Habel is only out for himself and his accumulated days, this is away to use them and get paid so he is not questioned. Good riddance, there really is no loss in my opinion. It is his way of just using the Wall residents on his way out the door as he has been since he became Superintendent. He was never about the township kids from my own experience and opinion, he always put himself and everybody else a head of the kids. He has been missing more days than ever the last couple of years for one reason or another, but I am sure he was never marked out of his cushy chair and job. Individuals in the Education World wonder why they are all being questioned. Parents do not want to hear it is about the kids any longer, because most know that is a lie. Educators from the top down are only worried about themselves. Most of our children do not have a chance unless they are politically connected or have clout with in the community. Oh what a scam of an educational world we live in.

Remember folks the BOE are the ones who ultimately allow these Administrators to get away with what they do. They are not about the children either. They are only worried about their own and their own political agenda. All the BOE is puppets to what the Superintendents want. You do this for me and I will do this for you, it is all an exchange for something going on.

Easy, pilgrim. Don't throw the baby out with the dirty bath water. While it is admittedly de rigueur to trash everyone involved in educating our children (with loving thanks to Our Esteemed Prosecutor-In-Chief), don't lose focus that this is about one man (Mr. Habel) abandoning a school district that is in a period of transition. Wall Schools have never needed strong leadership more than now. Mr. Habel is simply showing his true colors. There are certainly candidates with far greater character and sense of duty than he who wish to serve as our next superintendent. I believe the fresh faces on our Board of Education can do a far better job of finding one than the old board did.

Tom, Unfortunately there is more in the Wall Township School System than Habel that should be ashamed of themselves. I will agree it is not all Educators....however under Habel's poor leadership he allowed some that were beneath him to ignore many problems. Trust me, most are only worried about themselves and their own perks and agenda wether you believe it or not. He has always showed his true colors, maybe you did not realize this.....But many has, especially those who has had to work with this arrogant self serving peacock in my opinion. They should bring in someone that has kids of his own, so he can relate to the parents and students complaints. Habel was cold and had no connection to kids. I have never seen this man smile, not even once. It comes down to, no one cares about your kids, with the exception of you, most parents do, unfortunately the reality is some do not either, so that child is really behind the eight ball, unless he or she gets a few good teachers here and there. He was allowed to behave this way towards our community along with some other smug administrators, they followed his poor leadership that the BOE also allowed. I can only hope that the New BOE members are truly in it for the kids and not themselves and stop allowing the nonsense that continues to go on. The politics need to stop in the schools.

Politics have always been a part of education. After all, it is a public trust. The key is for motivated parents such as yourself to stay involved and on top of current issues. Stay tuned, Mr. Wayne. We have another opportunity to bring new, responsible, independent-thinking members to our Board of Education right around the corner.

Tom, I agree that Politics have been a part of education. The big problem that I have, it should not be. After all it is public education for all the students and what public trust? There is none. Parents should be able to report blatant politics to some one at either the County Level or the State Level, some children, teachers and staff level should not be getting special treatment. It is not that hard to connect the dots, it needs to stop, it is public education for all students. You should be able to put a complaint through and who ever is responsible for building education and opportunities on some who are connected should lose their jobs. Maybe then they will not do it. Put that in all their contracts including all the coaches who also only see and support who they want and it is not always the students who should. All parents should get together, sign petitions to get rid of anyone who is not going to do the right thing.

Well, John, I urge you to attend the next Board meeting. It sounds like you have some specific grievances that deserve to be addressed.

@John Wayne
As a former teacher and guidance counselor at Wall High School for nearly thirty years, I am insulted by your sweeping generalizations. Most Wall teachers are dedicated, skillful, and involved professionals who do care about their students. Most spend hours on end preparing lessons, doing research, correcting papers, meeting with parents, staying after hours to work with individual students, adjusting lessons to meet all students' needs, and the list goes on. If you "walked a mile in their shoes" you might understand what teachers actually do and why some get so discouraged, especially after hearing the comments and assumptions some people like you often make.

@Tonia, blah, blah, blah, the truth hurts sometimes. Sure there is a some good teachers, but there is many that are not. Some are phonies and fakes and are not in it for the right reasons. Most teachers do not have control or a say over the peacock administrators that are not doing what is right for many kids and I don't believe you if you are going to tell me they are.

Tom and Tonia...don`t waste your time with JW. He lives in Point Pleasant Beach and goes on the offensive anytime an article appears dealing with schools or education.

@Peter Pan, You do not know what you are talking about. You are living in fairy tale land. There is a lot of Families who left Wall Township School System that came to Point Beach to go to the Point Pleasant Beach system. Point Beach is far better than Wall in every way, not that I am saying Point Beach does not have some issues, but there is no comparison between the schools. Not only is their tuition students that still live in Wall and now come to Point Beach because of all the problems Wall has. There is also several families that moved from Wall to Point Beach. Wall's reputation went way down hill from the Habel leadership, they are in denial as usual. @Peter, you have no idea, if only you knew what is going behind close doors, your head would be spinning. Tell you what, send your kids to the Wall System and see if you are happy.

