Many Cranbury School parents and students fondly recall teacher Sean Cox’s talent-show rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run.” But for Cox, the more appropriate Spingsteen number may be “Better Days.”
Up for tenure following his third year as gym teacher at the school, Cox has been informed by the school that he will not be hired back for next year.
“I would accept the decision if it was based on my professional performance,” he said. “But what really bothers me is that this is clearly a personal vendetta.”
Cox claims that Cranbury School principal John Haney fired him over musical differences, a claim supported by numerous school staff members.
“Principal Haney became particularly critical of Cox toward the end of the year, especially after the Drug-Free Fair,” said one teacher, who asked to be anonymous. “It was commonplace for him to say things like ‘Man, doesn’t that Cox guy sound like a wounded dog when he sings?”
For his part, Haney refuted claims of personal tensions between he and Cox.
“Even though he tends to sing out of his range a lot, I’ve come to like Sean as a person,” said the principal, a former music teacher who fronts a Metallica cover band on the weekends. “But the bottom line is that we need to make our P.E. curriculum a lot more rigorous, something that is difficult to accomplish when we have teachers who make gym class seem like a lot of fun for the kids.”
While Cox has gained a cult-like following among the school community for his affable personality and sense of humor, not everyone is supportive of saving his role.
“If you really look hard at it, the whole idea of a singing gym teacher is a little weird,” said one Cranbury school board member, who requested anonymity. “I mean, maybe there’s a time and place for that, but I don’t think it’s in Cranbury.”
Cox said he will appeal his termination at next Tuesday’s board meeting.
Photo: Cranbury School gym teacher Sean Cox belts out a cover of “Let’s Get Physical” during a recent school function. Cox has not been hired back next year.
