By WILLIAM CLARK
Asbury Park Education Association President John Napolitani has filed a lawsuit against the district claiming defamation and retaliation.
Napolitani, the current mayor of Ocean Township, filed the complaint stemming from the press conference that suspended Superintendent Rashawn Adams held in December 2023.
Adams made multiple comments that Napolitani claims are both false and were purposefully made with malicious intent. The superintendent said Napolitani had “bought” votes against the school administrator.
Napolitani holds the district responsible as well for its placing of the press conference on its social media platforms. In addition, board member Jessie Ricks placed postings on her personal accounts.
Napolitani then filed a Torts Claim notice with the district regarding the allegedly slanderous remarks. Several months later, Napolitani interviewed for two district level positions. He was the final candidate and ready to be recommended by the Acting Superintendent Mark Gerbino to first the Human Resources manager then to the Manager of Operations. Both times the Board of Education informed Gerbino that the votes were not there to approve Napolitani for the positions. Each would have come with a significant pay raise.
The complaint alleges the board retaliated against Napolitani by not approving him for the higher level positions due to his possible lawsuit.
Napolitani has been employed by the district since 1999.
