BREAKING – EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Court Recognizes Lakewood District Needs More Money to Provide Thorough and Efficient Education

This afternoon, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Susan Scarola (Mercerville) denied the New Jersey Department of Education’s request to dismiss a Petition filed in 2014 by Arthur Lang, Esq. alleging that there is not enough monies provided to the Lakewood school district (see DECISION).

ALJ Scarola wrote, in part, that the testimony of witnesses including Superintendent Laura Winters has established that there is a likelihood that the Lakewood school district is not receiving adequate funding under current State legislation due to its unique population.

Board attorney Michael I Inzelbuch, Esq, who has been involved in the matter since he was appointed in July 2017, stated, “Great work by Mr. Lang and the witnesses presented including Superintendent Winters, Business Administrator Robert Finger, Monitor Shafter, Principal Marcy Marshall, Supervisor Malka Stein, and others. The divide and conquer theory has been rejected. Judge Scarola, who over the years has heard many of my cases involving Lakewood and the unique kids we service, has refused to be bated by the State lawyers. We finally have a decision that doesn’t allow non publics, special education, and transportation to be blamed for the district woes. Bottom line – the Court has found that the State itself for years has agreed that Lakewood needs more money (see OPRA request served by Mr. Inzelbuch on the State and the response including numerous letters from various Commissioner stating that Lakewood needs more money). Again – good work Mr. Lang.”

Mr. Inzelbuch added, “In addition to the DECISION, I believe we now have people in Trenton and the DOE who truly appreciate our needs and are looking to help thanks to the efforts of many. This DECISION can only help.”

Watch the exclusive video below.

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9 COMMENTS

  1. Credit must be giving to Rabbi Aaron Lang Esq Who took on this project on his own volition by himself spending thousands of hours and considerable money to get this done without any help and even had opposition to his work we all owe him big time.
    May he see Bracha and Hatzlocha.

  2. This is the first step in the continuation of a lengthy hearing on this matter. The State filed to dismiss the case, but the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) found the district presented evidence that showed it could ultimately win the case. The case must now proceed to the hearing and fact finding stage in the Office of Administrative Law. The ALJ upon conclusion of the hearing will make a recommendation to the Education Commissioner who can accept or reject that decision. Either party may appeal the Commissioner’s decision in the Appellate Division of the NJ Superior Court.

    There is a long ways to go yet, unless the Legislature steps in early to resolve the issue. Either way the final solution will likely include a combination of increased state aid and increased local property taxes given the significant increase in Lakewood’s real estate ratables due to development.

  3. Is this only for the private schools in lakewood? What about the public schools? Enough money has been taken from our public school to provide for all the private busing and schools

    • No money has been taken away from public schools at all. Only state mandated services are provided to the private school students – whose parents pay a very large percent of the local taxes. The public schools are funded on the backs of the private school parents, not the other way around

  4. Private kids are people- that’s not totally correct. School funding is only based on the number of public school students. So the state is giving enough funding for 6000 kids, but the transportation covers 36,000. Taxes give enough money for 17% of the kids (transportation and education). Busing covers 25% of the budget, considering public students are required to take buses to the closest school rather than 41 buses rolling through one development. Another 1% of the kids (under 400 altogether) get sent to SCHI, at the cost of another 25% of the total budget.

    A large amount of taxes comes from private parents. But when a public school child is facing cuts on basic educational rights, not enough textbooks, sports getting cut, and threats of 50 children per class, so that 50% of the budget can cover buses and special needs, something has to be fixed.

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