Articles Tagged with Attorneys for NJ teachers

The State Board of Examiners, which operates within the New Jersey Department of Education, is the agency charged with licensing New Jersey educators.  It determines educator fitness and issues certifications required for New Jersey teachers and other teaching staff members.  It also has the authority to revoke or suspend certificates in appropriate circumstances.  The New Jersey Supreme Court recently examined the limits of the Board’s authority in the case of In the Matter of the Certificates of Nicholas Cilento, State Board of Examiners, New Jersey Department of Education.

Background

Nicholas Cilento was a special education teacher with the Woodbridge Township School District.  On May 21, 2019, he was relieved of his teaching responsibilities because it was alleged that he consumed alcohol on school grounds.  Tenure charges were filed in November 2019.  Cilento appealed the charges and after an evidentiary hearing in which Cilento admitted struggling with alcoholism and consuming alcohol on school grounds, an arbitrator upheld charges of conduct unbecoming, violations of state and municipal law, violations of District policy.  The arbitrator imposed a three-month unpaid suspension and reinstatement on a “last chance” basis.