BARNEGAT – In a surprising turn of events during his year-end presidential summary, the local school board president dropped a bombshell revelation. Despite his term extending until December 2025, Barnegat Board of Education President Sean O’Brien announced that last night’s meeting would be his final one as a school board member.
“I have great pride in the successes we did have,” said O’Brien. “I no longer feel this board is working towards a common goal.”
“This past year, I spent more time blocking and defending against pure nonsense than adding value to our schools,” O’Brien continued. “I’m not here to play games and be forced to endure political theater.”
Wrapping up his address, O’Brien emphasized the voluntary nature of serving on the school board. He expressed that, in dedicating time away from his family, he sought assurance that the board would achieve success and fulfillment in its endeavors.
“For a large portion of this Board of Ed, I do not have that confidence,” shared O’Brien. “I still have a student in the district and will continue to be involved in organizations throughout the community.”
As he concluded his remarks, O’Brien said that he was proud of successes achieved during his tenure on the board and grateful for the people he met as a result.
Prior to delivering his resignation, the outgoing school board president reflected on the past year. He highlighted the success and growth of the pre-K program, the completion of the Edwards school demolition, and the dedicated staff impacting each child in the district.
O’Brien noted the challenge of retaining high-performing individuals due to inadequate support and below-market pay rates. He expressed concern that the board’s perceived craziness hindered the recruitment of strong candidates. O’Brien deplored the continuous debates on the bistro (where special needs kids would learn skills) and politically driven policies, emphasizing the community’s focus on taxes over student performance.
Board President Sean O’Brien (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
As he lamented on the broken state of the board, O’Brien emphasized the lack of alignment and criticized the board for shortchanging the district’s budget and failing to provide necessary tools for improvement. He called for increased community involvement to avoid limited reviews in the future.
“Voters made clear that taxes were their priority,” said O’Brien. “Unfortunately, much of this decision was based on lies and fearmongering. Our schools need more than status quo; they need to be successful.”
“This is a major disconnect for me. I pay a lot in taxes,” continued O’Brien. “I don’t want to waste money. I’d said our district needs and deserves constant investment in its improvement. Our community deserves the best we can offer.”
While critics have accused him of not challenging the school administration, O’Brien staunchly opposed attempts to redistrict the schools during his initial term. Additionally, he spearheaded the opposition to revisiting the superintendent’s contract a few years ago, deeming it premature at the time.
A parent who called in during the public comment session of the meeting on another issue expressed her dismay at the news.
“I have to say I was not expecting that Mr. O’Brien,” Elizabeth Backsai said. “We cannot thank you enough for your time that you have put towards this district. I am speechless.”
When the Board of Education gathers for their reorganization meeting on January 2, 2023, O’Brien will not be the sole current member absent from the dais. Colleen Angus and Lauren Washburn, both acknowledged in the December meeting, have concluded their one-year terms of service.
The reorganization meeting will include the swearing-in of Doreen Continanza and George Fedorczyk, both elected to three-year terms. Following this, the board will conduct a vote to select a new president and vice president for the upcoming year.
Subsequently, the board faces a 65-day window to fill the vacancy left by O’Brien’s resignation. Should they fail to do so within this timeframe, the county superintendent will step in to fulfill the position.
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