According to Board of Education President Isaac Zlatkin, on December 10, 2014, lawyers from the New Jersey Education Law Center will present oral argument before the Hon. Mary Jacobsen, P.J.S.C., in Mercer County Superior Court, requesting that the State of New Jersey be ordered to provide an additional $18.5 million in educational and preschool funding to four area school districts – Lakewood, Lakehurst, Ocean Township and Little Egg Harbor, as well as 12 additional school districts elsewhere in the State.
The case before Judge Jacobsen is an extension of a matter originally filed in 2006, named the “Bacon Litigation” for its lead Plaintiff, in which Lakewood and the other school districts claimed that the State’s funding to these districts was inadequate and did not allow the districts to provide a thorough and efficient education to their students, as required by law. In the litigation, the Plaintiff school districts sought to be classified on the same status as the so-called former Abbott School Districts, which the New Jersey Supreme Court have consistently found to be deserving of significant additional funding support due to their low economic status. Lakewood, in particular, argued that its unique demographics and socio-economic makeup resulted in decreased local funding and thus less available money with which to provide necessary educational services to its students such as preschool and student transportation.
In 2009, as a result of the Bacon Litigation, the State provided additional funding to the Plaintiff school districts. However, due to budget cuts and the economic climate at the time, the additional funding to the affected districts was eliminated in 2011. Nevertheless, the Lakewood Board of Education believes that the additional funding was, and remains, essential in order to meet its continuing legal and moral obligations to provide a quality, efficient education to all of the District’s students.
According to Board President Zlatkin, the Board authorized the Education Law Center to continue the Bacon litigation on its behalf at no cost to the district, in an attempt to force the State to meet its obligations and provide funding for the benefit of all students in Lakewood, as well as the other Plaintiff districts and others similarly situated throughout the State of New Jersey.
While it is unclear when a decision in the case will be issued, Board President Zlakin stated that the Board is hopeful it will prevail and the resulting funds will be used for the benefit of the District’s students and Lakewood as a whole.
[TLS]
All the money in the world won’t help Lakewood. As long as the current leadership and specifically Helen Tobia have the power to do whatever they want. The funding will never reach those who need it most.
Clara, it’s not fair to point a finger at one person. Lakewood is the most unique district in the state having more children attend private school rather then public schools. The state knows it and should have funded all the children instead on the 5700 in public school.
The state formula for Lakewood has to change or this problem will continue to exist. If the formula is not changed the ones who lose are the chilkdren and and the taxpayers.
But the fact remains that Helen Tobia continues to be a problem. She has to go… Especially after the report about her comes out in a few weeks.
Lakewood will not prevail in this lawsuit because the case is based on the fact that each district involved in the suit has to prove the they are a “special need district” in order to receive additional funding . The commissioner has already indicated that Lakewood only qualifies “conditionally”, referring to the fact that Lakewood needs to halt courtesy busing before it is granted status as a “special need district” and receive additional funding.
Carl I do actually agree with you HOWEVER – abuse of power is being felt across the WHOLE Lakewood. Only in this town is no one ever made responsible for their actions. if nothing changes nothing will ever change.
Cara , do agree with you on the abuse of power. Has anyone really checked into with so many private schools why there are so many special needs students? Seems like there are more than usual Are the numbers being fixed? Maybe Helen found something not right. Wouldn’t be first time.