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NJ Spotlight--Byrne Bows out of Key Investment Panel as Murphy Puts His Stamp on It
Son of former governor satisfied he helped draw attention to state pension system’s huge unfunded liability and need for action
Less than a year after being re-elected as the leader of the New Jersey State Investment Council, Tom Byrne is now leaving the panel that plays a key role in how the state’s roughly $77 billion in public-employee pension assets are invested.
John Reitmeyer | May 24, 2018
NJ Spotlight--Op-Ed: Legalizing Marijuana Puts New Jersey Adolescents at Risk
We owe it to ourselves to be educated and informed about what recreational marijuana legalization will do to our society and especially our children
As a Ph.D. neuro-pharmacologist, New Jersey resident, and founder of The Honey Bee Foundation, I strongly urge our legislators to oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Melissa Tassé | May 24, 2018
Star Ledger—Op-Ed---Desegregation lawsuit: Let all the school funding really follow the child | Mulshine
We conservatives have always believed that the focus of education should be on the children, not the adults who make their livelihood off them.
So I was glad to see that a lot of liberals have come around to our way of thinking, at least partially. A consortium of activist groups recently filed a lawsuit against the state on the grounds that our law tying schooling to place of residence has led to some of the worst school segregation in the country.
Paul Mulshine| Updated 6:36 AM; Posted 6:32 AM
The Jersey Journal-- Weehawken schools superintendent earns 'Thought Leader' honor
Weehawken schools superintendent Robert R. Zywicki has been named a "District Thought Leader" by Future Ready Schools (FRS), the first superintendent from New Jersey to earn the distinction.
Ron Zeitlinger| Updated May 23, 2:02 PM; Posted May 23, 1:54 PM
The Record--Massive sick time payouts for public workers may come to an end. Here's why
Top Democratic lawmakers are lining up behind strict new limits on sick time payouts for public workers, angering unions and reigniting a debate that raged during the administration of Gov. Chris Christie.
Payments for unused sick time has grown into a $1.9 billion liability for New Jersey taxpayers, according to an analysis by NJ Spotlight last year, with headline after headline of six-figure payouts feeding the perception that some workers are abusing the system.
Nicholas Pugliese, State House Bureau, @nickpugz Published 5:58 p.m. ET May 23, 2018 | Updated 7:02 p.m. ET May 23, 2018
The Atlantic--Arne Duncan Is Serious: Americans Should Boycott School
The former education secretary thinks parents need to take radical action to change the country's gun laws.
The former education secretary says it’s time for American families to boycott school to fight for stricter gun laws.
Over the weekend, Arne Duncan, who served in the Obama administration, replied approvingly to a radical suggestion from a former colleague. “Maybe it’s time for America’s 50 million school parents to simply pull their kids out of school until we have better gun laws,” tweeted Peter Cunningham, another Obama-era education official. Duncan’s reply: “This is brilliant, and tragically necessary. What if no children went to school until gun laws changed to keep them safe? My family is all in if we can do this at scale. Parents, will you please join us?”
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/05/arne-duncan-boycott-school/560921/
Adam Harris| May 22, 2018
Education Week--Is STEM Oversold as a Path to Better Jobs?
Which STEM jobs are in demand and pay well? It's complicated
In report after report, government panels, business groups, and educators have sounded the alarm about the state of training in science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM, they conclude, serves as a gateway to higher-paying jobs and is an important linchpin to a growing economy, and therefore, K-12 education in those fields must be improved.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/05/23/is-stem-oversold-as-a-path-to.html
Stephen Sawchuk| May 22, 2018
