Hoboken Schools Theater Director Resigns Unexpectedly

The theater program director of Hoboken's public schools resigned unexpectedly on Tuesday, after having worked for the district for 15 years. 

Paula Ohaus, in a brief phone conversation on Wednesday afternoon, said she resigned because of an "ongoing sort of harassment ever since (former Superintendent Peter) Carter was here."

"I can't take it any more," Ohaus added. She declined to discuss any specifics at this point.

School board member Carmelo Garcia issued a statement on Wednesday, blaming the sudden resignation on school board members aligned with the Kids First coalition. Garcia said that board members reprimanded Ohaus for several things, including allowing charter school students to participate in the program.

It's the district's policy that only students in the Hoboken Public School District are allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, said School Board President Rose Marie Markle, who is a member of the Kids First coalition.

“It is clear by the overstepping behavior of KidsFirst members that their number one priority is power not the students, it is the systematic dismantling of the educational pillars in our community,” Garcia said in the statement. “This is just another in the long line of egregious actions taken to bully and mistreat one of the treasures of not only our district, but our entire community.”

Markle called Garcia's claims outrageous and an election stunt.

"It's a shock to us," Markle said. "Nobody has forced her out."

Superintendent of Schools Mark Toback said that he met with Ohaus on Tuesday afternoon, saying that there was "no discussion about resigning." He added that the conduct of the meeting was professional. Among the topics discussed, he added, were Ohaus' schedule for next year.

Ohaus most recently produced and was supposed to start working on a production of Alice in Wonderland. Last year, rumors floated around that the theater arts program . Since then, besides being the program director, Ohaus has also been teaching classes.

One parent, who is involved with the high school, sent out an e-mail in Ohaus' support.

"The kids love her and adore her," the e-mail states, "she gets them to do miracles."