Susan Poage, vice president of the Berkeley Heights Township Council and a mayoral candidate, emailed the school board on June 10 urging it to pass over an experienced teacher for a lower-paid hire.

Poage, a teacher at William Woodruff Elementary School, argued the district should have picked a candidate at a lower salary step to save money. She also suggested the district should hire "young teachers," NJ21st reported on Friday, Aug. 28. The email went out the day before the June 11 Board of Education meeting where the hire was on the agenda.

Two board members responded directly.

Natasha Joly, vice president of the Board of Education, wrote in her individual capacity that Poage didn't "give" 25 years to the district but "worked and was paid according to her contract during those years." Joly questioned how Poage could judge the hire's salary without any role in the interview process or knowledge of the candidate's qualifications.

Dr. Feltre, also a board member, noted the recommended candidate brought 20 years of verifiable teaching experience. Feltre said attracting high-quality educators is a primary goal for the district and asked Poage to focus on supporting Berkeley Heights students.

Poage's email had framed her argument around her own pay history. She wrote that she holds the same certification as the recommended hire and that it took her 25 years in the district to reach the salary the new teacher would start at.

Age-based preferences in hiring carry legal risk in New Jersey. The state's Law Against Discrimination (LAD) prohibits discrimination in recruitment, interviews and hiring decisions based on age. The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects applicants and employees 40 and older. NJ21st noted that basing a hiring decision on age could expose the district to a discrimination claim and costly litigation. No named legal expert was quoted in that reporting.

Poage has not publicly responded to the concerns raised by the email. NJ21st's report, written by Laura Kapuscinski, did not indicate whether Poage was contacted for comment. The Board of Education has not issued a formal statement on the matter. Joly's response was made in her individual capacity, not on behalf of the board.