Broken Promises: The Transparency Gap in Hardyston's Board Leadership
The February 11th Board of Education meeting was anything but boring.
If you’ve ever wondered how wide the gap is between what leaders say and what they do - Board President Donna Carey gave us a front-row seat.
Spoiler: It wasn’t pretty.
🔥 The Heated Exchange Over Policy 0174
Things got tense - fast - when Ronald Hoffman and Donna Carey clashed over Policy 0174 (aka: who gets to call the board attorney).
And then came the bombshell:
Ronald Hoffman: “But you lied to the members.”
Donna Carey: “I did not lie.”
Hoffman: “You told us that you would not contact the attorney unless all members were notified.”
Instead of letting Hoffman finish his point, Carey tried to shut him down-overstepping her authority yet again.
For a Board President who loves to preach about “transparency,” it was… not a great look.
🚶♂️ Who Does the Board Attorney Really Work For?
The bigger question that night wasn’t just about one lie-it was about who the board attorney actually serves.
- Why was the attorney contacted without the board’s knowledge or approval?
- Why wasn’t the attorney present at the meeting so questions could be answered publicly?
- Why did Carey promise transparency earlier-then pull a 180?
The board president is supposed to serve all members and the public-not make decisions solo behind closed doors.
🔹 What’s More Important Than Transparency?
This isn’t Carey’s first time playing fast and loose with accountability.
Just a few weeks earlier, she and Vice President Jean Barrett were caught glued to their phones during student recognition ceremonies.
If you missed that moment of “leadership,” you can read about it here.
Between:
- Breaking transparency promises
- Ignoring board processes
- Shutting down discussion whenever it gets uncomfortable…
You’ve got to ask:
What exactly is more important to Donna Carey than honest governance?
📢 What Do You Think?
Should the Board President have unchecked access to legal counsel without even informing the rest of the board?
Let us know what you think. Drop a tip here.
Because trust in leadership doesn’t disappear overnight-it erodes every time someone says one thing, and does another.