New Jersey
New Jersey teacher crisis, state lowering standards to teach
News outlets everywhere are catching up to a story we covered a year ago when it was signed into law by Gov. Murphy.
Teachers can now be certified without passing basic math, reading and writing skills tests. How outrageous is that? You know who pushed hard for it. Yep, the NJEA.
When they say jump, the Legislature and governors like Murphy ask, “How high?”
Does the all-powerful teacher’s union just want to make sure we have enough teachers in classrooms to teach our kids? Nope. It’s all about the numbers, baby.
SEE MORE: Hey, New Jersey: Please stop rushing to the stores before it snows
Canva / TSM illustration
Keep the number of teachers at a high level and keep those union dues coming in. It’s never been about your kids’ education when it comes to that union. It’s about power. And the more members they have, and the more money they get in union dues, the more power they keep here in New Jersey.
A decade ago, you couldn’t find a highly coveted job as a teacher in this state. Now it seems like they’ll take anybody. I spoke to a grade school principal over the weekend, and she is woefully aware of the problem. I asked if it was the kids and she bluntly said, “It’s parents. The kids are great; their parents suck.”
Some would say the administration doesn’t have your back and always sides with the parents.
Another recently retired teacher I spoke to said this:
“Nobody wants the job because the pay sucks, the benefits were taken away and there’s no support anymore (teachers are always wrong)…Kids are sent to school with no discipline, don’t know how to act, and have no respect for the educational environment needed to have an orderly effective day. They (meaning elected officials) took a respected profession, that did provide somewhat of a decent living and turned it into a job nobody wants! Now they think they can fix it with lower standards. What a joke. Low standards attract low-quality people.”
Many people in New Jersey and across the country have abandoned public school and this new law and lowering standards won’t help. Those who can afford to send their kids to private or parochial schools will. And a rapidly growing trend is homeschooling.
Canva / TSM illustration
Many parents got a close-up look at what goes on in public and private education during the pandemic and that has led to a sharp increase in homeschooling nationwide.
Even in New Jersey, where we pay outrageous property taxes to fund public schools, people are choosing to keep their kids out of “that mess.”
There are many great teachers in this state, and nobody is more frustrated than them with this mess. Things need to change in a hurry if we are to salvage public education in this state.
Best elementary schools in New Jersey (2024)
In November 2024, U.S. News & World Report released its list of the best elementary schools in New Jersey.
Gallery Credit: Dino Flammia
NJ schools with the worst attendance problems
These 30 schools had the highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the 2022-23 school year. Data is for the New Jersey Department of Education’s annual NJ School Performance Reports.
Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.
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A brief respite from cold weather is ahead of New Jersey this weekend, before temperatures continue to rise late next week, according to the National Weather Service.
Saturday, Feb. 28 will be sunny across the Garden State, and temperatures will be comfortable, reaching the high 40s and low 50s.
Then, a brief artic cold front is expected to move into the region late on Saturday night, bringing temps to low 30’s and some scattered snow showers on Sunday, especially in North Jersey.
During the week, a couple low pressure systems are in the NWS forecast. Little snow if any is expected from these systems, especially in the late week, when a significant warm-up is expected.
Asbury Park and Monmouth County weekend weather forecast
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.
Sunday: Partly sunny and a chance of snow before 1 p.m. The high should be near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.
Wildwoods and Atlantic County weather forecast
Saturday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 56.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Sunday: Partly sunny and a slight chance of rain before 1 p.m. The high should be near 44. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.
Newark and Essex County weather forecast
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.
Saturday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 32.
Sunday: Cloudy and scattered snow showers before 1 p.m. Then gradual clearing of skies, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo.
The winning numbers in Thursday’s drawing of the “New Jersey Pick 6 Double Play” game were:
8, 23, 29, 34, 43, 45
(eight, twenty-three, twenty-nine, thirty-four, forty-three, forty-five)
For more lottery results, go to Jackpot.com | Order Lottery Tickets
New Jersey
San Diego Wave FC Unveils “Balboa Park Kit”: New Community Jersey for 2026 Season – San Diego Wave Fútbol Club
Wave FC introduce all-new community kit inspired by San Diego’s Historic Balboa Park
Since 1868, Balboa Park has served as the city’s creative commons. Spanning 1,200 acres, the park is home to world-class museums, performing arts institutions, community gathering spaces, and everyday moments that define life in San Diego, from pickup soccer games to family picnics and cultural celebrations. Larger than New York’s Central Park and Chicago’s Millennium Park combined, Balboa Park represents the depth, diversity, and creative energy of the region.
Designed in collaboration with Nike, the bespoke kit draws the park’s historic architecture and vibrant tilework. The sleeve cuffs and collar feature the vibrant colors of pink, orange and blue, and patterns from Balboa Park’s tilework, translating architectural detail into wearable design.
Kaiser Permanente, who continues to serve as the official team physicians of Wave FC, is proudly featured on the front of the Balboa Park Kit for the fifth consecutive season. Additionally, San Diego based global leader in glucose management, Dexcom, the Club’s official glucose biosensing partner, is returning for the third year and will be featured on the right sleeve. The Club’s pride mark, a compass symbolizing direction, unity and purpose, is displayed on the lower left corner of the new jersey.
To celebrate the launch, San Diego Wave FC will host its 2026 Jersey Launch Event, presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey, tonight, February 26, at Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park, from 4-8 p.m. PT. The free, public event, will feature live entertainment, exclusive access to the Balboa Kit, giveaways, a Fifth Season museum experience, and community activations spotlighting leaders and organizations from across Balboa Park cultural community.
As part of the event, a portion of proceeds from the Balboa Park Kit will be donated to Forever Balboa Park, supporting the preservation, accessibility, and future of the park for generations to come. Fans can donate directly to Forever Balboa Park here. The San Diego Museum of Art will provide a complimentary gift to all Season Ticket Members at gift pickup for fans to use throughout the museum’s Centennial Celebration. Wave FC players will be in attendance throughout the evening, connecting the fans and celebrating the launch alongside the community.
Fans who purchase a Balboa Park Kit at the event or online on the day of launch will receive an exclusive Fifth Anniversary patch, commemorating the Club’s fifth season.
The Balboa Park Kit joins the Altamar Kit as part of San Diego’s full 2026 jersey collection and is now available here. Fans can select “pick up at event” for an expedited entry line at the Balboa Park event.
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