The meeting commenced with a public comment section, where several community members took the opportunity to discuss the upcoming decision on the district’s new superintendent. Rick Short, a Cherry Hill resident, explicitly advised against choosing superintendents from New York, Philadelphia, and the current interim superintendent, Dr. Kwame Morton. Short criticized the focus on high-achieving students to the detriment of lower-achieving ones and the adoption of certain educational ideologies, such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which he believes have not been proven successful in school districts over a 12-year span.

Another Cherry Hill resident, Jeffrey Pottowitz, expressed dismay that the board had not chosen a former board member or the next highest vote-getter in the election for an open board seat. Pottowitz also stated a preference for a local candidate over those from North Jersey or Philadelphia, emphasizing familiarity with Dr. Morton, regardless of policy agreement, as preferable to an unknown entity.

Joseph Jarislaw from Cherry Hill followed up on previous remarks, underscoring the importance of focusing on all students, including those pursuing vocational skills and those at both the bottom and middle of the academic spectrum. He encouraged the board to consider these aspects when choosing a superintendent, echoing his father’s belief that success in education should be measured by the ability to support every student toward becoming a productive citizen.