Reply To: School Board Monitors in Lakewood & East Ramapo

Gavra: I like my idea better. The state has the responsibility to provide public schooling. As the district seems unable to do so (due to lack of tax funding and no fault of their own), that responsibility should be taken away from the district.

Only problem is then the state has to forgo real estate taxes in the district which they wouldn’t do. They can’t take the taxes and not provide the services. As far as the State taking over the district they can’t unless the Board is criminally convicted which is not the case. NJ is the only state with a monitor with veto power over the board and his only accomplishments is denial of busing, a $9.5 deficit and breaking an agreement he made with the community to provide courtesy busing for the school year.

The question that the courts must address are is the monitor violating rights under the voting act and is he endangering the welfare of a minor by denying school bus services. Because an agreement for busing wasn’t made until August the monitor could not find buses for some yeshiva routes resulting in MANDATED Students being denied bus service. The State is on the hook if the parent get together and sue.