Mullica Twp. Kindergarten Teacher vs. Superintendent

Back in February, a couple of 5 year olds – a boy and a girl – went into a classroom bathroom together, and were eventually found naked, telling the teacher they were “having sex!”

The teacher, 15 year veteran Kelly Mascio, did what all she needed to do once finding the kids – she reported the incident to the principal.

One thing led to another, and the teacher was eventually suspended with pay for 5 months – eventually having her pay stopped last month.

Why that action was taken is still a sore point for supporters of Mascio, who are now calling for the contract of the superintendent of the district not to be renewed.
As I see it, all because a couple of kindergarteners went off into a bathroom to play “doctor”.

Way too much has been made out of this.

Mascio’s reputation due to the suspension and eventual filing of tenure charges against her has been called into question – and now the community wants the head of the superintendent on a platter – which, in view of all that’s transpired – might not actually be all that unreasonable.

According to a report from the Press of Atlantic City:

Supporters of suspended kindergarten teacher Kelly Mascio delivered a petition with more than 720 local signatures to the Board of Education at Wednesday night’s meeting, asking the board not to renew Superintendent Brenda Harring-Marro’s contract.
Donna Davis of Columbia Road delivered the petition to a long ovation from at least 150 attendees. The group not only feels the superintendent has shown poor judgment in filing tenure charges against 16-year veteran teacher Mascio, Davis said.
Harring-Marro and the board are moving to fire her after Mascio reported that two of her students engaged in sexual play in a classroom bathroom Sept. 30.
The charges, which alleged that Mascio did not properly supervise her students, were certified by the Board of Education in late February. An arbitrator for the state Commissioner of Education’s office will decide her fate within about four months.
People on both sides of the issue have said that the controversy is creating bad feelings among township residents, is harming community cohesion and morale within the school system and in the community.
The Mullica Township Education Association also formally presented the results of its vote of no confidence in Harring-Marro.

Again, all because a couple of kids went off into a bathroom to “play doctor!”
The question really centers around how was it that two children manage to go off by themselves – albeit to an in-classroom bathroom – without being noticed?

Yet, that doesn’t explain how the superintendent can file tenure charges against the teacher – unless there’s history between the two we don’t know about.

And as far as we know from the story, the police report no crime had been committed.

If this is indeed the case, then way too much is being made of something so innocent as two kids being naked in a bathroom together playing grown up!

Who deserves to be fired - the teacher or the superintendent?