A letter given to Bove dated Jan. 7 from the high school’s new principal Joseph Sabato, who took control just one week before he issued the termination stated: "Due to differences in philosophy, the Lyndhurst High School Special Education Department will no longer need your services. Effective Jan. 7, 2008, you are terminated from your position as a Special Education Teacher Aide at the high school. I would like to thank you for your time here as a classroom aide."

Bove said the "differing in philosophy" with her superiors was her outspoken demeanor regarding a student she felt should continue his education at the school. She said the student was in jeopardy of losing credits due to absences, ones she said were justified by an illness. She said it was the student’s second time in the situation, and supervisors were ready to not reinstate him. When she questioned supervisors at the school about giving him another chance, she said they told her "it wasn’t her business" and soon after she was given her walking papers.

"I mean, we just can’t give up on our children because they have two strikes against them," said Bove. "I think that by me trying to help a child and ask a question, a simple question, I lost my job and I have no regrets now because now this child will be helped."

According to Superintendent Joseph Abate, the matter with the child in question was being resolved for the benefit of the student, but Bove persisted to push the decision further, leading to her termination.

"The situation was being resolved and simultaneous to that, she continued to push the issue, an issue where it wasn’t her place to do so…we can’t have teachers acting that way," said Abate.

What Bove does have regrets about is the manner in which she was fired. She contends her termination goes against board policy when terminating district employees. She was always under the assumption that a termination needed the full vote of the board of education, not just the waiver of a superior. The letter she received was signed only by Sabato with carbon copies addressed to Abate and Director of Special Services Janice Martin.

"It was my impression that it has always gone through the board of education…I’ve never heard of someone ever being fired without the board doing it," said Bove. "The superintendent didn’t even sign my letter."

According to board policy however, all indications are that it’s the discretion of the school board, not any other entity in determining the termination of a non-tenured employee. There are strict rules in place when school boards are deciding the fate of a tenured teacher due to the state’s comprehensive tenure laws. Rules governing the discipline or termination of support staff, however, are rather ambiguous.

Superintendent Joseph Abate could not produce a board policy governing the termination of non-contracted employees, but said he stands firm that such employees can be terminated on the spot, without board approval. He said in Bove’s case, the severity of the situation led them to make the decision without board consultation.

"She’s not a contracted employee, not a member of the union and is just an hourly employee and the cause of her termination was significant enough to make the decision on the spot," said Abate. "She is a teacher’s aide without qualifications and she is interacting with certified employees. If she had issues with the system, she should have worked her way through the system to effectuate change. She did the opposite…it’s not in our best interests or the district’s best interests."

A perusal of board policies by the South Bergenite pertaining to termination of employees and support staff members alludes to the involvement of the board of education in deciding the fate of an employee.

Under board policy 4217.52 (Suspending/Dismissing an Employee), it says, "In the case of a non-tenured support employee, the School Business Administrator/Board Secretary shall make a recommendation for Board action after following all proper investigative and evaluative procedures."

Bove’s track record according to Lyndhurst High School evaluations over the past few years have greatly contradicted the reasons for her being terminated. In several evaluations obtained by the South Bergenite from January 2005 to as late as March last year signed off by recently departed principal Anita Pescevich, Bove was given consistent above average marks on 13 delineated performance points. In one evaluation, Pescevich wrote, "She is dependable and considerate, making her a favorite at our high school." Another said, "Mrs. Bove continues to be cooperative, dependable and considerate to students, staff and administrators."

Abate said Bove should have tried moving up the ranks, but Bove had in fact applied twice for positions within the board of education, but was denied each time. Over those two attempts at full time employment, she was given exemplary letters of recommendation by Pescevich, two special education teachers she had worked with and by Janice Martin.

A mother of a sophomore, who preferred to use only her first name, said Bove was a dedicated aide and is upset the district went to such measures to take away "an important asset".

"We are new to the town, my son has trouble with reading and writing and she is excellent with him," said Nina. "She doesn’t know anything about us and doesn’t have to do much for us, but she goes beyond her job on her own time to help him. When you are concerned, it tells a lot about a person."

Bove said she has been encouraged by others familiar with board policy to object to the termination, but is still unsure if she wants to fight it due to what she expects would be a hostile work environment if a fight did bring her back to the high school.

"I feel like I helped a lot of people throughout the past, but I’m not sure if I want to work among people that are like that, I’m not like that," she said.

Abate said Bove, who was escorted off the grounds by a school resource officer upon her termination, will be allowed on grounds for business dealing with her children, two of which are students at the school, and events at the school.

"She still retains all those rights, but she was told that she was unwelcome on site as an employee," he said.