WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Washington Township Public Schools has appointed an interim superintendent after the current leader was suspended last week amid clashes over the district budget.
The Washington Township Board of Education on Tuesday confirmed Jack McGee as the interim superintendent, a role he held before Dr. Eric Hibbs was hired in May 2023.
Hibbs was suspended with pay last week. The exact details of his suspension are murky, though this is not the first time school officials have sought to remove him from his role. The Washington Township Education Association issued a no-confidence vote against him last June.
Union President Gerry Taraschi said Hibbs’ policies fostered lower morale than he’d ever seen in more than 50 years at the district.
“Now we find out the superintendent is given bonuses accounting to over $22,000. Was our vote of no confidence not taken seriously last year?” he asked the board.
Board member Elayne Clancy felt suspending Hibbs was not the right course of action.
“He was railroaded by certain people on this board and the union. Dr. Hibbs was not even given the opportunity to defend himself,” she said. “As a taxpayer and a resident of Washington Township, I’m appalled at what has been done to Dr. Hibbs.”
Melissa McNally, elementary vice president of the union, said Hibbs was dismissive of teachers’ concerns.
“When I personally reached out to Dr. Hibbs regarding a very serious threat made by a student against one of our elementary schools, the response I was given was that the matter was not the business of the WTEA. Why on earth would we not be diligent in investigating?” she questioned.
All the while, the school district is trying to shrink its budget before it gets approved next month — even considering the unpopular measure of cutting sports like diving, gymnastics and golf.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said Hibbs had been suspended without pay. He was suspended with pay.