Attorneys Denounce Board's Decision to Uphold Extracurricular Ban

Editor's Note: The following statement was issued by attorneys Darren DelSardo and George Abdy following the actions by the Wayne Board of Education Friday involving nine members of the Wayne Hills High School football team.

The Wayne school board today made an unfortunate decision that impacts the lives of far more than nine students who happen to play football for Wayne Hills High School

The board is caving into pressure from people who dislike Wayne Hills, its coach and the football program. The board is not supposed to take sides in community disputes; it has a responsibility to represent all the children fairly and impartially. The board is caving into a mob mentality that has been spread across the internet.

The mischaracterization of the incident is driving the actions of the school board, which has failed to consider the facts of the case and instead is reacting to anonymous internet posts. 

Second, the board is again seeking to deflect responsibility – now to the legislature. The legislators weren’t elected to the local school board, Mr. Pavlak and his colleagues were. They took an oath to represent the schools -- all of them and all of the students, not to pass the buck. If they don’t have the stomach for the job they should resign.

How will the board’s actions today minimize the so -called “impact on the schools.” Just as many people will be unhappy with the board’s latest decision as with its previous decision. The board believes by mollifying anonymous Internet critics, it is going to bring peace and harmony to the schools. That’s absurd

 The media insists on referring to this incident as an attack. There is no evidence to suggest this was an attack. It was a fight that seems to have been-initiated by the alleged victim who admitted  to some that he threw the first punch.

The board is setting a terrible precedent in which any student now involved in any altercation away from school property can be suspended. That means if enough parents complain about a student involved in an incident at the Jersey Shore over the summer, the board will not consider evidence, or impact on the school, but will act to suspend the student.

Darren Del Sardo

George Abdy