TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON — The New Jersey Commissioner of Education has ordered the removal of Westwood Regional Board of Education member Douglas Cusato, effective Sept. 29, following his failure to complete the state’s mandatory “Governance 2” training for school board members.
In an Oct. 8 notice to Cusato and the board citing SEC Dkt. No. T03-25 / Agency Dkt. No. 8-7/25A, board president Jason “Jay” Garcia wrote that the Commissioner’s final decision “orders your removal from the Board of Education,” and that the seat “is hereby vacated, effective immediately.”
Garcia said the ruling affirms the School Ethics Commission’s finding that Cusato violated N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33, which requires all trustees to complete annual training through the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA). “Every trustee takes an oath to uphold state and federal laws, serve with integrity, and meet the minimum obligations of the role — including timely completion of required training,” Garcia said in a statement to Pascack Press.
The removal follows a separate state ethics case earlier this year, when Cusato was formally reprimanded for Facebook comments that appeared to support banning certain school books—remarks the School Ethics Commission said could be seen as compromising the board.
Governance 2 refers to mandatory training for school board members in their second full year of their first term. This training is provided by the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and covers finance and policy. Board members can fulfill this requirement through on-demand online courses or live virtual sessions offered by the NJSBA.
In the School Ethics Commission’s investigation, Cusato is adamant he will not subject himself to “bull crap … flawed” training.
Garcia told us that Cusato’s now-vacant Township of Washington seat will remain unfilled until the Nov. 4 election, with approval from the Bergen County superintendent of schools.
“There’s a 65-day grace period from the date of removal, which would take us into December,” Garcia said. “Normally we’d advertise the vacancy, interview candidates, and appoint someone to serve the remainder of the term, but because this is so close to the election — and the seat is uncontested — we’re going to let it play out. The county superintendent has granted approval to leave it vacant and simply appoint the election’s winner once results are certified.”
The board’s next meeting, originally scheduled for Oct. 24, was moved to Oct. 30 to avoid a conflict with the New Jersey School Boards Association conference.
Asked what message the board wished to convey to those in the Township of Washington who elected Cusato, Garcia emphasized that residents have not lost a voice on school matters.
“Any stakeholder who feels a void following the Commissioner’s decision or believes Mr. Cusato represented their voice is encouraged to communicate directly with the Board and Superintendent Dr. [Patrick] McQueeney. The WWRSD Board, Dr. McQueeney, and his team pride themselves on accessibility, collaboration, and open dialogue with all members of the Westwood and Washington Township communities,” he said.
For his part, Cusato acknowledged his removal in a social-media post Wednesday, calling the experience “truly eye-opening” and “a massive learning experience” for his family. “I hold zero regrets and feel blessed,” he wrote, thanking God and supporters and quoting scripture in messages to his wife, children, mother, and friends.
Commissioner’s decision details
According to the School Ethics Commission’s June 17, 2025 decision in Docket No. T03-25, Cusato repeatedly failed to complete his required Governance 2 training by the statutory Dec. 31, 2024 deadline despite multiple reminders from NJSBA — including targeted emails on Nov. 6, 2024; Jan. 6, Feb. 24, Mar. 17, and May 12, 2025, and more than two dozen notices in School Board Notes.
After the Commission issued an Order to Show Cause in May, Cusato responded in writing but again declined to complete the training, telling investigators, “I refuse to expose my well-tuned focused mind and conscious [sic] to the bull crap training that I know to be miserably flawed.”
Finding a clear violation of N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33, the Commission recommended removal from office, which the Commissioner of Education accepted, effective upon issuance of the final decision. The penalty was the most severe available, following warnings that lesser sanctions would apply only if the required coursework were completed before the Commissioner ruled.
Earlier reprimand over book-ban comments
Cusato’s removal comes just weeks after a separate ethics case concluded with a formal reprimand — not removal — over social-media comments regarding potential book bans in the district.
That case stemmed from a May 2023 Facebook exchange in which Cusato replied to a post suggesting “maybe some books should be banned” with the comment, “100 % agree … it’s going to be a busy few months.”
The School Ethics Commission, in its July 22 decision (SEC Dkt. No. C74-23 / OAL Dkt. No. EEC-05975-24), found that the comments — made without a disclaimer and referencing board-related matters — had the potential to compromise the board, since members of the public interpreted them as signaling official action on removing certain titles.
An administrative law judge had earlier dismissed the complaint, but the Commission reversed the conclusion while adopting the facts. The Commissioner of Education concurred Sept. 12, writing that Cusato’s comments “had the potential to compromise the Board.”
That reprimand case was unrelated to the training-compliance matter that ultimately led to his removal. The earlier social media case was filed by Christopher C. Pinto, president of the Westwood Education Association, while the training case was initiated by the School Ethics Commission following a noncompliance report from the New Jersey School Boards Association.
Ran to be a changemaker
Cusato, a Township of Washington resident since 2013, was elected to the regional board in 2022. In a campaign letter that year, he described himself as a father of four, a medical-device industry professional, and an active volunteer coach in local youth sports.
“My wife and I made the decision to purchase our first home on Calvin Street as the neighborhood maintained picturesque streets, a good school system, and was well located for her commute to New York–Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital,” he wrote.
He cited global experience in drug-delivery and specimen-collection devices, mentoring work with students at Stevens Institute of Technology and Bergen County Academies, and a lifelong interest in health and family life. “No compensation package, award, or recognition remotely compares to the ability to impact students in such a unique way,” he said at the time.
In January, Cusato posted a lengthy message on his campaign page urging “bold action” in education, calling for work-based learning requirements, more homework, traditional grading standards, and opportunities for “faith and spiritual exploration,” while criticizing what he described as “safe space learning models that overly shelter students.”
The district’s board page lists the current roster of trustees: President Jason (Jay) Garcia (WW), term expires 2025; Vice President Andrea Peck (WW), 2027; Loni Azzolina(WT), 2026; Laura Cooper (WW), 2025; Nicole Martin (WW), 2026; Carol Mountain (WW), 2027; Vacant (WT), 2025; Heather Perin (WT), 2026; Jorge Pertuz (WT), 2027.