photo courtesy the Ridgewood School System
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a Ridgewood mother Ashley Laub spoke out Wednesday after parents were asked to mask up at a school board meeting shortly after teachers were seen taking photos without masks.
Ashley Laub appeared on “Fox & Friends,” saying the incident was symbolic of the type of hypocrisy parents have seen on COVID-related policies. “It’s the epitome of rules for thee and not for me,” Laub told Carley Shimkus. “We’re not just seeing it here in New Jersey and at this meeting, but we’re seeing it across the board, across the country. “We deserve as parents a proactive plan to get back to normalcy for our kids in the schools, and that plan better be implemented consistently, which unfortunately we did not see on Monday night,” she continued.
Laub attended the Ridgewood Public School Board meeting on Monday evening this week when the incident took place, explaining how parents across the state are pushing for their right to have a say in what goes on in the classroom. “We are just belittled, and we have every right, not only as parents, but as taxpayers in this community to stand up and speak for our kids and the kids are really the ones that matter here,” Laub said.
Ridgewood Board of Education president, Hyunju Kwak, addressed the incident, but did not apologize for what critics see as an inconsistency. “Somebody did mention the seeming inconsistency within this meeting itself, where during the retirement recognition part, some people did not have their mask completely on,” she said. “I chose to respect and not mar what is a beautiful recognition moment with something that is a flashpoint issue and a geopolitical issue.”
Laub called the statement “backhanded” , reiterating there was no apology for the double standard. She said she hopes Gov. Phil Murphy will soon allow local school boards to decide on COVID policies.
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Last night’s Village Council meeting was a shit show also with respect to mask policy adherence.
Councilman Mike Sedon had no mask on for a full ten minutes at the start of last night’s meeting. WTF? They’ve totally lost it at Village Hall.
How can we trust these people to teach our kids when they can’t even educate themselves? The rank ignorance and obsession with rituals that do nothing to protect kids or teachers is beyond tedious at this point.
No common sense. All behavior is being politically driven. At both BOE and Village Council.
There was not a “seeming inconsistency” within the meeting, there was an inconsistency. Teachers and other pro-mask advocates were permitted to make their own risk assessments as to when and where they should be required to mask, while children and their parents are not permitted to do the same. Children are suffering under the current mask rules – worshippers of the masking cult can belittle that suffering, but there are demonstrable effects we are all seeing to our children’s confidence, communication and overall happiness. It is death by a thousand cuts with lasting psychological impact, and worse, we are even hearing stories of teachers bullying children who let the mask slip for just a moment in time.
Masks do not prevent anything, which is why the more reasonable parts of our country and other countries around the world have never forced children to wear them. They are all cost with no added protection to anyone – including immunocompromised people. If children or their parents want to wear them, fine – but it should be a choice.
Hopefully the Board will implement a mask optional policy as soon as permitted by the fascists running our State.
It’s a “nothing burger”. Teachers know who’s vaccinated so they can congregate safely, general public, who knows?
Don’t bring Fox News to Ridgewood!
egregious a$$kissing of the NJEA oy vey
smiling dorks
rule for thee, not for me!
It’s time to just say no. Its all a power play and nothing to do w science. The vaccinated are spreading the latest variant more than those who have chose not to get vaccinated. The unvaccinated pose the same risk. Masks are bs..the effectiveness changes on a daily basis. If you want to wear a mask or have your child then its ur call but the end of all mandates is coming quickly as the far left realizes they are losing the narrative.
>It’s a “nothing burger”. Teachers know who’s vaccinated so they can congregate safely, general
>public, who knows?
>Don’t bring Fox News to Ridgewood!
This post would have been accurate 6 months ago. I guess you’re not keeping-up with the science as far as fully vaccinated people getting and passing-on Covid.
Nice to see the BOE president doesn’t understand the definition of geopolitics. I guess Russia is invading Ridgewood because of the mask mandate?
We need Canadian truckers!
