EB Receives $2,096,917 in Funding For a Problem That Doesn't Exist

The incumbent candidates for the EB BOE would have you believe that they are doing an exemplary job of oversight and the administration's running of the schools could not be better. Mrs. Becker and Mrs. Shaw, in particular have repeatedly disparaged anyone who raises the question that all is not as it seems. We've seen the Churchill teachers speak out against the incumbent delusions of no violence or drug problems at the junior high school. Now we have Governor Corzine casting doubt on how well this board and administration is addressing the needs of our students, particularly at Hammarskjold, Churchill and the High School. Today's Star Ledger (link at right) reported on Gov. Corzine's announcement of the distribution of stimulus funds to districts. East Brunswick was singled out to receive more than $2 million in additional funding to: " beef up academic standards, expand teacher training, enhance collection of education data and improve low-performing schools." But Mrs. Becker and Mrs. Shaw insist that we don't have low performing schools, that we are wrongly classified because of a technicality in the NCLB law. Do you see a pattern here - - - let's only follow the laws that are convenient for us and ignore the ones that are bothersome? Once again, it's time to GET THE FACTS. Under documents you can now download: IDEA Stimulus Awards by District (provided by NJ DOE); EB Adequate Yearly Progress (provided by NJ DOE). IDEA stimulus funding is provided specifically for special education populations. East Brunswick failed to meet adequately yearly progress for special education populations in Math at the high school, in Math and Language Arts at the junior high school; and in Math and Language Arts at the middle school. Can we honestly expect board members that refuse to recognize that a problem exists to figure out how to fix it? The NJ Legislature, the Governor, the Congress and even the President are clearly saying "Here's an additional $2 million to address this problem." How come Karp, Becker and Shaw keep telling us there is no problem? How confident are you that the public will ever know where that additional $2 million in funding was spent?

GET THE FACTS and VOTE ON APRIL 21, 2009