From Slaveholder Names to Transportation: Plainfield BOE Passes 8 State Policy Proposals

PLAINFIELD, NJ — As expected, the Plainfield Board of Education's Tuesday special meeting centered around New Jersey School Board Association policy proposals that needed to be submitted to the Delegate Assembly by Thursday—though the superintendent read his letter advocating for charter school equity on the record, and a walk-on resolution finalized the purchase agreement with Black United Fund.

Last year, the Plainfield Board of Education submitted 22 resolutions, which represented the overwhelming majority of resolutions submitted by New Jersey's around 600 school districts. After a long bureaucratic process including a subcommittee and an executive committee, one of their resolutions, which dealt with reclassification of student cohorts, was accepted by the Delegate Assembly. This year, the Delegate Assembly will meet on December 7th.

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This year's eight resolutions touch on a host of subjects, including charter school transportation costs, BOE inclusion in negotiations for municipal tax exemptions, financial literacy, and a systematic process for renaming schools that are currently named after slaveholders (two of which are in Plainfield).

After a presentation by Sarah Virgo of the Policy Committee, all resolutions were approved to send to the Delegate Assembly. However, several passed only narrowly. Learn about each resolution and its its votes below.

Resolution #1: SIFE Data: This resolution would have school district take extra measures to identify students with special needs upon registration. These needs include but are not limited to Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). It would result in the “development of a standardized and comprehensive data collection process that includes specific questions for criteria for identifying students with special circumstances.” Read the resolution, with passed unanimously, here .

Resolution #2: Charter School Transportation: The resolution would require that charter schools operate their own transportations systems, which the local Boards of Education would only be on the hook for the minimum statutory payment for transportation, allowing districts to invest more in education. Board President Hanae Wyatt voted no, and the resolution passed with 7 “yes” votes. Willie P Hembree was absent from Tuesday's meeting. Read the resolution here .

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Resolution #3: NJ Transit Agreement: This resolution seeks to find a shared services agreement with New Jersey Transit allowing public school students to travel for free. “ New Jersey Transit plays a vital role in student commutes, yet the cost can be really prohibited for many families,” said Sarah Virgo. “Resolution number three seeks to rectify this issue by proposing a shared services agreement between New Jersey Transit and public schools districts.” Read the resolution here .  Commissioner Sincere Malone recused himself, Board VP Victor Webb abstained, and Board President Hanae Wyatt voted “no”, meaning that this policy resolution barely passed with 5 affirmative votes.

Resolution #4: BOE inclusion in PILOT agreements: This resolution would effect a change in state policy 3210, requiring municipalities to include school boards in the discussions around payment in lieue of taxes agreements, also called municipal tax exceptions. This has been a hot topic in Plainfield, where the city government recently held a community workshop on the issue. The resolution passed unanimously. Read it here .

Resolution #5: Neurological Evaluations: This resolution proposes a basic neuroscience assessment for all students entering kindergarten or pre-K programs to ensure that school districts are identifying developmental milestones early and intervening as necessary. “Early intervention is key to better educational outcomes,” said Sarah Virgo, “and this policy will place New Jersey at the forefront of child development.” Victor Webb abstained, and the resolution, which can you can read here , passed 7-1.

Resolution #6: Generational Wealth Education: “Financial literacy, which has been a state-promoted initiative recently, is vital, but we need to go beyond basic budgeting and savings,” explained Sarah Virgo. “Many communities, particularly marginalized ones, struggle to create and maintain generational wealth. Resolution number six calls for expanding the current curriculum on financial literacy to include generational wealth building strategies, covering topics like investing, wealth preservation, and intergenerational transfer.” The resolution, which you can read here , aims to prepare students for long-term educational success. Victor Webb abstained, and it passed 7-1.

Resolution #7: Renaming Schools that are named after slaveholders: This resolution proposes a comprehensive review of all school names associated with slavery, either as slaveholders or supporters of the institution. The policy committee believes this to represent between 25 and 225 schools in New Jersey, two of which —Jefferson and Washington— are in Plainfield. “As we work to create a more inclusive society, we must confront the legacy of the institution of slavery or oppressive practices in schools across New Jersey,” said Virgo. “This can alienate students and communities, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.” Before voting, Commissioner Azim Gray asserted that Thomas Jefferson was a particularly terrible slaveholder, who not only owned many slaves but stood against the Haitian Revolution and banned the importation of slaves from the region because they might revolt. The measure barely passed, with Commissioners Malone, Webb, and Wyatt voting “no”. Read the resolution here .

Resolution #8: State-Funded Reparative Education Programs: This resolution advocates for state-funded programs in urban districts that focus on reparative education initiatives. “These programs would address historical injustices through scholarships, mentorship, and restorative justice workshops,” said Commissioner Virgo. “We have the power to create educational programs that not only acknowledge these historical wrongs but actively work to correct them.” This resolution passed 7-1, with only Vice President Webb abstaining. Read it here .

The eight resolutions will be reviewed by a subcommittee and an executive committee, after which any remaining resolutions will be put up for a vote by the entire delegate assembly on December 7th.

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