Take The Initiative

We have extraordinary, beautiful natural areas in New Jersey, but they're not well protected, because we don't have a law to protect threatened and endangered plants and rare ecological communities.

By protecting threatened and endangered plants and rare ecological communities, we can better support New Jersey's biodiversity, which will benefit not only the plants, but also the natural communities at large, including the animals that need these plants.

We owe it to ourselves and our children to preserve New Jersey's biodiversity. It's a gift that has been given to us, and it's preservation is a responsibility we all share.

Right now, we have a law called the Endangered Plant Species List Act, but all it does is give the NJDEP the authority to maintain a list of endangered plants. It gives no authority to actually protect them!

New Jersey can boast that it's a leader in the nation in many ways. Why not become a leader in protecting our biodiversity as well? Our native plant biodiversity shrinks year after year. Isn't it time to reverse that trend?

Hopefully, years from now, our children and grandchildren will look back on this time with gratitude toward us for preserving for them what we have now. Let's make that happen by establishing legal protection for our threatened and endangered plant species.

The United States assists the destruction and abuse of Palestine via military assistance to Israel through an annual budget of $3.8B. The international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has declared that the crimes of the Israeli authorities against the Palestinian people, "...are so severe that they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution."

The financial support from the United States to Israel is funding the persecution, destruction, and discrimination of Palestinian land, homes, and of course the people.

We, the citizens of New Jersey, are standing up and raising our voices to fight these blatant crimes against humanity. We want New Jersey lawmakers to support and sign HR 2590.

HR 2950 is a bill which aims, "to promote and protect the human rights of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation and to ensure that United States taxpayer funds are not used by the Government of Israel to support the military detention of Palestinian children, the unlawful seizure, appropriation, and destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the West Bank, or further annexation of Palestinian land in violation of international law."

The loss of many great individuals are due to irresponsible drivers and racing on highways.

To all who drive please take everyones life inside into consideration and if not yours care for the others who entrusted you with their saftey.

My daughter Kaytlen Nivar 18 was a rear passenger sitting in between two other passengers. She was the sole casualty in a high speed crash located on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The NJ Media were able to comment on my daughters status before I was able to see my daughter or know where my daughter was. I have not been contacted by the state police or the hospital for my daughter . The driver and all other passengers were let home with no question or investigation about the loss of a young princess.

This is not only for Kaytlen Nivar 18 , this is for all crash victims or are swept under the rug as an accident and the lack of cameras and enforcement to detect speed racing and investigations succeeding.

The NJ State Police must further investigate this crash and the reason thereof. The media talked of my duaghter as a 20 year old bronx women which is not true.

I do not support the lack of questioning and the evident police economizing on paperwork and investigations.

After learning that Hunterdon County Commissioner Director Susan Soloway organized a bus to Washington, D.C. and attended the so-called "Save America Rally" on Wednesday, January 6, we are deeply disturbed by her participation in an event that was championed and attended by white supremacy groups, especially as someone who makes county level decisions about our tax dollars.

We recognize that attending the rally is protected under our First Amendment as a right to free speech. However, we also note that the focus of the rally undermines the democratic principles on which our U.S. and State Constitutions are based. It is clear that Commissioner Soloway either does not believe in the validity of any vote with an outcome she does not like, or does not have faith in the due process established by the government and upheld as legitimate in 60 lawsuits. In either case, she chose to attend the rally knowing that the President of the United States refused to accept the results of the election and to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. All of this is unacceptable in an elected official.

We call on Commissioner Soloway to denounce white supremacy and resign from the Hunterdon County New Jersey Board of County Commissioners.

Dear Commissioner Riley,

My name is Kritika Storer and together with Vivian Tung, we are the co-founders of the AAPI Alliance in Needham and surrounding areas. As parents of Asian-American students in MA public schools, we are writing to express our concerns about the lack of Asian-American History curriculum in Massachusetts’ education system. The recent rise of anti-Asian hate incidents and violence is a byproduct of the inadequacy of educational exposure to Asian American history. We plead that you take immediate action in adding Asian American history to Massachusetts’ education system. By adding Asian American history to our education system, we are laying a strong foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion for children. Thus, ensuring that students of all races and ethnicities will have a better understanding of Asian American communities and our history, leading to improved cross-cultural education which will help combat discrimination, racist stereotypes, and xenophobia.

If Asian American history remains untaught in schools, the legacies and contributions of Asian Americans throughout history will be permanently erased causing our understanding of US history to be incomplete. After all, Asian American history is American history. Importantly, by adding Asian American history to our education system, Asian American students will have a chance to learn and understand their history in this country, not just stories of Asians outside the United States, so they can be proud of their heritage. Additionally, Asian American history will help create a framework for students of all races and ethnicities to better understand Asian American communities and help advance racial equity and potentially ameliorate future systemic inequality. There are countless numbers of significant Asian Americans history contributors, dating back as far as 1863. However, very few Americans—of all races and ethnicities—are taught about these momentous ground-breaking contributors of Asian Americans history.

We, hereby, urge you again to take immediate action and add Asian American history to Massachusetts’ education system now. It is crucial for Massachusetts students to gain a better understanding of Asian Americans and our history. Asian Americans have suffered far too long from discrimination and anti-Asian hate incidents and violence. We now no longer want to fall prey of racism and be the victims of hate and violence. We ask you to immediately implement the following:

1) add at least 1 unit of instruction of Asian American history curriculum to the current school core curriculum

2) teach Asian American history and experiences and not just the stories of Asians outside the United States

3) celebrate Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a series of activities each year.

4) ensure that public school library books accurately represent the student-ratio registered in our schools.

