News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The sex ed controversy, explained

Friday, April 22, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The sex ed controversy, explained

Apr 22, 2022

Good Friday morning!

The weed is plentiful in New Jersey, and so is the outrage over the revised sex ed standards.

Carly Sitrin and (to a much lesser extent) I break that controversy down, explain its potent political angle and try to put things in perspective. There's been a lot written about this, but I think this is the most comprehensive article on it so far.

Carly interviewed a woman who wrote some of the suggested lesson plans that have stoked the most outrage. We talked to state Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) about how she came across those plans. And we attempt show you what the state standards actually say, where the actual controversy is and the distortions that have been used by some politicians and activists to foment rage.

One of the disturbing things about this whole controversy is that laying out the facts about what's actually in the standards makes you a target of people who accuse you of wanting to "sexualize children" or worse — much, much worse. It's human nature to want to protect children, but I can't help but sense that there's an element out there that loves having an excuse to call people the worst words they can think of. I hope that ends soon and we can have an honest debate about a topic that is, frankly, worth debating.

Read our article here.

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WHERE'S MURPHY? France for "personal travel" and some meetings, then Ireland for official business

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Tower of Jell-O" — Hoboken American Legion Post 107 Commander John Carey's description of Mayor Ravi Bhalla over a stalled project that would include housing for veterans.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

TODAY WE CELEBRATE OUR SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE DAY! — 'Today is only the beginning': New Jersey officials celebrate launch of recreational cannabis sales, by POLITICO's Daniel Han : Gov. Phil Murphy, joined by New Jersey's top two lawmakers, celebrated the launch of recreational cannabis sales on Thursday — marking the end of a long-winded and turbulent process and the start of what some hope will become a multibillion-dollar market. Standing in front of a dispensary in Elizabeth, where hundreds had stood in line for hours waiting to legally purchase weed and cars circled around the packed parking lot, Murphy, state Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin touted the first day of sales. "I'm happy — I wanted to see long lines," Scutari, who had spearheaded efforts to legalize cannabis, told reporters. "I wanted to be proven right for once, after 18 years of working on [cannabis legalization] because … I was the only one that was talking about it when we first started about it."

REBEL REBEL, YOUR WEED LAW'S A MESS — Platkin sticks to his memo on police cannabis use, even with some towns rebelling, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman : Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin is sticking to his memo that New Jersey's cannabis legalization law bars law enforcement agencies from punishing officers, even as the state's two biggest cities move to explicitly bar off-duty cops from using weed. Platkin called the prospect of towns punishing cops for marijuana use "employment law issues that we anticipate will be handled between those governments and officers in the appropriate course," possibly hinting his office may not take an aggressive approach with municipalities. "As Acting Attorney General, public safety is my top priority, and I share concerns about how legal cannabis impacts the role of police in our State. As I explained in my memo to law enforcement chief executives last week, New Jersey's law legalizing and regulating cannabis is clear and we are obligated to comply," Platkin said in a statement late Wednesday. "I welcome conversations on how best to protect public safety."

—Greenwald plans to introduce legislation on cops and cannabis use

—Republican senators raise concerns over allowing off-duty cops to use marijuana

— Poll: New Jerseyans OK with recreational weed sold in their towns

—"13th N.J. recreational weed sales site plans to open Friday after hitting a snag"

—"Early lines and free doughnuts: Legal marijuana sales begin in New Jersey"

—" N.J.'s legal weed grand opening goes off without a hitch, state regulators say"

—"The few medical marijuana patients who ventured out on 1st day of N.J. legal weed got 'VIP treatment' "

APRIL SHOWERS BRING WEED FLOWERS — "Legal weed in NJ. Dispensary or black market?" by InsiderNJ's Jay Lassiter: "New Jersey is buzzing about recreational cannabis sales which begin [yesterday] at a handful of politically-connected pot shops scattered across the state. But the activists who did the work to make it all happen, they all celebrated in Trenton ... on 4/20, the holiday of stoners. Through the smoke and haze, the message was resounding: the black market is alive and will thrive as long as NJ's cannabis industry is dominated by greedy dispensaries and overwhelmed regulators … To demonstrate their economic vitality and staying power, several black market entrepreneurs showed up at yesterday's rally to rain down several pounds of free weed on the assembled crowd. I noticed multiple gallon-sized ziplock bag stuffed with high quality flowers, all free for anyone who raised their hand."

