- New Jersey’s education commissioner ordered Manchester Township to reinstate its former superintendent, John Berenato.
- The school board fired Berenato in 2023 for not disclosing a past conviction, but the state ruled the termination violated tenure law.
- The district business administrator said the district will review its options, but will not bring Berenato back.
MANCHESTER — New Jersey’s top educational officials ordered that Manchester Township school district reinstate its former superintendent, one who was fired in 2023.
John Berenato served as Manchester’s school superintendent from February 2, 2022, until Nov. 7, 2023, when the Board of Education terminated his contract, effective immediately. The termination came after the board discovered Berenato had not disclosed a previous conviction for intoxicated driving and the suspension of his driver’s license, according to a petition submitted to the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law.
Berenato was also facing a lawsuit that accused him of making ageist, racist and sexist comments toward an elementary school principal.
On Oct. 20, New Jersey Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer ruled Manchester’s school board was wrong to terminate Berenato’s contract without following tenure law.
“The Board’s options were to … continue the contract, file tenure charges, or pay petitioner (Berenato) to do nothing for the remainder of his contract while assigning his superintendent duties to someone else,” Dehmer wrote in his decision. “However … the option the Board chose — unilateral termination of petitioner’s contract — was not among the Board’s legal options because a superintendent is entitled to the procedural protections of the TEHL (Tenure Employees Hearing Law) prior to his removal.”
The law protects tenured school employees from termination or demotion without just cause.
As part of his decision, Dehmer ordered that Berenato be reinstated as superintendent of Manchester Township School District, a position that is now held by Diane Pedroza. He also ordered the former superintendent receive backpay and benefits.
“This is another step in an ongoing lawsuit and the district continues to review its options as this moves forward,” Manchester’s school Business Administrator Craig Lorentzen said in an email. “However, Mr. Berenato will not be returning to the district.”
Christopher Suspie, attorney for Berenato, said his client’s position has been restored, but he remains on administrative leave with pay until June 30, 2026.
“The board’s decision to terminate John Berenato … violated the law,” said Supsie. “John has been reinstated to his former position, and is entitled to all backpay, benefits … and emoluments (or salary, fees and other payments).”
Berenato’s legal battles
In 2023, a lawsuit filed on behalf of former Whiting Elementary School principal Evelyn Swift accused Berenato of “spearhead(ing) a strategic and coordinated effort to bully, harass and intimidate” her. The lawsuit alleged she was targeted on the basis that she is Black, female and in her mid-50s.
The lawsuit was mediated and dismissed in 2024.
In addition, Berenato and two former administrators filed lawsuits of their own against the Manchester Board of Education within the past two years, saying the board harassed and retaliated against them for being gay or supporting LGBTQ+ inclusive programs.
Board members and certain administrators expressed “discriminatory animus toward gay persons” and “searched for any reason to rid itself (the school board) of the openly-gay superintendent that the prior Board had hired,” according to a 2024 lawsuit filed on behalf of Berenato, who is gay.
Supsie, Berenato’s attorney, declined to comment on that lawsuit.
“My client is seeking to come to an amical resolution of all issues with the board,” the attorney said.
The case is ongoing.
Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 17 years. Reach her at aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
