JPS Hall of Honor Class of 2022 - an arguably tainted process

Well, when I saw, with disbelief, that the JPS Hall of Honor inducted local politicians Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi and Council Vice-President Joyce 'She's on the Council?' Ship-Freeman into their Hall of Honor, I just had to try and understand what was going on here.

Now, I recognize that the Edison Board of Ed has more pressing challenges (like justifying a $300 million School Budget and an Overcrowding Plan) to deal with these days but after these selections, I would be remiss if I didn't question this process and ask for better transparency by the Board.

While I recognize that the JPS Hall of Fame is separate from the school, it is still connected and under the Board's purview. Seems this is somewhat of a clandestine process. Further, seems they have a habit of picking Local Dem-party political people in this town but geez, these two are the best we can find out there in the world today? Was bad enough when Local pols like Spadoro, Tomaro and Karabinchak were picked over the years, to name a few.

So, thought it was important to know and for the Board to be more transparent and inform the Public about this process. Specifically, who picks this selection committee, who is on the selection committee and what was the criteria used for these recent selections.

Certainly, if these candidates were chosen through this process in place, then those involved in the process should be willing to stand by and justify their choices. Now, irrespective of my belief about these recent choices, it's important that this selection process be transparent and the justification provided by the selection committee for their choices.

You really can't have a secret  committee picking candidates and without providing any support or justification for their selections to boot. It tends to lead to devaluing the intended purpose and this year's Local politician selections seem to carry with it a stench of pandering.

Toward that end, I asked Board Vice-President Shivi Madhukar who appoints this selection committee, and to provide a listing of selection committee members and the criteria used in this process.

Board Vice-President Madhukar provided the following response:

'JPS Hall of Honor is managed at the school level. It does not go through the board. However, this video will give you some insight into the selection process. This was created especially for the 2022 awardees.'

Well, that was nice but didn't answer my questions. Apparently, she doesn't understand that this process is conducted by a handful of teachers and staff under the leadership of the Superintendent who is responsible to the Board - and is under the Board's purview.

Without a proper response, I made an OPRA Request - 'With respect to the JPS Hall of Fame and their 2022 selections, I request the following documents - (1) A listing of those who appointed the selection committee, (2) A listing of the selection committee members, (3) the criteria used for selection, and (4) A listing of those nominated and who nominated them.'

And here's the response I received: 

You can now see the response includes the 10 member selection committee, chaired by Sheri Brandstetter and Kylie Lasko. Also, you can see their criteria rubric. Further, you can see that there were 32 candidates nominated (and who nominated them) and the 14 that were selected.

Now, it's their committee and they can select whichever candidates they want and you can agree or disagree with them, and that's fine. However, when they select certain candidates where it's hard pressed to see how it meets their own criteria and sure seems to stray from their intended purpose, you have to wonder what they're doing.

Sorry, but don't see how Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi was selected. What achievements and accomplishments can this guy possibly point to and anyone who lives in this town and pays attention would believe? Unfortunately, his selection carries with it a stench of pandering and takes a spot away from the other 18 on their list of candidates.

Seriously, based upon what achievements or accomplishments did they look at that would justify his selection? Here's a guy who sold out the People of Edison for a chance to climb up the politically corrupt Dem-party ladder. A life-long Dem-party parasite, if you will, who has an anomoly with the truth.

A young Malleable Marionette of the Dem-party who couldn't even win the support of his own local committee people and dropped out of the screening process for mayor because he was going to lose who comes with a Nothing record with his term on the Edison Council and his only achievement there was demonstrating his lack of trust and credibility in the public forum.

He gets nominated by a Board Member's son because he is the youngest Mayor in Edison's History? He's the youngest Mayor in Edison's history only because the Powers that be in the Dem-party from outside of town hand-picked him to do their bidding.

By that reasoning, they should put the County Chair of the Dem-party in the JPS Hall of Honor.

Not for nothing, but if you look at that list of nominees and see who else didn't get selected because of him, you really have to shake your head. Take the obviously blatant one, Sapana Shah - an accomplished attorney, former Board of Ed Member and Edison Council Member is trumped by Joshi? And, what's with one sponsor nominating 4 different candidates and they all get selected over other sponsors.

Seems that the Board needs to pay more attention or at least show an interest in these type committees in their fold. Sure seems like they're letting the process be tainted with certain selections at the expense of both those who deservedly got in and those who were undeservedly left out. Kind of defeats the Hall of Honor's intended purpose. That's just Not right.

Anyhoo, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that politics knows no boundaries in the Edison school system.