@Peter, There was a letter in the opinion section of the Coast Star recently, She knew what was going on in Wall. She said how shameful the Wall Township employees are. Administrators and teachers included and she was absolutely right and spot on with her opinion as well as mine. It will eventually all come out.

If you actually read Tom, he knows I am right and he agrees. He wants me to continue the fight on what is wrong in the Educational world.

Actually, John, what I was saying was that you have a right, as a citizen of Wall, to come to the Board of Education meeting and publicly comment about your opinion of how the schools are being run. As a citizen of Point, you have that right there. I happen to not agree with you, but I encourage you to become more publicly active with your views.

Blanket statements and assumptions are often inaccurate and misleading; some of the students from Wall who attended Point went for other reasons. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Tom, My bad.... I though you knew,were aware and agree there are a lot of problems in the Wall Township School System, under the leadership of Dr. Habel that will be sitting on the beaches of Florida recuperating on the Wall Township tax payers. Isn't that what most the big time Educators do, retire to Florida in their Mc Mansions. They USE New Jersey Tax payers on the backs of our kids and then take all their money that they really do not deserve to another state. Peter Pan is a fictional character and knows nothing. He or She seems to think so. I do not live in Point Beach.... but I do follow all articles on education and the schools. They are wrong, I am not defensive, I am speaking the truth and the truth hurts some times. It is my opinion and what I have seen for myself which I am not asking for anyone to agree. The problem is the Educational System in general, even at a higher level has become a scam and it has become a club amongst fraud. Who is supporting and promoting what is needed and not, Educators themselves. Just look at some of the articles that comes out with new findings everyday. Our kids are in the middle of it all. Let's face it, it is never about the kids, that is were they look to cut first.

John, I encourage you to participate even though I disagree with your view because an involved electorate makes for a healthy democracy. Do you have any specific solutions for what you view as a broken educational system (which consistently ranks in the top 5 nationwide), or are you content parroting phrases generated from Drumthwacket about educators being overpaid and underworked?

Tom, The only thing that is going to change in the broken system is when all the individuals who are involved start to do what is right, change the mind set and put themselves in other individual shoes. Do on to others and their families what you would accept for your own. Stop the Politics that is so accepted because it is wrong. Stop the special treatment and favoritism, be impartial like it should be all. Stop building and helping and building skills on some and not others. Sir, this has nothing to do with Drumthwacket if they are doing their job and doing what is right. I really do not care what is being made as long as they are doing their job, they do not in my opinion so I don't feel they deserve the big bucks and perks if they have no control and willing to sweep issues under the carpet or ignore legitimate complaints from students, parents, employees, etc.... Tom, Do not believe everything you read on ranking and education, it is all very misleading.... But you have the right to believe what ever you want as I.

Merry Christmas to all the Educators who do what is right and are truly in it for the kids. Everyone who is not, I do not and hope the day will come we can get rid of you all starting with the leaders. Maybe the educational system needs to be change. Maybe something erratic needs to be done with the educational system. Make them all private schools, no longer public, give a certain amount per child and that is what they have to do with. Run it like a true successful business. Get rid of anyone who is not willing to work hard, no one is tenured and their success is based on results of the school and students.

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Real solutions to a perceived problem: All private schools. Run it like a business. Success based on results. A few questions: 1) Private schools have the right to turn away students based on performance. If the success of the "business" is based on outcome, who will educate special needs children? Or, for that matter, children of typical intelligence? The best schools will heavily recruit the brightest students. Where does that leave the other 80% of the children in our town, state, country? (Sorry, that was three questions.) 2) If teachers are to be paid based on "results of the school and students", what are the criteria for those results? Standardized tests? Benchmark tests? What about a student who just lost a parent, or is going through a divorce. Should they take the test? Or a student who is lives in a gang-infested project and has to raise her 2 year old brother because Mom works two jobs. Exempt from the test? Remember, the teacher's salary depends on that child's "success". 3) When was the last time you set foot in a school? You have some pretty negative opinions about teachers being lazy and only looking out for themselves. Give yourself a treat - stop in to your local public school when you get a chance. See for yourself how hard teachers work. Watch them lug a suitcase full of essays home at 4 o'clock to grade while they are making dinner, putting kids to bed, and "resting". Go see your tax dollars at work. You deserve it.

Bravo, Tom. Some of the students transferring into Wall from private schools were not as academically prepared as you would think. And guess what, John, I do agree that tenure is a bad thing. Funny thing, though; the good teachers (as I was) were not negatively affected by tenure; we worked just as hard after we attained it.
Listen to Tom; visit a school and see what these people do. You'd be exhausted at the end of one day. We had a former engineer teaching at Wall for a short time; he left because the job was too difficult and frustrating.
I fully agree there are problems with our system of education and not just Wall Township, by the way. As far as being a superintendent, it's a thankless, overwhelming job.

