Controversy Lingers, But Manasquan School Board Member Confirms Plans to Stay

Contentions among Manasquan School Board members continue, with Board Member Michael Shelton confirming he has no plans to resign after outcry over a series of emails.

The emails, read by members of the public at the previous school board meeting, were sent by Shelton to former and current board members using profanity and criticizing school district health care negotiations. Calls for Shelton to resign from the board led to the board member to issue a statement explaining his position.

The statement is attached to this article as a .pdf file.

The original emails as they were read by audience members at the previous meeting, had Shelton emailing a staffer asking if there was some sort of cult being run by a guidance counselor and frequent guidance office student visitors. Another email was read by recently resigned board member Michele LaSala. The email referred to health care contract negotiations: "Next time one of our dumb ass staff comments on Newtown and how we better hope we keep BCBS [Blue Cross Blue Shield] ‘in case that happens here,’ — I plan to ask them how that f*cking worked for their dead staff members. Stupid asses…"

Shelton responded at the meeting that unfortunately other board members were writing similarly hostile emails and he encouraged audience members to ask for them at the board office.

Last week, the tension continued and Shelton released a statement to the media. In it, he said he did not plan on resigning and looked forward to continuing efforts to improve the district financially. He also addressed his critics, and charged that many of these individuals encouraged him to run for office. He also outlined answers to questions from the media and fellow board members about meeting with superintendent candidate referrals and other issues that were part of the May school board meeting.

The multiple-page statement is attached.