Board calls for member's resignation

Alleged racial slur at heart

of debate surrounding Krieger

BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP

Staff Writer

The Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education has asked one of its members to resign for using inappropriate language.

Although much of the discussion during the board's March 21 meeting revolved around an alleged incident involving board member Howard Krieger, Krieger was not in attendance at the meeting, which resulted in a vote on a nonbinding resolution asking him to resign.

Board member Steve Murphy made a motion to direct board President Joseph Stampe to draft and send the letter to Krieger. The motion was simultaneously seconded by Lisa Herzer. Murphy, Stampe, Herzer, Jeanette Bressi and Chris Shaw, who all represent Upper Freehold on the regional school board, voted in favor of the motion, while Doug Anthony, Bill Borkowski and Elizabeth Trent, all members who represent Allentown, voted against sending the letter, as did Kathy Winecoff, who represents Millstone on the regional board.

On Feb. 21 the board voted 7-0, with Krieger abstaining, to censure Krieger for use of inappropriate language. Krieger allegedly made an obscene gesture and used a racial slur toward Arun Singh, an Upper Freehold resident with children in the school district, after Singh made public comments at the Feb. 7 board meeting.

Krieger has denied making the gesture and alleged he was saying to himself, "Don't be an [expletive] hothead" instead of calling Singh an "[expletive] dothead," which two witnesses told the board they heard him say. Bressi and Township Committeeman Stephen Alexander both told the board that they heard Krieger use the racial slur.

After the board took its vote to send the letter to Krieger, Singh said, "This hasn't been easy for anybody."

He continued, "I am pleased with the board for passing the resolution to ask Mr. Krieger to resign. However, the fact that it barely passed 5-4 is puzzling. The people who voted no wanted an investigation, and a chance to talk to Mr. Krieger regarding the incident. Did they not do an investigation before they censured Mr. Krieger?"

With regard to Bressi and Alexander expressing publicly what they witnessed the night in question, Singh said, "I'm glad they told me. Without their support I never would have taken this as far as I have to take it."

Alexander stood up during the public portion of the meeting to reiterate what he witnessed the night in question. His comments prompted Upper Freehold resident Anita Kinney to speak regarding the incident as well.

"My intention was not to get up and speak today, but Mr. Alexander was willing to stand up and testify that he heard racist comments about someone of my race," Kinney said.

She told the board that she understood it could not discuss what took place in closed session with regard to censuring Krieger.

"But as a resident of this community I would like to know where the board stands and if it takes the allegations seriously," she said. "To me personally, it means a lot."

Kinney said Alexander and Bressi stood up to tell what they heard and Krieger apologized for his actions at the last meeting.

"I hope that by not speaking you don't give the impression that you condone the action," she said to the board.

In response to public comments regarding the incident and the subsequent censure, Board Attorney Viola Voorhees said the board took the strictest legally binding action it could take with regard to the matter when it censured Krieger.

She explained censure as a reprimand and notice to conduct oneself appropriately in the future.

Stampe said there is no code of conduct for board members, but even if there was, by law the strictest punishment a board could outlay is censure. He also explained that the board can only vote to remove a member if he/she missed three consecutive meetings.

Bressi asked Voorhees, "Couldn't we as individual board members ask him to resign?"

Allentown resident Robert Cheff said it seemed like a moral failure to not take a nonbinding vote to ask Krieger to resign.

"The vote would allow the public to see that you truly believe it is horrific, and it would send a strong signal that that kind of conduct is not tolerated in Upper Freehold," Cheff said.

Singh told the board the matter is one of human decency.

"What are you telling the kids at school, that they can go around calling people [expletive] dotheads?" he asked.

The attorney informed the board that it could take a nonbinding vote asking Krieger to resign.

In voting against sending the letter to Krieger, Trent said she would have liked Krieger to be present for the discussion.

"I don't know if we should be judge and jury," she said.

She said she believed the board did what it could in censuring Krieger.

"Other options came up tonight that need to be discussed at some level," she said. "I'm not sure if a full, thoughtful discussion has taken place."

Winecoff voted no and said, "I'm not going to be party to something that may not be legal."

Stampe voted yes and said that censuring Krieger did not sit well with him but that upon advice from the attorney, he thought it was the only thing the board could have done.

Singh said the board's action is only a recommendation and not binding.

"It will be his decision whether to resign or not to resign, but at least the board made a statement that they're requiring his resignation," Singh said.

Singh said he hopes that the letter will result in some sort of resolution so everyone involved can move forward.

"I hope we can put an end to this ordeal now," he said.

When asked if he was happy with the outcome that night, Alexander said, "There is no happy result in all of this."

Krieger could not be reached for comment prior to press time.