Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton, who both represent Jackson in Legislative District 12, are calling on state Department of Education Acting Commissioner Kevin Dehmer to step down and retract his statement regarding Jackson and Toms River school boards. 

Sauickie says Gov. Phil Murphy’s response on News 12’s “Ask the Governor” segment Thursday evening makes it evident the commissioner is misleading the governor while smearing the hard working volunteer school board. 

“Governor Murphy unfortunately bought the Department of Education’s lies about the Jackson Township School District and its board members hook, line and sinker and he is unknowingly regurgitating falsehoods on public television now,” Sauickie (R-Ocean) said. “Not only do I believe that the DOE purposely delayed adopting the Jackson school district’s budget to make them look bad, but also misled the administration. Instead of helping the district before the budget deadline, Acting Commissioner Kevin Dehmer puts out a press statement smearing the school board.” 

The DOE on Wednesday officially adopted Jackson Township School District’s budget two days late and released a statement twisting the facts that led to the delayed action while scolding school officials. 

“This administration’s treatment of the Jackson Township School District is emblematic of how most of the school districts in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties have been treated since Murphy signed S2,” Clifton (R-Monmouth) said. 

In 2018, Murphy signed a bill (S2) championed by then-Senate President Steve Sweeney, dictating how state aid would be distributed to schools.  

“Instead of raising educational opportunities for all New Jersey students, the department has lessened them for the students of Jackson and the other students in many other districts,” Clifton continued. “The commissioner’s statements illustrate he either has no idea what is really happening, doesn’t care or is purposely lying to score political points with the governor. All of these are sufficient reasons to resign.”

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-wVMPhGytbE?si=CTa-on91CZL92z8n Sauickie questioned the DOE-appointed fiscal monitor for Jackson schools at the board meeting on Wednesday July 24. 

“Why did the Department of Education put out a press release that blames the board for not meeting the deadline for their budget when it was over to you, the monitor, after last week’s meeting to get it done within 48 hours?” Sauickie asked.

The monitor said she couldn’t answer because she did not know. 

“It’s unbelievable to me that the Department of Education – which we’ve been pleading with, begging for help – does nothing to help this town, but took the time today to put a press release out to blame the board and school leaders. That is just unconscionable,” Sauickie said. “The state caused this problem, not any of you. I’ll keep fighting for you.” 

At the district’s board meeting on Wednesday, July 17, the members voted down a proposed $165.7 million spending plan that eliminated 70 staff and teachers, late busing for students, and after-school enrichment programs and closed Rosenauer Elementary School, while increasing property taxes by 9.9%. 

The monitor has the power to overrule the board, but she declined to do so and instead said she would report back in 48 hours. The board didn’t hear from her until two days after the July 22 deadline to submit a final budget to the state. 

“Even the additional $2.5 million we were able to secure in this year’s budget to save Jackson’s courtesy busing that protects schoolchildren from having to cross dangerous roads, is woefully inadequate to sustain a high-quality public school system or operate without an alarming deficit,” said Sauickie. “The Department of Education failed to offer solutions that the town’s elected school board members found sufficient or acceptable. And instead of simply acting on a proposed bad budget as the department is unfortunately permitted to do, they had to slander the tireless local school advocates. Acting Commissioner Dehmer must retract the statement, set the record straight and resign in order for our schools and students to be successful moving forward.”