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.”