Tonia, Really? You are a riot. I am rolling on the floor with your comment of a Superintendent being a thankless overwhelming job. Are yo kidding me. Are you married or dating a Superintendent? I love it when educators promote and support each other for their own self agenda and interests. Every time I called to speak to Habel he was either out, or away. Like I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I do not believe a word an Educator says or what they promote. Heck even at High School level the students realizes what a scam the Educational system has become and they do not even believe the bull that is being thrown around by some of the educators. We do not need Superintendents or BOE members because they always claim their hands are tied, nothing can be done. Get rid of all the Superintendents, have one Superintendent per County. Complaints from students and parents should be filed at County and State Level, we should be able to go to someone who is going to do something about issues. Not swept under the carpet or ignored which has become the norm. Boo hoo, you all work so hard, please most of you do not know what it is to work really hard, for a lot less. I wish there were cameras in every class and office so everyone can really see what is going on and what is being said. Good Night folks, Have a Merry Christmas.

Well, John, you have said quite a bit here. I wish you a peaceful solution to some obviously deep-seeded unresolved issues. Can we count on you to vote "Yes!" on the next school budget?

Wall Township opt to get rid of their Foreign Language teachers, Now Rosseta Stone is teaching our kids because the Administration had to cut some where and it was not going to be them. What's next, they are going to have virtual computer teachers teach our kids...... that should save a lot of money for the district with salaries and benefits as long as you have all the Administrators in place, even if it means they are tripping over each other.

Dr. Habel had a chance to make Wall Township a great school and did not. To bad he was always out for himself and choose not to do what is right for most and what he should have. He along with the BOE is very aware of continuous problems with an Administrator that basically has a Narcissistic Personality in my opinion. He is allowed to get away with this behavior. He has had many complaints of unfair treatment from Parents about their Elementary student, his own Teachers and Staff members which he seems to target only some who stand up to his bully behavior. Can everybody be wrong? The answer is "NO" What does Dr. Habel and the BOE approve of and do? They hire a family member of this Administrator as a Custodian that they just wanted to get rid of all of them the year prior. Do you see what happens in the School System, they hire and support their own even when they know there is many problems. Obviously they have to much on each other to the point they can get rid of them. It is shame and apparently ever one else especially the students suffer under the hands of these leaders who really do not care a bit about them and this is my opinion.

I left out the fact that it should be all about the students and their welfare and education and clearly it is not. Dr. Habel and the BOE should be a shame of themselves for what they have allowed go on under Dr. Habel's leadership in my own opinion. John Wayne did get some issues right in my opinion. When you have that many Parents pulling their children "your students" from any School System it s should be investigated. When you have so many employee's who want transfer from one school in to any of the others should be a sign that something is wrong and shouldn't be ignored. When you have students leaving or making that many complaints, teachers and staff requesting transfers should be a sign that an investigation should be done, not just excuses like what has been going on for quite some time. How many complaints before something is done, when it is to late and the residents of the town is the one paying for it all along with the student or employee that wrong was done to them. When you abuse your own public trust with in the community you will surly lose support. Hopefully things will turn around when you have a new leader that is going to do what is right and someone who is not from the area and a BOE who is going to do what is truly right based on right and wrong not who they know or for themselves and own agenda. I do not know when they are going to realize is when something is done based on your position or yourself it is blatantly noticeable.

How I see it, Dr. Habel has allowed his Administrators, some Teachers and staff Abuse their power. Sadly my child has more morals and ethics in his pinky finger than all these adults. When you have a BOE that has been puppets and allow it all to go on in this larger community were many are aware. It is a shame that so many do. They all should be embarrassed. I do not understand how they can hold their head up and look any one straight in the eyes. When you have a young child knowing that all these adults are not doing what is right. When a young adult who is frustrated and sick of all his supposed role models no doing what is right, clearly there is problems. Wall please get your act together, Stop the politics. Hire and keep individuals who are not connected. Do not hire with in the community both pass or present or friends. At one time, 20 years ago Wall was once a top school, individuals looked to move in for the school, now many are trying to move out and are very disappointed. I can only hope the new BOE members are going to truly change what has been going on.

The plot thickens. Apparently, John Wayne and Cindy Lu are the same person. You posted a comment at 10:14 pm as JW, deleted it, then reposted VERY similar comment as Cindy Lu. Wonder what your motivation is? Or your real identity? No matter though. IAll concerned citizens of Wall shpuld be as actively involved as you are (whoever that you is).

Tom, No we are not the same person, We are friends who think a like and know exactly what is going on. I was upset because he used my words in the post, changed it around a little, so he deleted the post so I can send the post. We are a team and doing it together. Nice police work, Tom!

Oh, I forgot to mention we are roommates who shares the same computer, is that ok with you. The plot thickens? It is no plot, it is what it is. Many are afraid to say anything, because most know what happens if you do. You are ostracized for speaking out and telling the truth, which so many do not want to hear and will do anything to make the person who speaks out, look bad and will discredit them in any way.