Asbury Park, NJ schools superintendent suspended

ASBURY PARK — Schools Superintendent RaShawn Adams was placed on administrative leave by the board of education during Thursday's meeting.

The agenda of the meeting identified an employee by their employee number as being recommended for the leave but did not disclose the reason.

Mark Gerbino, a district administrator, is listed on the district website as the acting superintendent. No message about the change in leadership was posted on the front page or district's social media platforms.

The Asbury Park Principals and Supervisors Association sent a letter posted by NJ Education Report to board members in December to make them aware of "challenging work conditions, mistreatment of administration, overall mismanagement and a lack of essential support" and asking them to intervene.

Their concerns came to a head during their monthly leadership meeting with Adams during which he used "abusive, inappropriate and degrading language" that left members "distressed, disheartened and demoralized."

Butting heads with the union

Adams has also frequently butted heads with union president John Napolitani since becoming superintendent at the start of the 2021-22 school year.

In December, Adams held a media briefing and blamed Napolitani for leading an effort to get rid of a state fiscal monitor, according to the Asbury Park Press. He accused Napolitani, who is also mayor of neighboring Ocean Township, of using his political influence to pressure the district.

Napolitani told the Press that Adams scheduled the media briefing on the same day of his mother's funeral.

"If this doesn’t show you the lack of character that this individual has, then nothing will," Napolitani told the Press.

District spokeswoman Chanta Jackson on Friday afternoon did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for more information.

Adams during the December briefing said district enrollment dropped from 1,608 to 1,373 in the past several years, a 14.6% decrease.