HOUSE SHOPPING? — "Gov. Murphy heading to Europe, including economic visit to Ireland," by NJ Advance Media's Matt Arco and Brent Johnson: "Gov. Phil Murphy is about to leave New Jersey for a six-day trip to Europe, his office announced Thursday. Murphy is scheduled to depart Thursday afternoon for the trip, spending two days in Paris in what his office said would be 'personal travel' and then four days on a trade visit to Ireland. The governor, who is proudly Irish-American, is slated to stop in both Dublin and Cork — two of Ireland's biggest cities — in an effort to strengthen economic and cultural ties between New Jersey and the country. That includes encouraging Irish companies to invest in the Garden State."

I MISSED THE BUS — "'Roll of the dice:' NJ Transit riders stranded by no-show buses on these Coach-run routes," by The Record's Colleen WIlson: "In the darkest hours of the morning when most of the city is still asleep, Tracey Holmes arrives at the corner of her block in Bayonne just before 3:15 a.m. to catch the No. 119 to go to work as a longshoreman at the ports. 'Sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesn't, it's like a roll of the dice,' she said … From November 2021 through February 2022, Paramus-based Coach USA missed about 15% or more of its scheduled bus trips every month on the six Hudson county routes it services for NJ Transit. Coach missed 15% of scheduled bus trips in November, 18% in December, 24% in January and 15% in February. That's up from just 5% in September and October of 2021. Coach's contract with NJ Transit for route Nos. 2, 10, 22, 23, 88 and 119 stipulates the company must ensure at least 95% of buses arrive on time. Normally, NJ Transit fines private carriers $150 for each missed trip and $300 for unreported missed trips, but the agency waived these fees for Coach from the end of June 2021 through the end of December 2021 'due to the extraordinary measures the carrier had to take to stand up the services in an emergency interim agreement during a pandemic,' said NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith."

—Book excerpt: " Raymond Lesniak: Settling scores"

— Fundraising slows as New Jersey's 'Big Six' committees regroup

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BIDEN TIME

ANTI-VAXX — "Postal worker from N.J. created, sold 400 fake vaccine cards using post office printer, feds allege," by NJ Advance Media's Jeff Goldman: "A postal worker from New Jersey sold 400 phony COVID vaccine cards that she printed at the post office where she worked, federal prosecutors said. Lisa Hammell, 39, of Turnersville, was one of 21 people charged in a nationwide crackdown on health care fraud related to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Hammell advertised the cards for sale on social media, bragging in a private message to one person she later sold a card to 'Making fakessssss, Graphic design degree paying off,' according to charging documents."

—" Manalapan man's death after Navy SEAL Hell Week unsolved; Rep. Andy Kim wants answers"

—" Malinowski hits back at Republican attacks on N.J. educational curriculum"

LOCAL

WALL DISNEY — "Wall senior class trip prompts investigation, principal suspensions," by The Asbury Park Press' Joe Strupp: "A Wall High School senior class trip to Disney World last month has come under scrutiny and prompted district officials to place the high school and intermediate school principals on paid leave while an investigation into alleged improper behavior is conducted, according to three sources with intimate knowledge of the incident … The actions come just months after a football hazing scandal rocked the school district, forcing coaching dismissals, student suspensions and criminal investigations. The decision earlier this month to place Wall High School Principal Rosaleen Sirchio and Wall Intermediate School Principal Erin Embon on administrative leave is not related to the football probe from the winter, sources said … At issue is the annual senior trip, which occurred in mid-March and included Sirchio, sources said. It is unclear what occurred on the trip or what actions are being alleged. But several sources said district human resources officials have been questioning staff at both schools about the trip and allegations that Embon also participated without district permission."

IT'S TRENTON — " Trenton council VP on resignation: 'It doesn't matter what I do or say'," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "A day after abruptly resigning as vice president of Trenton's governing body, North Ward councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson said in a rare interview with The Trentonian that her colleagues rejected a contract extension with Trenton Animals Rock, the nonprofit that ran the city animal shelter, as payback for her voting against the removal of embattled police director Steve Wilson. In the weeks that followed that vote, Caldwell-Wilson said communication between her and council president Kathy McBride, once a close ally, 'ceased to exist.' 'There's issues that take place in public and issues that take place in private,' Caldwell-Wilson said. 'That was the icing on the cake. That put me over the top. They weren't even willing to talk. It doesn't matter what I say or do.'"

