The NJ Senators recognized that the state Board of Education is hiding behind COVID to stop the public from commenting on unpopular regulations. All of the local Board of Educations are back in person, giving parents an opportunity to verbally address their local school board. The State Board of education is using COVID as an excuse to silence parents who are concerned about the unpopular regulations being back in NJ schools.
“While the Legislature, local boards of education, and town councils are all back to regular in-person meetings without issue, the State Board of Education continues to use the pandemic as an excuse to meet virtually and limit public access,” said Senator Oroho (LD24) in a press release on Thursday. “Parents want and deserve the opportunity to attend and participate in State Board of Education meetings where controversial policies that impact every student across New Jersey are considered and adopted. The only reason for the State Board to keep meeting virtually is to prevent parents from having a strong voice in the process.”
The Board has stopped in-person meetings ever since April of 2020 and has failed to return to normal almost 3 years later.
They do this to prevent public testimony they do this by requiring constituents to submit questions submitted in writing, with no option for concerned parties to speak directly to Board members.
Senator Stanfield (LD8) said the State Board of Education’s refusal to resume in-person meetings with the opportunity for direct public participation is why she introduced S-3299, legislation requiring all public meetings of the State Board of Education to be accessible to the public both in person and virtually. Oroho has joined Stanfield as a co-prime sponsor of the legislation.
The bill also requires that a link providing virtual access to meetings be publicly available on the State Board of Education’s website. For any meeting in which the State Board of Education accepts public comment, the bill stipulates that members of the public will be able to provide comments by means of remote communication.
“As someone who serves on legislative committees, I know that listening to people speak about their concerns in their own voices is much more impactful than getting a stack of printed emails with submitted testimony,” said Stanfield (R-8). “Interacting with people face to face also gives members serving on boards and committees the opportunity to engage with witnesses, ask questions, and learn more. Public testimony should help guide decision-making by policymakers, but too often it’s treated like a nuisance or an afterthought. That’s one of the many reasons the State Board of Education and every other public body needs to resume regular meetings with full public participation.”
Will the board still hide from parent’s testimony for their December meeting to escape of being confronted by parents in regards to the politically unpopular ideology that is being infused into New Jersey schools? It remains to be seen if they will continue to hide from parents with another virtual hearing and no public testimony.
You state these issues so exactly, and describe them so perfectly, our District is just liked that " dead Zombies.." The sad thing where is the group, promised last spring, that was to have everyone from districts with name and number so we can all unite and help one another?
As you said, the State BOE does this intentionally to keep parents from voicing their concerns over these ridiculous, highly partisan, unscientific, divisive and unpopular policies that seek to undermine parental authority and override children's religious and cultural beliefs. If they are going to refuse our participation in these meetings then it is high time we show up on their door steps.