In a NY Times article on May 25, 2011, on Page A-19, it states that the New Jersey State Supreme Court has mandated that New Jersey raise spending to poor urban schools by $ 500 million next year. These sinkholes for educational funding include, e.g. Newark; Paterson; Camden; Trenton; Elizabeth; Passaic; Union City; Jersey City; etc. Well, I have bad news for our State Supreme Court on their ruling. Principal Joe Clark could not save Paterson and if Cory Booker gets double the $ 200 million from Mark Zuckerberg(Facebook founder) over the next five years, Newark will never reach his educational goals. The demographics of these communities will prevent it. However, companies that manufacture metal detectors and provide security guards will surely benefit in all these communities.
Middle Class townships like Fort Lee have received State budget cuts, approximated at $ 2 million over the last few years, with more cuts expected next year. Programs for the Arts will be eliminated, e.g. the APA dance program. Sports budgets and Club budgets will be curtailed, i.e. a current fee of $ 150 per student is required now for participation in extra-curricular activities. Jobs will be lost, both teaching and administrative. Only state mandated programs will escape the scrutiny of the administration in the cost cutting. There is good news. If we continue to downgrade our school system, we soon may be classified as a “poor urban school system.” Then we can look forward to additional educational funding from the State of New Jersey.
In Fort Lee, our school budget passed by three votes. Two referendums were defeated in Fort Lee to improve our school buildings. Now the State Supreme Court has passed a ruling that most certainly will not increase our State reimbursements. 2,000 voters, out of 18,000 registered voters, came out to vote for the school board election and budget vote; approximately the same number for the referendums. The citizens of Fort Lee better wake up soon or the Fort Lee children will continue to suffer from the overwhelming apathy in this community. If these “unconcerned citizens” do not awaken, then these parents better start saving money to send their children to private schools. I personally do not want to hear them complaining; they did it to themselves.
