The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Lodi NJ, a former Lodi public school teacher, Stephanie Carafa, officially had her teaching license revoked in April after pleading guilty in October 2024 to endangering the welfare of a child — a second-degree crime stemming from an inappropriate incident with a student in 2018.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Ridge NJ, in a developing story that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Principal Michael Donovan and Vice Principal Jonathan Heitmann of Ridgewood Avenue School have been placed on indefinite administrative leave following disturbing allegations of a long-term grooming case involving a former teacher.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, as New Jersey continues to reshape public education, Ridgewood Public Schools may soon become the first district in Bergen County to embrace the Community School model—a structure already implemented in Paterson and Newark as part of their agreement with Governor Phil Murphy to restore local control after decades of state oversight.
Continue reading Ridgewood Eyes Community School Model: A Political Shift in Public Education?
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Page one of Critical Race Theory: An Introduction places the reader into an elementary school classroom where they are asked to observe the following scene: “A child raises her hand repeatedly in a fourth-grade class; the teacher either recognizes her or does not” (1). Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, the authors, then ask the reader to imagine receiving messages from others as a white person: “are you annoyed? Do you, even for a moment, think that maybe you are receiving this treatment because of your race? Or might you think that all these people are merely having a bad day? The authors question the reader if a sense of anger or depression arises within if a person of color delivered that negative message. Delgado and Stefancic then ask the reader to imagine being a person of color: “do you immediately think you might be treated in these ways because you are not white?” (1)
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey voters may soon face a critical decision: Will they allow the state’s powerful teachers’ union to handpick their next governor?
Continue reading Is New Jersey About to Elect a Union Puppet as Governor?
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in a bold move to reshape American education, President Donald Trump has declared that most of the programs within the Department of Education provide no value to students and will be eliminated, redirecting funds directly to the states.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Superintendent of Ridgewood Schools, Dr. Mark Schwarz, gave an impassioned locker room speech during Thursday night’s Superintendent Coffee.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Public Schools present its tentative $130 Million 2025-2026 Budget as district wide enrollment continues to decline.
Continue reading Ridgewood Board of Education Unveils $130 Million 2025-2026 Budget
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Parsippany NJ, a Morris County high school teacher and local soccer coach, James Wiegand, 43, has been arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a 14-year-old student, authorities announced.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A new analysis from Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab reveals a significant decline in U.S. K-12 public school enrollment, projecting a 5% drop by 2031 and a further 7% decline by 2041. New Jersey will be hit even harder, with an 8% enrollment decrease by 2031. Only Idaho is expected to see an increase.
Continue reading U.S. Public School Enrollment Decline Signals Budget Cuts and Tough Decisions
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Garfield NJ, a former Garfield Middle School teacher, Amy Dovidio, 47, of Pompton Plains, is facing serious sexual assault charges involving a student. However, her arraignment has been rescheduled and reassigned to a new judge in Bergen County’s criminal division.
Continue reading Former Garfield Teacher Faces Rescheduled Arraignment in Sexual Assault Case
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a new Edunomics Lab study analyzed return on investment (ROI) in education from 2013 to 2024, examining per-pupil spending alongside 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The goal? To determine which states have been the most (or least) successful in leveraging funding for academic improvement.
Continue reading New Jersey’s Education Spending vs. Student Outcomes: A Decade-Long Analysis
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Twp. of Washington NJ, a new front has opened in New Jersey’s education wars, as left-leaning Boards of Education shift their focus from curriculum control and parental authority to discrediting private schools. The latest example comes from the Westwood and Township of Washington Board of Education (BOE), where recent comments by Board President Jason Garcia appear to take aim at private education and the growing number of parents opting out of public schools.
Continue reading New Jersey’s Education Battle: Public Schools vs. Private Education
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Belleville NJ, a group of Belleville High School employees are under investigation by district officials after reportedly wearing t-shirts with the phrase “Gulf of America”—a name change for the Gulf of Mexico suggested by President Donald Trump.
Continue reading Belleville High School Staff Under Investigation for “Gulf of America” T-Shirts
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in recent years, unionization efforts at major companies like Starbucks, Amazon, and Costco have made headlines, sparking debates about the future of labor movements in America. However, the reality is that private-sector union membership has reached an all-time low—just 5.9% in 2024.