Aside from that sort of major competition (election?) going down tomorrow, in one not-so-little corner of the world, voters will have the option to choose how they will choose the school board from now on. I know, I know--not sexy at all, but that sort of thinking is exactly what I am here to combat.
Now, pay attention.
As I mentioned earlier, JC's school district was under state control (from 1989 until April of this year) because of people behaving badly, to say the least. Now that it is back in the control of the local government, we have the option to decide whether we want school board members to be a) chosen by the mayor or b) chosen by you. Mayor Jerramiah Healy actually wants there to be a third option, described as a hybrid--consisting of 3 members chosen by the mayor, 3 elected by the people, and 3 deans of colleges. Here is what the Jersey Journal reported that former JC mayor Gerald McCann had to say about that: "St. Peter's College and Jersey City State (now New Jersey City University) supplied us with the teachers in the first place. I'm not buying they have all the answers." Interesting--and not a particularly favorable allusion to JC's teaching force, but I'll leave that be for now.
When you make your way to the polls tomorrow, Healy's three-way split will not be an option. He has to get legislation passed in order for it to be even presented to you. However, since the decisions made about the schools will now come across his desk, it is good to have some sense of what his thoughts are on the matter.
If you've never been to a Board meeting, I will not lie and tell you it rivals "24" or whatever TV show you favor, but it is in those meetings that decisions are made that directly affect your children. Truth be told, while the question of who runs the nation is certainly relevant, it is also important to pay attention to (dare I say, WATCH) the people who impact your quality of life.
OK, I'm finished soap-boxing for now. Tomorrow should be chock full o' drama, so put on your mud boots and prepare for a stroll...
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