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Star Ledger--Christie wants to start N.J. drug education in kindergarten
NUTLEY -- Citing the state's heroin epidemic, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday said he plans to enact a law that would expand drug abuse prevention and education starting with kindergartners.
"We have people all across the state who are dying because they're using drugs," the governor told a classroom of sixth graders participating in a Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.) program at the Washington Elementary School in Nutley.
"The people who are going to stop it, are you."
New Jersey deaths from heroin overdose crested 1,600 in 2016, or two and a half times the national average.
In response, Christie has declared addiction a public health crisis, and made expanding treatment the centerpiece of his final year in office.
On Tuesday, he announced he'd awarded a $375,000 grant to L.E.A.D. to expand the program into the nine New Jersey counties with the highest prevalence of drug abuse.
Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| February 07, 2017 at 2:55 PM, updated February 07, 2017 at 5:21 PM
Star Ledger--New charter would 'drain millions' from district, Old Bridge officials warn
OLD BRIDGE -- Many parents, students, and school officials are waging a fight against a proposal to build a charter school in the district.
More than 200 people gathered at the Superintendent's Forum at Old Bridge High School recently to assail a plan to open the Albert Einstein EnergySmart Charter School. The K-2 school would be built on Route 9 and focus on teaching about renewable energy through science, technology and math coursework.
School officials and community members believe the charter would teach the same material as the district and drain money from the district's budget. When parents opt for charters, their public school district pays the tuition.
"I am not someone to tell you all charter schools are bad," said Schools Superintendent David Cittadino, who spoke at the forum on Jan. 30. "But as an educator in a successful school district that is successfully providing a thorough education for all of its students, I am saying that a charter school in our community is unwarranted and would just be a duplication of services."
Spencer Kent | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| February 07, 2017 at 9:30 AM, updated February 07, 2017 at 2:39 PM
Education Week--Senate Confirms Betsy DeVos as Ed. Secretary, Amid Unprecedented Pushback
Billionaire school choice advocate Betsy DeVos squeaked across the finish line to win Senate confirmation as President Donald Trump's secretary of education Tuesday, despite massive opposition from the civil rights community, educators, parents, and many in the general public.
Senators deadlocked 50-50 on DeVos' confirmation, with Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joining all 48 of the chamber's Democrats in voting against her. Vice President Mike Pence made history by casting the first tie-breaker vote to confirm a cabinet official.
It's an open question whether DeVos can make the transition from highly divisive nominee to effective leader of the U.S. Department of Education.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee, said during a 24-hour debate preceding the vote that DeVos would enter the department a hobbled education secretary.
By Alyson Klein on February 7, 2017 12:29 PM
