My name is Ethel Hermenau, and I am on the Galloway School Board, however, this article is not on behalf of the Galloway school board. This is my personal opinions as a mother, grandmother and citizen of the United States. It is also not the opinions of Liberty and Prosperity but all my sole opinions. Thank you.
“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton
Before the August 10 Vote on Policy 2200: Why Every Parent, Teacher, and Taxpayer Should Be Paying Attention.
On August 10, the Galloway Township Board of Education is expected to conduct the second reading and final vote on Policy 2200 – Curriculum.
Before that vote takes place, I believe every parent, teacher, taxpayer, and community member deserves the opportunity to understand exactly what this policy does, why it is being proposed, and whether these changes are truly necessary. After I questioned the policy at the previous meeting in July, the process was changed to include two votes. That is exactly why elected officials must ask questions, seek answers, and fully understand the policies before approving them.
As an elected Board member, my responsibility is not to simply vote “yes” because a policy is placed in front of us. My responsibility is to understand the impact, ask difficult questions, and make sure every policy adopted by this Board serves our students, educators, families, and taxpayers.
NEW POLICY 2200 Curriculum:
https://go.boarddocs.com/nj/gtps/Board.nsf/files/DVXKSR529BE7/$file/2200%20Curriculum.pdf
That responsibility requires transparency.
Why Is Policy 2200 Being Changed?
During discussions regarding Policy 2200, Board members were told that this policy was necessary because of QSAC and district compliance.
If that is the reason this policy is being presented, then the Board and the public deserve clear documentation.
QSAC (Quality Single Accountability Continuum) is a New Jersey Department of Education review process that evaluates districts in areas including governance, instruction, personnel, operations, and fiscal management.
The questions that deserve answers are:
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What specific QSAC indicator requires this policy?
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What New Jersey law or administrative code requires this change?
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What deficiency exists in our current policy?
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Is this policy mandatory or simply recommended?
After questioning the Superintendent, I learned that this policy is not mandatory and does not have to be adopted.
These are not unreasonable questions. These are the questions elected officials should ask before approving policies that impact our schools.
The Role of Strauss Esmay
Our district uses Strauss Esmay as a policy resource. They provide guidance and model policies, but they do not make decisions for our district.
The responsibility and authority to adopt policies belongs to the elected Board of Education.
The public deserves to know:
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Is Policy 2200 required by New Jersey law?
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Is it required by the NJ Department of Education?
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Is it required for QSAC?
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Or is it simply a model policy recommendation?
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What specific problem does this policy solve?
A Significant Policy Change
The current Policy 2200 was approximately one page.
The proposed policy expands to approximately four pages.
A longer policy is not automatically a bad policy. The question is:
Why are these changes necessary?
Residents should ask:
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What was missing from the current policy?
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What new responsibilities are being created?
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Are these changes required or recommended?
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How will they affect teachers, administrators, students, and parents?
I raised these concerns during the July 13, 2026, Board meeting. I encourage residents to review that discussion and the questions I presented. Watch the School Boards meeting of July 13th, 2026, for more information. (Please note many times the volume is very low on these videos and hard to hear so many watch the word prompts).
https://www.youtube.com/live/TKtBxck0Gr0
Does This Change the Balance of Responsibility?
A Board of Education’s role is oversight, governance, and accountability.
The Superintendent and administration are responsible for the daily operation of the schools.
Clear policies should support those roles — not create confusion about responsibilities.
Asking for documentation, legal authority, and clarification is not opposition. It is responsible oversight.
Why Transparency Matters
The statewide discussions surrounding policies such as “Freedom to Read” have highlighted an important issue:
Parents deserve to understand what policies are being adopted, what they mean, and how they affect their ability to participate in their child’s education.
Parents deserve clear answers regarding:
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What is being taught in classrooms.
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How curriculum is developed and approved.
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What instructional materials are being used.
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How concerns are addressed.
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What opportunities parents have for input.
Teachers also deserve policies that are clear, practical, and understandable.
School Boards Across New Jersey Are Asking Questions
Across New Jersey, many school boards are stepping forward and taking a closer look at policies being recommended or pushed statewide.
School board meetings significantly influence education quality through policy, budget decisions, and curriculum management. Just google and you will see all the problems facing schools today in NJ. It is so important that more people get involved in their local schools.
Some boards are challenging the status quo and working to protect parental involvement, transparency, and the role of families in education.
One example is Colts Neck, where the Board of Education approved a Parental Bill of Rights initiative.
When I see school districts like Colts Neck and other boards of education adopt Parental Rights initiatives, it gives school board members like me hope. It reminds us that we must continue striving to protect the rights of all parents and ensure their voices remain an essential part of their children’s education.
Regardless of individual opinions on specific policies, the larger message is important:
Parents deserve a voice. Communities deserve transparency. Elected officials have a responsibility to ask questions.
The Bigger Picture
If you simply search public schools in New Jersey, you will find many challenges facing districts today — including financial pressures, government funding concerns, and difficult decisions involving school programs and closures.
One recent example involved parents speaking out against proposed school closures and demanding greater transparency and accountability from their districts.
These issues reinforce why public involvement and responsible school governance matter. Again, the Public School, system is in trouble from school closures, failing grades, to state overreach! We need parents and taxpayers to get involved. Op-Ed: How could a worsening financial crisis impact public schools? | NJ Spotlight News
Why I Continue This Work
Serving on the school board for the past three years has been a tremendous eye-opener. I have only scratched the surface of what I have learned, what I have uncovered, and what I continue to discover about education and school governance today.
One concern I have is that school boards can sometimes become heavily influenced by individuals with professional backgrounds in education, law, medicine, or other fields. Those experiences can provide valuable perspectives; however, a school board’s first responsibility must always remain the same:
Putting students and families first!
Parents are the primary advocates for their children, and their voices deserve to be respected and included.
Being on this Board has been challenging, frustrating, and at times discouraging. I did not originally intend to run again.
But after much reflection and prayer, I revisited why I started this journey. I was reminded that our community needs voices willing to ask questions, seek answers, and remain independent.
So yes, I am running again.
I am running because I believe parents deserve a seat at the table. I believe taxpayers deserve accountability. I believe children deserve leaders who will carefully examine every decision affecting their education.
Parents, teachers, taxpayers, and Board members all share the same goal:
Strong schools built on trust, accountability, and communication.
Before adopting another policy that affects our district, let’s make sure everyone understands not only what it says — but why it is being proposed in the first place.
Transparency, accountability, and partnership between parents and schools must remain at the center of every decision. Please get more involved as a parent and a grandparent and go to school board meetings. Read the policies being voted on and ask questions. Together we can protect parental rights.
Pray for our Teachers, for our Parents, for our Children and pray for our School Boards across New Jersey.
Ethel, I agree with you 100%.
Thank you for your involvement and inspiration!