Parade Committee and school administrators resolve conflict over student participation

When the Bayonne Public School Administrators Association (BPSAA) vowed to cease participation in extracurricular activities in retaliation for layoffs made by the Bayonne Board of Education (BBOED) in January and February, community traditions like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and school administrators were set on a collision course.
The St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, an independent organization tasked with coordinating Bayonne’s annual Irish celebration, took to social media on Monday to issue a letter expressing “great dismay” over the BPSAA’s withdrawals of applications for the parade, and the lower participation expected as a result.
As quickly as the controversy started, it was resolved. The two sides met on Wednesday, Mach 8, with the BPSAA agreeing to facilitate and encourage youth participation in the parade, but employees of the school district will not march, as they have for the past 17 years.
Craig said the BPSAA’s decision was “never intended to disrupt the parade or compromise the good they do for our community.”
In a statement, the parade committee said: “Students interested in participating who do not have a marching unit as a result of the schools’ application being withdrawn should contact the Parade Committee at baystpatricksparadecommittee@gmail.com. We will make every effort to ensure that our students and families are included in the event. We wish you all a very happy Saint Patrick’s Day filled with good health, Irish luck, and happiness today and everyday.”