Fort Lee has minimal standards to run as a candidate for the local Board of Education, i.e. basically consists of getting your name on the ballot.   With a BOE election on the horizon, maybe we should have some guidelines for future candidates and raise our expectations. The Governor’s Transition Team of Detroit, Michigan, proposed some excellent standards for consideration. As the report is somewhat lengthy, this is an abridged version. A few specifics have been bolded for emphasis. Optim...

On Monday, September 10, 2012, Fort Lee will begin the school year, albeit one week later than in a normal year. This delay in opening was necessary to accommodate construction to repair and upgrade the school buildings and to convert the BOE offices into new classrooms. On September 10, 2012, there was a BOE meeting scheduled to be held at the Fort Lee High School to enable community members to address issues regarding the 2012-2013 school year. On September 6, 2012, the Board cancelled t...

In November 2012, Fort Lee has an election for new Board of Education members that will impact this community for years to come. So let’s pay attention to what has happened in other communities and learn from their mistakes. Rockland County, New York sets a prime example for what all Boards of Education should not be! In a NY Times article on Saturday, July 28, it was reported that there was a petition filed with the State Education Department seeking the removal of five current Board members...

At the BOE meeting on Monday, January 25, 2012, something miraculous happened. Board members spoke without the resident attorney pushing the mute button on his remote. Finally, there was an open meeting with discussions and interaction that will hopefully prognosticate future BOE meetings. An announcement was made that a “search firm” had been engaged. Hallelujah! Or maybe not! On the surface this would appear to be a positive step to put to rest a volatile issue that has dominated BOE meetin...

On Tuesday, January 24, 2012, is the vote for the Referendum regarding the Fort Lee Schools. Fort Lee is at a crossroads. The community will make a decision to either promote a future for Fort Lee children or to say, “We Don’t Care.” It’s not about taxes or money, although the antis would use that argument. It’s not about a dysfunctional BOE, although they may be rightly criticized for their performance. It is about the children, about a community providing quality education, setting a standa...

Cross-blogging is somewhat like cross-dressing, slightly perverted and rarely entertaining. The Patch “Voices of the People” is becoming community irrelevant.  Decisions have been made to “import” blogs from non-Fort Lee residents to apparently “spice” up the blogs. Apparently, Fort Lee bloggers are not prolific or interesting enough for the powers-to-be! Fort Lee “Voices” in the past few weeks has discussed Fort Lee history; BOE issues; and Fort Lee personalities. In the course of ten days, ...

Cellphonitis: Is there a Cure? The proliferation of cell phones in our society is hardly a new topic. But the fact that the abuses have escalated to new heights, as exemplified by Fort Lee residents, is an entirely different issue. Drive by Fort Lee High School and check out every teenage girl with a cell phone glued to her ear as she walks down the street. As you are passing by School #1 in the morning, watch as parents drop their kids off at school, while gabbing away on their cell phone...

Monday night’s BOE meeting brought to mind a poignant quote by political philosopher, Thomas Sowell: You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that, for bureaucrats, procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing. I cannot imagine a meeting where less could be accomplished, i.e. endless questions and no answers. The ludicrous presence of the board attorney imposing a “gag order” on the board members drove attendees to the point where there may have been serious...

On January 24, 2012, residents of Fort Lee will vote on a referendum. Please do not be deceived. This is not a referendum on the Fort Lee School system. This is a referendum on “the Future of the Borough of Fort Lee” or more specifically, “Does Fort Lee have a future?!” Let’s keep it simple. If the usual 11% of registered voters show up at the polls, the referendum could fail. We will then have failed our children, our schools and our community. But if ALL the parents of the children in ou...

November 16, 2011: The Fort Lee Soccer League U-14 Travel All-Stars, in a driving rain storm, dominated Dumont 3-1 in the season finale to finish a Perfect Season 9-0. First Place Trophy in the Northern Counties Soccer League in our division. Led by the perennial All-Star, Justin Picache, the team demonstrated great heart, exemplory sportsmanship, and exceptional team chemistry in dominating the competition. The coaches were exceptionally proud of this group of fine young men who never quit ...