels like he has “a Board with members that will support the change.”

“I’m not just going to keep bringing it up to have it voted down.”

Colts Neck seems to be that last of the schools in Central Jersey to hear a policy like this (at the time of writing). While Policy 5657 maybe be on the back burner for now, it seems like both opponents and proponent are resigned for now - perhaps until the neighboring lawsuits are finished, and Heather Tormey and Alison De Noia get their wish.

With an election coming up fast and with vigilance on both sides, only time will tell.

Hope in a time of division.

Given the divisive nature of the transgender policy debate, Fuscarino and Camera’s offered a sign of hope. Two sometimes polarizing figures, depending on who you ask, cited dialogue as the key component that will drive things forward. Whether that’s with their own caucuses or with each other, we’re resigned to the latter.

Perhaps the next go around will see some kind of compromise- the kind seen only at the community level that both Camera and Fuscarino are dedicated to;

the kind that Central Jersey Newswire is committed to covering.

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CJN would like to thank John Camera, Christian Fuscarino, and members of the public for providing commentary. This is an integral part to covering local news.

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