Former Middletown schools president reprimanded for supporting Black Lives Matter rally
MIDDLETOWN — A former Middletown school board president was recently reprimanded by the New Jersey School Ethics Commission, which found she violated ethics rules when she used her board email address to promote a social justice rally in 2020.
Pamela Rogers, who no longer serves on the nine-member school board, violated state regulations when she used her board email to promote a rally for "a special-interest group or persons organized and voluntarily united in opinion," according to the School Ethics Commission.
Rogers used her board email in June, 2020, to contact the political group Progressive Democrats of New Jersey for help organizing what she called a "blm" rally, short for Black Lives Matter, according to a complaint filed with the Ethics Commission.
The Ethics Commission found that Rogers violated a New Jersey Code of Ethics rule that prohibits taking "any private action that may compromise the board."
The rally, a "Spread Love Not Hate" march, was held later that month at Middletown High School North, according to the complaint.
In the wake of the rally, Middletown resident Laurie Tietjen brought ethics charges to the commission against Rogers as well as former board members Robin Stella and Nicholas DiFranco.
Tietjen's complaints alleged the three violated ethics rules for school board members by participating in and being involved with the rally, which focused on police brutality and systemic racism.
Tietjen's brother worked as a Port Authority policeman and was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001.
The Ethics Commission dismissed Tietjen's complaints against Stella and DiFranco, saying their limited involvement with the march did not violate state regulations on school board members. Stella had limited involvement and did not promote the rally through email, according to the commission. While DiFranco attended the rally, he was not involved in its planning, according to the commission's decision.
However, the commission formally reprimanded Rogers in its decision, which was released in late September.
Rogers, DiFranco and Stella have not served on the school board since late 2020, after they lost bids for re-election. They were defeated by Frank Capone, who now serves as board president; Jacqueline Tobacco, who is the board's vice president; and Harmony "Barry" Heffernan.
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Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Former Middletown schools president violated ethics rules: Commission
