Here’s something unexpected—or not. On Wednesday the New Jersey State Board of Education, in a 6-5 vote, approved, at Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan’s insistence, changes to a heap of verbiage called Chapter 7. Specifically, the changes include substituting “equity” for “equality” and mandating that classes on human sexuality be divided by gender identity.

You’d think this sort of woke virtue-signalling would be popular with progressive members of New Jersey’s State Legislature. But it’s not. Late yesterday Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin and Senate President Nicholas Scutari issued a statement assailing the State Board and the DOE for usurping local control. Today Senator Vin Gopal, chair of the Senate Education Committee, and Senator Joseph Lagana issued their own statement “strongly condemn[ing]” the Board’s action and calling it a transparently political attempt to “mislead parents with outlandish accusations of schools teaching children inappropriate things with zero evidence of that taking place across over 600 school districts throughout the state.”

Both criticisms are fair. Here’s one example from revised Chapter 7:

• “The Department proposes to replace “for male and female students” with “based on gender identity.” The proposed amendment will allow portions of classes that deal exclusively with human sexuality to be conducted in separate developmentally appropriate sessions based on gender identity of the students, provided the course content for such separately conducted sessions is the same. The proposed amendment will provide school districts with the necessary level of flexibility in determining how to conduct sessions regarding portions of classes that deal exclusively with human sexuality.”

I believe that gender identity can be fluid and/or at odds with one’s genitals. Yet why is the DOE now mandating—with the threat of “sanctions,” which means loss of state aid—these sorts of marginal issues that have nothing to do with the fact that 19% of students in our largest district (Newark) can’t read at grade level and New Jersey students overall have suffered grievous learning losses? This is what the DOE is concerned with? This the hill they want to die on?

More to come. Meanwhile, here is the statement form Senators Gopal and Lagana:

We strongly condemn the State Board of Education making any threats relating to ‘sanctions’ to local school districts. The State Board of Education is charged with the adoption of administrative code and advising on educational policies proposed by the commissioner. This body, which has a membership made up of gubernatorial appointments- a majority of whom was appointed by former Governor Christie should be focused on this mission and not imposing sanctions that would remove access to funding that kids deserve. 

That being said, we also strongly condemn the misinformation and politicizing campaigns that our schools are falling victim to because of the agenda of politicians more interested in scaring parents instead of being truthful. There is a continual attempt by these politicians to mislead parents with outlandish accusations of schools teaching children inappropriate things with zero evidence of that taking place across over 600 school districts throughout the state. We are seeing significant teacher shortages across the state which has become exponentially more significant due to the baseless attacks that they are making.

As not only the youngest senators, but parents who are directly involved in all aspects of our children’s lives let us be very clear. All parents throughout our state should absolutely not be excluded from any decision making made by school districts. Parents should have the ability to have a say on the curriculum districts teach. Parents should and do have a right to opt their children out of reproductive health education if they feel it is not right for their family. Parents should have the right to parent and we stand by that.

New Jersey has the best public schools in the country, and we must work to not only maintain that standing, but to continue to improve our schools and ensure the next generation has the best possible education.