Fully agree with Ms. Laub, and I applaud her for her candor. These screaming liberals want to keep everyone on their knees, and masks are an everyday (visible) reminder of how much influence and mind control they can exert over their sheep. No one in power seems to care about the adolescent mental health crisis that’s unfolding, or the fact that most masks the kids use are ineffective anyway, so long as your being an obedient member of the herd. It’s pathetic…
And for the folks in Facebook who love to pontificate on their soapbox about how anything said at that meeting was disrespectful…no one gives a shit what you think…especially when it comes to the well-being that of their children. We need more people like Ms. Laub to speak up and counter your screaming liberal insanity.
Time to home school the children and see how quickly the administration changes their tune.
A little Ridgewood negative publicity from the national media it’ll change really quick we all know those in charge care more about the image of the town in their own family themselves!!!
What’s even more comical is the fact they keep raising taxes and as badges of honor, you all complain and keep paying! If it’s that bad leave! If not, shut up!
We had some wonderful educators retire from the system. It was a night to celebrate accomplishments.
Laub turned the celebration against us. I watched the video. She was rude to our volunteers when she said “you work for me”. She must be a real ball of fire at work.
She contacted Fox news and got her 15 minutes. It did not do anything to resolve the disagreements about masking. At the very least she should apologize to the teachers that she used as props.
rules are for everybody or nobody
#KarenLaub- “you work for me”. What a piece of work. I kind of agree with her but her demeanor and approach belong on the RHONJ. She should be ashamed of herself.
more egregious a$$kissing, teachers and administrators DO WORK FOR THE TAXPAYERS END OF STORY !!
if you watch the BOE meeting online you will see why she deserves to be known as a Karen. poor children. low class.
you either have a mask policy or not
Maybe one of the staff from BF or GW should have taped Michael Sedan’s mask to his face. Since is acceptable to do to our children, we should be doing it all around.
If YOU watch the BOE meeting online, YOU will hear Ashley clearly thank the BOE for all that they do and congratulate the retirees. YOU will hear the words of an informed citizen and passionate mother of 2 very lucky children. YOU will hear the rudeness directed at Ashley for taking 20 seconds extra to complete her statement from those who do “work” for the parents. I suppose when the facts do not support your narrative, YOU turn to denigrating people. VERY CLASSY!!!!
Susan – The Board represents all of Ridgewood, not just the parents.
When Mr. Lembo was BOE president, and a citizen making a comment was running over the 4-minute mark, he would politely ask the individual to wrap it up, and then would allow them to do so. Regardless of how anyone feels about the content or tone of Ms. Laub’s public comment, rather than allowing Ms. Laub to quickly finish up her comment, Ms. Kwak chose to engage in what sounded like an “I can yell louder than you can yell” contest. In addition, when staff member Mr. McDonald spoke about a retiree with his mask down, Ms. Kwak remained silent. Yet, later during public comment, when a citizen got up to speak and he did not have his mask on, Ms. Kwak interrupted him to ask him to put his mask on while speaking into the mike. So, yes — There appears to be inconsistency in how the RPS mask mandate is being enforced.
If I were a young child I’d want to have a “Karen” as a mom, advocating and fighting for my freedoms when I don’t have the ability to do so myself.
….So if that makes her a Karen, let’s rally all of the Karen’s together to ensure parents have the right to make medical decisions on behalf of THEIR children based on their child’s needs, development, and health.
Parents no longer need to “co-parent” with Gov. Murphy or the BOE…
Wake up, Ridgewood.
Clarification: No one yelled. The speaker did say “you work for me” with finger pointing.
Hi Anon:
This statement isn’t accurate: “Parents no longer need to “co-parent” with Gov. Murphy or the BOE…”
Murphy decides (at least thus far), not BOE.
What public school, or any school in Bergen County for that matter, doesn’t have a mask rule?
The BOE can write letters to Gov. Murphy on behalf of Ridgewood requesting mask choice. Murphy has already received many of these letters from other NJ school boards.
BOE is not a medical authority, so their letter to Murphy doesn’t carry much weight.
Best is to allow the executive order to expire Feb 10, and then unless there is intervention, rules auto-revert to mask optional.