The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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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
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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.
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Montclair NJ, Montclair public schools were closed on Monday following a “potential threat” that led to the arrest of a teacher on administrative leave. The incident underscores the district’s commitment to student and staff safety while highlighting swift action by local authorities.
Continue reading Montclair School Closure: Teacher Charged After Potential Threat
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Ridgewood NJ, one of Donald Trump’s boldest proposals for his second term is the abolition of the US Department of Education, shifting the responsibility of educating America’s children back to the states. Trump argues that this move would free local school districts from the grip of powerful teachers’ unions, which he accuses of prioritizing political agendas over essential academic skills like reading and writing.
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Hackensack NJ, In a heartfelt and emotional decision, Hackensack Board of Education President Scott James-Vickery announced his resignation Wednesday, citing years of relentless bullying and harassment by teachers union surrogates targeting him and his family. The announcement came during the board’s final meeting of the year, marking an end to James-Vickery’s tenure that began in 2019.
file photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
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Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education meets on November 18th, 2024 at 7:00 PM for a Regular Public Meeting on the 3rd floor of the Education Center.
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Ridgewood NJ, for New Jersey’s public school students, the NJEA convention in November means a couple of days off school. But for teachers, it’s a chance to gather in Atlantic City for seminars and professional development, and this year, it’s taking on a more political tone as Sean Spiller, the president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), campaigns for the state’s top office.
Continue reading Politics and Professional Development at the NJEA Convention in Atlantic City
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Ridgewood NJ, a review by the Office of the State Comptroller finds a majority of school districts including Ridgewood and more than one in four municipalities have failed to comply with a requirement to submit current union contracts to the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). The widespread—and growing—noncompliance undermines transparency, according to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) review, released today.
file photo
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Trenton NJ, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) has announced the awarding of School Regionalization Efficiency Program (SREP) grants to five school districts. These grants are intended to offset the costs associated with conducting feasibility studies that explore the potential advantages of school district regionalization or consolidation. By merging school districts or implementing shared services agreements, there is potential for cost savings and other efficiencies that could benefit both students and taxpayers. The grant program was established by P.L.2021, c.402, which was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in January 2022.
Continue reading New Grants Focus on School District Regionalization in New Jersey
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Hackensack NJ, a teacher from the Hackensack School District has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court, claiming she was wrongfully dismissed in May 2023 due to her pregnancy.
Continue reading Hackensack Teacher Files Lawsuit Alleging Pregnancy Discrimination
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Tenafly NJ, Last month, the teaching certificate of Christopher R. Icochea was revoked due to his involvement in violent acts in Bergen County a year prior. According to the June 2024 Order of Revocation from the state, the State Board of Examiners made this decision on May 23, 2024, following Icochea’s guilty plea to aggravated assault in June 2023. The revocation became final on June 27, 2024.
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Ridgewood NJ, the Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey released their latest report today, entitled The NJEA vs. Local Unions: The Local Unions Make and the NJEA Takes. The report examines the relationship between the statewide New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and the hundreds of affiliated local unions around the Garden State and finds that only 12 percent of New Jersey teachers’ dues return home.
Continue reading Only 12% of NJEA’s Highest-In-The-Nation Dues Are Reinvested at the Local Level
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Livingston NJ, the Livingston Public Schools (LPS) Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D., as interim superintendent for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.
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Ridgewood NJ, earlier this month, the New Jersey Department of Education unveiled the latest School Performance Report, offering insights into the academic landscape of the state’s educational institutions. With schools scored on a scale of 0 to 100, encompassing various metrics such as standardized test scores, student academic growth, and graduation rates, the report provides a comprehensive overview of school performance.
Continue reading New Jersey School Performance Report: Mixed Results Revealed
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Point Pleasant NJ, an English teacher at Hamilton High School West in Mercer County has been arrested and criminally charged with having a sexual relationship with a student, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Tuesday.