The courts have struck down New Jersey schools conduct policy as ultra vires, raising the question of whether any policy that regulates out of school or after hours conduct will survive judicial scrutiny. The decision is significant given that at least 54 schools are currently using these policies. In the
New Jersey school districts may need to go back to the drawing board when it comes to disciplining students for illicit activities that not take place on school grounds or during school hours. The Appellate Division recently held that many of these 24/7 school conduct policies go too far by
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that violations of the state’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) by Rutgers University are not actionable. While the court acknowledged that the university’s Board of Governors did not fully comply with the letter of the law, it held that the minor violations did
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently clarified that the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) does have its limits. The Court addressed whether certain records related to the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic’s representation of its clients should be fair game under OPRA. The lawsuit, Sussex Commons Associates v. Rutgers, arose
The controversial Rutgers-Camden merger will likely become a reality, after a restructuring plan passed both houses of the New Jersey legislature last week. While the approved plan differs from the proposal first submitted by Gov. Chris Christie, it still won’t make everybody happy. Rather than a full merger, the final
Last week, New Jersey teacher tenure reform seemed like a done deal. However, Gov. Chris Christie may have other plans. Christie has indicated that he doesn’t believe the tenure reform goes far enough and has even hinted that he may veto the legislation. At a town hall meeting at Lake
New Jersey has one of the best public school systems in the country and ranks second in per pupil spending. However, many argue that New Jersey’s tenure program for teachers is in dire need of an overhaul to keep the most effective teachers in the classroom. Under New Jersey’s current
New Jersey has some of the strictest laws in the nation when it comes to harassment, intimidation, and bullying in schools, but what happens when the teachers are the bullies? On the heels of several highly publicized cases of bullying by school staff, New Jersey Senator Diane Allen has introduced
