Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 10:28:24 AM EDT
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| There is already flooding from today's storm. Senator Menendez has information on how to apply for assistance if you are in one of the six counties that have been approved for federal disaster aid for last weekend's storm. Our senators and many representatives are pressing for the rest of the state to be eligible.
A state report has vindicated Trenton teacher Beverly Jones. Here's what happened:
But in a blistering report issued this week, the state Department of Education confirmed Jones' charges. The DOE's Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance Investigation Unit found that Trenton's top administrative staff exhibited "a pattern of egregious nonfeasance" by inappropriately making dozens of ninth graders repeat classes they'd already passed. Then, to correct the error, the school credited some students with courses not offered at the campus, and gave course credit to other stu dents who had failed to meet district or curriculum standards.
The school, naturally, tried to fire this New Jersey history teacher of the year. That's why tenure protection for teachers and whistleblower laws are so important. Unfortunately, forty students now have their graduatation threatened.
The Star-Ledger has a glowing profile of the SEEDS program, which provides private-school scholarships to high-achieving poor, urban youth. They are considering expanding to public schools.
Many in the state legislature are trying to provide funding for the eliminated sports teams at Rutgers . However, Rutgers is independent of the legislature, so it is not clear that that effort can succeed with the President McCormick opposed. Many (including me) at Blue Jersey have been critical of the decision to eliminate the teams, but do you support the state interfering in the university's internal decisions?
In other Rutgers news, the administrative staff has formed a union. You may recall that Corzine supported their efforts, noting that most workers (including faculty) were already unionized.
Morris County freeholders complain that new state rules protecting water supplies will hurt development.
Some state senators are opposing plans to charge Medicaid co-pays. Only five states do not charge co-pays, but if Texas, Hawaii, Idaho and New Jersey agree on something it must be a good policy!
If no one runs for a seat on the board of education, someone can win with only a few write-in votes. Today's Sunbeam has some recent stories.
If you like gossip, you can read more about the McGreeveys' divorce or Corzine's annual income elsewhere.
This is an open thread so fire away! |
| Hopeful :: News Roundup and Open Thread for Friday, April 27, 2007 |
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