Dear Editor,
I want to thank the Advertiser for filling a vital role in Sussex County as our ONLY local newspaper, especially for covering community events. We appreciate your reporter’s past attendance at our Board Meetings, ensuring that the facts were accurately reported as they were presented. I am writing this letter as a public member and a candidate, not a representative of the Board of Education.
However, I was deeply disappointed by the comments published by our Hardyston Mayor in the October 17th issue. In the October 24th issue, the criticism and misinformation shared by the Deputy Mayor and other members of the Hardyston Republican Club continued, revealing either their incompetence or their willingness to mislead the community to gain control.
As a lifelong Republican of 77 years and a Board of Education member of 14 years, I have always kept politics out of the Board’s work, as it is a non-political role. Unfortunately, most of the town council members have not attended a board meeting since COVID, relying instead on half-truths from their club meetings.
Over the past few years, our mayors have spread inaccurate claims about our academic performance and other matters. It’s worth noting that Hardyston schools were recently reported as being ranked #2 in the county.
While I was once a member of the Hardyston Republican Club, I have always prioritized adhering to the BOE policy and encouraged them (Club officers and members) to attend meetings for accurate information. They pressured me to violate the ethical code of conduct but I refused. The board minutes are made public after approval at the following monthly meeting, but when the club wasn’t satisfied with this transparency, they sought to remove me from membership.
After a past board member reposted an image from our campaign on a social media site, I was contacted by club officers, including the “Kids First” campaign manager, demanding that I reject the endorsement and ask for the post’s removal. My running mate and I made it clear that we were running a non-political campaign, and despite being from opposing political parties, we have always acted in the best interest of Hardyston’s children and taxpayers. However, the club found this insufficient and sent me a letter expelling me from the club- an action that even violated their own bylaws.
In Hardyston schools, we have completed significant structural improvements, increased the number of specialists, added a middle school principal, improved in-house testing to better identify students needing extra help, and secured in-house security RPOs -all without requiring a referendum. This was achieved even as other districts faced cuts due to reduced state aid.Despite losing up to $1.2 million in state aid, per year and over the past six years careful planning allowed us to continue improving our schools.
Through these challenges, we have been incredibly fortunate to have the support of our entire school community. From parents, teachers, and staff to volunteers, the people of Hardyston have come together to ensure that our students thrive. This unwavering community spirit makes our work possible, and it is a reminder that when we focus on what truly matters- our children’s education and well-being-We Can Achieve Great Things Together.
Sincerely,
Ronald Hoffman