By Brenda Flanagan
Correspondent
“We are asking the state to come in and take over our school system,” said Rev. Glenn Wilson of United Neighbors Improving Today’s Equality.
Public school advocates claim New Jersey needs to rescue Lakewood’s chronically debt-ridden school district. Twelve million dollars in the hole, Lakewood’s looking to slash 68 teachers and more services from next year’s budget. Cuts so deep, class sizes could hit 40 kids.
“That is impossible. That is impossible and that is not acceptable,” said Alejandra Morales of Voz Latina.
The board condemned it and the superintendent refused to certify it.
“This budget offers an inferior education compared to the education offered students in wealthier towns in Ocean County and across the state,” said Lakewood Superintendent Laura Winters.
But for two years, a state-appointed fiscal monitor has overseen Lakewood’s school budget, enforcing funding rules.
“To lay off all these teachers that we’re talking about is terrible for students and everybody here agrees with that. We had to put something together so that there could be a discussion,” said David Shafter, Lakewood School District state monitor.
Advocates note Lakewood’s unique. Some 5,000 kids attend public schools. The rest — more than 20,000 — go to dozens of yeshivas in the town’s booming Orthodox community. The monitors claim private schools push up costs for transportation and special ed.
The nine-member board — mostly Orthodox — blames the state for withholding state aid.
“To blame the deficit on this board is absolutely, in my mind, wrong, factually wrong,” said board member Isaac Zlatkin.
“I think that you have to have skin in the game. You have to represent the students that go to that school, and they don’t,” said Bill Hovday of Senior Action Group.
Lakewood is underfunded, says the Education Law Center’s David Sciarra.
“They’re now owed $5 million this year. It’s time for Gov. Christie really to step up,” he said.
But he says the fiscal monitor needs to make hard choices going forward. For example, gender-segregated busing for yeshiva students.
“Clearly not required by state law, and there’s a question of whether it’s even allowed. Public school couldn’t do that. The state really has to stop that,” Sciarra said.
Rabbi Avi Schnall disagrees.
“By forcing the boys and girls to go on the same bus is not going to save money. The issue is a revenue problem. So there are those that are screaming let’s have a state takeover, which is ignorant to believe a state takeover will solve anyone’s problem. The state has taken over several districts throughout the state, and each one of them was a failure,” he said.
The monitor has proposed a special referendum to raise an extra $8.5 million in taxes for Lakewood residents. That’s a non-starter for seniors.
“It could be anywhere from $400 to $600 to $800 permanently on your tax, and the seniors just feel that they can’t afford to do it any more,” said Senior Action Group Chair Tom Gatti.
Lakewood’s monitor has taken the budget back to Trenton for education officials to review. The district’s finances remain in turmoil.