PATERSON FAILS — "Paterson fails to pass ordinance in time to get tax revenue for start of legal weed sales," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Thursday's debut of recreational marijuana sales in Paterson won't generate any additional money for city government. That's because municipal officials never adopted an ordinance imposing a local tax on recreational cannabis purchases. Exactly how much money Paterson will be losing is hard to say. The city currently gets about $20,000 per month in taxes on the sale of medicinal marijuana, officials said. City officials last summer said Paterson could reap as much as $1.5 million per year in recreational marijuana taxes. But that estimate was based on as many as 36 businesses opening, including entities cultivating, wholesaling and marketing marijuana. 'You've got my blood boiling,' Councilman Al Abdelaziz said when asked about Paterson dropping the ball on the marijuana taxes. 'I'm trying to fix this as soon as possible so we don't lose any more revenue.'"

DOES HE TEACH MATH? — "Paterson teacher put $50K of his own money into City Council race ," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Md Forid Uddin, a Paterson high school teacher running for City Council in the May 10 election, has donated $50,000 to his political campaign, according to his finance reports made public this week. Uddin, whose annual salary from the Paterson school district is about $56,000, said he got the money he put into his campaign from selling a house he had owned with his sister. Uddin, who has been endorsed by the Forward Paterson political committee connected to former mayor Joey Torres, said in an interview on Tuesday that he would only accept very small 'grassroots' campaign donations, like $25 or $50. 'I don't want to be beholden to any special interests,' Uddin said. Uddin's New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission finance report filed on April 11 says he has raised $50,250, including a $50,000 loan he made to his campaign."

GOP BENEFITS FROM LIBERALLY-CONSTRUED ELECTION LAW — "New petition rules after judge lets candidates merge petitions after voters signed them," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "In a decision that marks a significant change to generations of political common law, Superior Court Judge Kathleen Sheedy ruled that three candidates for Howell Township Council may retroactively combine nominating petitions to reach the minimum number of signatures to get on the ballot. Sheedy allowed Republicans Fred Gasior and Susan Gasior to merge their petitions with another candidate, Ian Nadel, in order to reach 50 valid signatures, citing court rulings that 'election laws shall be liberally construed.'"

CLARK — @SPSullivan: "When @riley_yates and I reported that a police whistleblower in Clark had received a secret payoff, we had already obtained the full settlement. But we requested it anyway from the town. Here's what they gave us today." (click)

— "Judge validates three-year residency requirement for sheriff, ending Oswald campaign"

—"'Ballot Siberia': NJ law to blame for Passaic County's bare primary ballot, say critics "

—"Sexual assault lawsuit against Manville police chief may go to federal court"

—" Hackensack building boom is a boon, but will the city get too pricey for some residents?"

—" Ex-NFL player, cannabis advocate zeroes on Millville for growing, manufacturing business"

—"Former Long Branch police officer guilty of drunken-driving death loses appeal"

—"Children and adults call for environmental justice review of proposed Newark power plant"

—" Union County Commissioners unopposed in primary after judge backs tossing of three challengers"

— "$219M Atlantic City budget introduced, public still waiting for details"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

MATT PLATKIN'S FAULT — "Comedian impersonates N.J. cop, smokes weed while directing traffic," by NJ Advance Media's Jeremy Schnedier: "As marijuana sales become legal in New Jersey and the state debates if police officers can use it while off duty, one supposed Newark cop smoked on the job. Well, as part of a comedy bit, anyway. Darius DK, a comedian, actor and musician, posted a video on Instagram Wednesday (yes, 4/20) featuring him wearing a police officer's uniform, appearing to smoke weed and sharing it with a citizen while directing traffic. The video was so popular that even legendary rapper and stoner Snoop Dogg shared it on his Instagram page Wednesday."

—" Fire destroys 7 buses in NJ Transit storage lot"

—"American Sign Language is a hit with NJ high schools, and it's not just because of 'CODA' "

—United CEO blames Spirit, JetBlue for increased flight delays at Newark airport

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