Hoboken Board of Education President on Extension of Superintendent's Contract

It is being reported that the superintendent of the Hoboken School District will be receiving a contract extension. The Hoboken Board President was quoted in a recent article on the topic (see full article below).

 “We believe that Johnson is the ideal leader to continue guiding our district toward even greater heights,” said Board of Education President Ailene McGuirk in a statement Tuesday. “Her proven track record speaks for itself. Under her leadership, the Hoboken Public School District is now the highest performing traditional public K-12 district in Hudson County, a testament to her dedication and expertise.”

“By approving Johnson’s contract, we are securing her invaluable expertise and unwavering dedication to our students for an additional five years,” McGuirk said. “Her continued leadership will be essential as we strive to maintain our position as a premier school district.”

"This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore. A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong. And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies. With such a people, you can do whatever you want." - Hannah Arendt (14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975) German historian and philosopher

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2024/07/hoboken-superintendent-getting-new-contract-to-extend-stay-to-2029.html

Amid praise and controversy, Hoboken superintendent expected to get new contract through ’28-29 school year

Updated: Jul. 24, 2024, 1:44 p.m.|Published: Jul. 24, 2024, 1:38 p.m.

By Mark Koosau | The Jersey Journal

Hoboken Superintendent Christine Johnson, who has been both widely praised and harshly criticized, is expected to receive a new contract that would extend her stay in the city’s school district until 2029.

The Board of Education is expected on Tuesday to approve the new pact, which will run from 2024 to 2029 and replaces Johnson’s current deal, which runs expires in 2026.

Johnson has been with the school district since 2015 and was formerly the superintendent of Boonton in Morris County.

“We believe that Johnson is the ideal leader to continue guiding our district toward even greater heights,” said Board of Education President Ailene McGuirk in a statement Tuesday.

“Her proven track record speaks for itself. Under her leadership, the Hoboken Public School District is now the highest performing traditional public K-12 district in Hudson County, a testament to her dedication and expertise.”

Johnson, who oversees a 3,501-student district, has often been under the spotlight in the Mile Square City. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoboken was the only school district in Hudson County to offer full-time, in-person learning during the 2020-21 school year and later instituted a vaccine mandate for students.

She has been criticized as well, most notably when she and the board of education delayed news of a proposed state-of-the-art, $241 million high school that was placed on a special referendum ballot only two months later.


Critics claimed the late announcement of the new school proposal was intentional, an attempt to fast-track the plan with little public discussion.

The referendum was soundly voted down in January 2022 and brought upon a tensely contested school board election that same year.

Johnson also received scrutiny over the use of the title of “Dr.” during her tenure despite not earning her doctorate degree until August 2022.

Despite the controversies, McGuirk cited Johnson’s accomplishments such as “her dedication to innovation and technology” through different programs, expanding AP courses, including one on African American studies, and “her emphasis on arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities.”

“By approving Johnson’s contract, we are securing her invaluable expertise and unwavering dedication to our students for an additional five years,” McGuirk said. “Her continued leadership will be essential as we strive to maintain our position as a premier school district.”

A copy of the proposed contract was not made available and McGuirk would not say how much Johnson will earn annually under the new deal. Johnson was paid $211,707 salary in the 2023-24 school year, and her current contract calls for a raise to $230,360 for the 2025-26 school year.

Johnson did not respond to a request for comment on her new contract. Her current salary makes her the fourth-lowest paid superintendent in Hudson County above superintendents in Harrison, Secaucus and East Newark.

What Actions Would the NJ Department of Education Have Been Justified in Pursuing in 2023 Concerning the Hoboken Superintendent's Doctorate Fiasco

As many people in Hoboken are aware, on May 15, 2023 it was revealed by Hudson County View that for at least 14 years, the current Hoboken Superintendent of Schools Christine Johnson went by Dr. Johnson. However, she did not receive her doctorate until August 2022, according to public records. Documents and publications such as annual financial reports, minutes of school board meetings, and yearbooks routinely referred to her as Dr. Johnson – the same way she would sign letters to parents and what her nameplate at Board meetings stated.  

This actual event was posed as a question and what follows is a detailed response as to some of the steps that should have taken place once this situation was brought to the public's attention.  

It is important to understand that none of the following suggestions were actually done by the NJ Department of Education and, in fact, the President and Vice President of the Hoboken Board of Education.

QUESTION: If a superintendent was hired under the assumption of holding a doctorate, lied about having a doctorate for over 14 years, and some Board of Education members contributed to the deception by making public statements that were untrue, the expected actions taken by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) would likely involve several of the following steps:

1. Investigation: The NJDOE could conduct a thorough investigation into the matter to gather evidence and assess the extent of the deception. This investigation would likely involve reviewing documentation related to the superintendent's hiring, employment records, communications, and any public statements made by the Board of Education members.
2. Compliance Review: The NJDOE could review the school district's compliance with state regulations and ethical standards regarding the hiring and qualifications of educational leaders. This review would assess whether proper procedures were followed during the superintendent's hiring process and whether any violations occurred.
3. Enforcement Actions: If violations of state regulations or ethical standards are found, the NJDOE could take enforcement actions against the school district, superintendent, and/or Board of Education members involved. This could include sanctions, fines, or other penalties as deemed appropriate under state law.
4. Corrective Measures: The NJDOE may require the school district to take corrective measures to address the deception and prevent similar incidents in the future. This could involve implementing new policies, procedures, or training programs to ensure transparency and integrity in hiring practices and governance.
5. Public Accountability: The NJDOE could issue public statements or reports to inform the public about the findings of its investigation and the actions taken in response to the deception. This would serve to hold accountable those responsible for the wrongdoing and reassure the public of the NJDOE's commitment to upholding standards of integrity in education.

Overall, the NJDOE would likely take decisive action to address the deception and ensure accountability within the school district and its governing bodies. The goal would be to uphold the integrity of the educational system and maintain public trust in the administration of schools.

What did the New Jersey Department of Education actually do...absolutely nothing.