NJ Spotlight published the following article on August 11, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
CHRISTIE’S VETO PEN PUNCTURES HOPES OF GREATER COMMUNITY ROLE IN DECIDING SCHOOL CLOSURES
Bill was spurred by wave of closings as part of controversial reforms in Camden, Newark
A bill that would give the public some say about the increasing number of school closings was never a good bet for getting Gov. Chris Christie’s signature.
After all, Christie has been a strong backer of his state-appointed superintendents in both Newark and Camden, the epicenters for such closures to date.
But Christie’s veto of the bill on Friday nonetheless came after lengthy jockeying for a compromise — some, perhaps, at the behest of the governor’s own state education commissioner – that some thought might give the legislation a chance.
The bill would have mandated that local boards of education hold public hearings on proposed school closures, even in the case of state-run districts. School closures have been a hotly debated topic both here and nationwide.