Free Republic

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will announce Monday that all public and private schools in the state will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, POLITICO has learned. Murphy will make the announcement at his daily briefing — scheduled for noon in Trenton — alongside state Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet, according to a statement from the governor’s office obtained by POLITICO. “This is a difficult decision and I know that many students, parents, and staff would like to be able to return to school,” Murphy said in the statement. “However, I have been unwavering on the message that...

Planned Parenthood of Greater Northern New Jersey’s Center for Family Life Education held its sex education conference on November 18th and 19th, 2010 at the Imperia Conference Center in Somerset, NJ. Roughly half the attendees were NJ educators whose $250 conference fee, daily salaries and substitute salaries were paid for by their school districts. At first glance it would appear that this conference was intended to enhance the knowledge base of health educators and as the program guide stated, “keep our communities safe and healthy.” In reality these two days did not fit the criteria of a health conference. The...

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie Thursday revealed a plan to end the bidding wars that have fattened school superintendents’ salaries, saying he will limit their pay based on how many students they serve and offer bonuses tied to student achievement. The proposal would mean salary cuts for 366 superintendents at the end of their current contracts, saving school districts $9.8 million, the Republican governor said. The new rules also would encourage districts to share superintendents and administrative teams, reducing the overlap in those positions and producing more savings, Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said. ... Maximum pay for superintendents would be...

TRENTON — The man once described by teachers’ union leaders as “the antithesis of everything we hold sacred about public education” was chosen to serve as state education commissioner by Governor-elect Christopher J. Christie on Wednesday. The nomination of Bret D. Schundler to the post underscored the governor’s determination to press ahead with his push for school vouchers, more charter schools and merit pay for teachers. It was the first selection by Mr. Christie to suggest even the possibility of a confirmation battle with Democrats, who control both houses of the Legislature. Thus far, the governor-elect has chosen nominees heavy...

High school clubs that address sexual orientation and gender identity have more than quadrupled in North Jersey since 2000. This rainbow revolution is part of a national trend that has students openly discussing gay and lesbian issues in school-sanctioned clubs. Some of the clubs adopt a purposely vague moniker, like "Kaleidescope" or "Spectrum." But most use the name "Gay-Straight Alliance" -- GSA for short. All see themselves as no different from any other issue-oriented club, such as Amnesty International or environmental clubs. There are at least 16 of these clubs in Bergen County, and 125 throughout New Jersey. What's most...

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. -- A male high school student can wear a skirt to school after the American Civil Liberties Union reached an agreement with school officials. The ACLU announced the deal Tuesday. It will allow a Hasbrouck Heights School senior to wear a skirt to protest the school's no-shorts policy. The district's dress code bans shorts between Oct. 1 and April 15, but allows skirts, a policy 17-year-old Michael Coviello believes is discriminatory. "I'm happy to be able to wear skirts again to bring attention to the fact that the ban on shorts doesn't make sense," Coviello said in...