We, the undersigned parents, guardians, residents, taxpayers, staff, and community members, have lost confidence in Superintendent Norma Fernandez’s leadership and urge the Jersey City Board of Education Trustees not to renew, extend, amend, renegotiate, approve new terms, or allow automatic renewal of her contract while major accountability questions remain unresolved.

There are serious public concerns involving district leadership, including special education services, nonpublic school services, overcrowding, facilities, student safety, bullying, technology and spending decisions, transparency, and public accountability.

The most urgent concern is the reported special education/nonpublic services audit. According to public reporting, the full audit report was referred to law enforcement and was not released to the Board or public because of an ongoing investigation.

We are not asking the BOE to interfere with law enforcement. We are asking the BOE to control its own contract decision. A pending investigation is not a reason to reward leadership with a new, extended, amended, or automatically renewed contract.

Before any Superintendent contract action, including automatic renewal by inaction, the BOE must provide clear public answers, ensure independent review, publish a corrective-action plan, and explain why any contract action should proceed before these issues are resolved.

A contract renewal is a vote of confidence. Right now, that confidence does not exist.

Do not renew, extend, amend, or allow automatic renewal of Superintendent Fernandez’s contract. Full accountability first.