Jackson’s Stand: Fighting for Fairness in Public Education

By Giuseppe Palmeri

Jackson Township Councilman

May 2025

For eight years, under Governor Murphy’s administration, the Jackson School District has endured relentless reductions in state aid—totaling a staggering 54%, even as student enrollment has only declined by 20%. These cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet—they represent 265 staff positions eliminated, the closure of two schools, and the growing weight of doing more with less. They represent lost opportunities, stretched resources, and mounting pressure on a district that has done everything it can to shield students from the fallout.

Even more troubling, the State of New Jersey’s own adequacy formula—used to determine what a district needs to provide a “thorough and efficient” education—shows that Jackson is now more than $40 million below adequacy. In other words, the State is telling us what we should be spending on our children’s education while simultaneously denying us the resources to meet that benchmark.

The blame falls squarely on Governor Murphy and the flawed S2 funding formula his administration has continued to enforce. This formula punishes growing, suburban communities like Jackson and has created winners and losers among New Jersey’s children. Sadly, Jackson’s students have consistently been treated as the losers in this political equation.

Adding insult to injury, the Governor’s administration continues to impose unfunded mandates on school districts—requirements that districts must follow, yet receive no funding to implement. These mandates often carry high operational costs, draining already depleted budgets and forcing schools to redirect money away from classrooms and student programs. Whether it’s new reporting rules, curriculum changes, regulatory burdens, or increased costs like private school busing, the financial impact is real—and local taxpayers are expected to absorb it.

Yet through it all, the Jackson Board of Education has shown remarkable resilience and leadership. Despite being placed in an increasingly impossible position, they have restructured budgets, fought for fairness in Trenton, and taken a stand against policies that prioritize formulas over families.

I’ve personally joined in that fight—attending state budget hearings, speaking directly with legislators, and having a phone conversation with the Commissioner of Education. Yet our concerns continue to fall on deaf ears.

This year, in response to these ongoing challenges, the Board has proposed a thoughtful 2025–2026 budget and initiated redistricting efforts aimed not just at survival—but at maintaining a high standard of education for every student in Jackson.

While the State may have turned its back on Jackson, our local leaders have not. I commend the Board of Education for standing firm—and I remain committed, as both a Councilman and a parent, to fighting for what our students need and deserve.

It’s time for Governor Murphy to own the consequences of his education policies. Our students are not political pawns—they are the future of New Jersey.