Statement from the Cherry Hill School District and Superintendent Maureen Reusche:
In light of the continuing concern and media coverage of the situation that took place at Horace Mann Elementary School, the Cherry Hill Board of Education and Administration would like to make the following statement:
The Board of Education and Administration deeply regret the actions that took place in the classroom at Horace Mann Elementary. First and foremost, we share the dismay and concern expressed by members of our community. What happened in the classroom is not excusable and should not have happened. We do not condone this type of behavior in any form, in any place, by any person associated with our District. Following a complete investigation of the matter, which we must stress is continuing, we will be introspective and determine what we can learn from this incident.
At this time, as the result of the additional media attention given to this matter, some of it inaccurate, we would like to emphasize the following facts:
The Administration, with the assistance of counsel, is continuing to investigate what occurred in the classroom in question. Since the evidence presented is audio only, it is imperative that the improper conduct identified on the recording is correctly identified to the person(s) who committed the conduct.
While our investigation continues, all individuals working in the classroom on the date in question have been either been placed on leave to minimize disruption to our schools, or no longer work for the District.
New Jersey law provides protection to tenured employees against immediate dismissal.
With respect to the investigation, we have done, and will continue to do, what we believe is right, legal and fair to all parties. While we understand the public’s desire for more information and action, we hope as well that you will understand we are legally constrained in the amount of information we can release and any immediate action we can take.
In addition, we want to be clear that the Board has the utmost faith in the District’s Administration, faculty and staff, and that on a daily basis they always have the best interests of our students at heart. While we acknowledge there is always room for improvement in everything we do, we believe this regrettable incident is an anomaly, and we wholeheartedly support the work our teachers and educational aides do every day.
We also believe it is essential that, as we move forward, we explore means to strengthen the community’s trust in the school district. The students, parents, teachers and staff who make Cherry Hill such a high quality school district deserve nothing less.