We thank you in advance for your consideration and immediate action. We strongly believe that by adding Asian American history to our school system, our society will be more united, empathetic, and respectful to each other. Let’s end division and segregation now and start laying a stronger and more inclusive foundation for our children.


Sincerely,

Kritika Storer and Vivian Tung

This petition is being established to create a unified voice against the inhumane, murderous, and discriminative New Jersey Bill A2401. The bill gives the state the right to mandate a fenced yard for medium to large dogs. It also gives the state the right to decide what animals cannot be publicly walked on a leash.

When the owners cannot build a fence, they will be forced to pay a fine, or surrender their pets to the state to euthanized.

Let's stand together to force the state officials for find less heinous, more proactive ways to avoid aggressive behavior as seen in the dogs depicted in the bills this legislature seeks to enforce against.

Adding an income screening will allow the adoption agency or breeders to decide if the prospective owner can and will care for the animal properly. In turn, this also holds the agencies and breeders accountable for making better decisions on the prospective dog owners ability to be responsible for a pets behavior and we'll being. For example, a hungry dog won't guard food. A socialized dog learns boundaries. In contrast, a owner who cannot afford to care for themselves or their family properly cannot care for a dog properly. Dogs will become desperate for food, and will resort to guarding food when it's present. Do not adopt or sell a dog to people who do not meet income requirements. This is just an example of one way to proactively manage irresponsible dog ownership. The reactive bill A 2401 is discriminative and reactive. That is law making of years and lifetimes ago. The abundant data out there indicates this is not the right way to address dog attacks.

New Jersey needs a strong Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) with subpoena power. This must operate at the municipal, county, and state levels. This petition is designed to ensure that our elected representatives know that the people of the State of New Jersey want to be heard and represented regarding this matter.

We call on the Legislature to approve strong civilian review boards in New Jersey by passing bill number S2963/A4656, which will protect these essential powers that establish strong civilian review boards in our State.

This is not an attack on the police. In fact, this structure will protect officers and residents with a process that ensures transparency, fairness, and justice.

The CCRB must have subpoena power. A Civilian Complaint Review Board without subpoena power has no real power to effectively create change.

Here are the specific requirements for strong CCRBs:

Subpoena Power: To carry out meaningful oversight, a civilian review board must have the power to independently subpoena witnesses and documentary evidence.
Concurrent Investigatory Powers: It is essential that civilian review board investigations be allowed to run concurrent and parallel to internal affairs investigations of related conduct by law enforcement.
Community Representation: Each civilian review board must be comprised of qualified community representatives chosen by community and civic organizations.
Disciplinary Power: Civilian review boards must be able to recommend discipline of officers.
Make your voice heard by signing this Petition Today and sharing it widely with your contacts.

Help ensure the safety, fair and humane treatment, equity, and justice for all residents of New Jersey when they have interactions with the police.

We must get this done before June 21, 2021, when the state legislature goes into recession.

We need your assistance Today! Together we can create a safer New Jersey.

#StrongCivilianReviewBoardsNow

Thank You,

Dr. Akil Khalfani

Founder, Vote-ED

For years, our government has increased “vehicle duty”. They’ve increased the veteran tax which used to be free and abolished the half price 25year. Now they want to change the way our vehicles are taxed. Vehicle owners will be subject to a huge increase in vehicle duty. Family’s with family cars will potentially pay over £500 due to the weight of their vehicle. Small businesses will be crippled by the proposed increase. They don’t call it “Road Tax” because our roads are an absolute disgrace and they should be ashamed. Why should people who have “weekend cars” or campers suffer because the government want to squeeze that little bit more from us to make up for their bad decisions. There will be no incentive to buy eco friendly cars and the majority won’t be able to afford an electric vehicle. The government want us to support climate change but they going about it in a totally unfair way. It’s about time they followed Jersey and put the duty payable on Fuel. Fairest way for everyone! We need to stop this new category they are trying to sneak through which will double the price on your average family car. Show your support and leave a message with how it would affect you.

For as long as animals have been inhabited by humans, there has been cases of animal abuse. Whether it is not feeding a pet properly or inflicting physical harm to a pet, the veins of animal abuse run deep throughout all regions of the world. In my community, Sussex County, New Jersey, there are multiple animal shelters that take in such pets who receive abuse. Although these establishments exist and help ease the effects of animal abuse, there are very little campaigns and protests that advocate against the cause. As a lifelong owner of pets, specifically dogs, I am deeply saddened that animal abuse is still a present and trending case today. By gaining signatures on this petition, I hope to gain the attention of New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, in order to make a drastic change for man's best-friend!

*Names of those signed will not be disclosed to the Board of Education or any JCPS school leader.* The total number of signatures will be presented at the next Board of Education meeting.

UPDATE as of May 8:

Survey to provide feedback to JCPS BOE and Superintendent:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyt0b_t56LeKB5Vj6NWeFCk6In2LuXqOr7yD2PWHRjkdEFeg/viewform

Email questions: [email protected]

UPDATE as of April 19:

PARENT PROTEST , THURSDAY, APRIL 22 at 9AM

JCBOE DISTRICT BUILDING

346 CLAREMONT AVE

email: [email protected]

UPDATE as of April 18:

Superintendent Walker sent a robo-call this evening stating "Unfortunately we cannot open. The staff we need for adequate supervision and instruction is not available." Teachers were instructed to report to school on April 15 and 16 to set up their classrooms, however there were 400-500 absences. And the number of medical accommodations are excessive.

1. Email the leadership to inform them of your views:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

2. Register to speak at the upcoming BOE meetings: Monday, April 19, and Thursday, April 22: https://www.jcboe.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1536962&type=d&pREC_ID=1667573

3. Join Facebook: "Open Jersey City Schools Now!"

UPDATE as of March 24:

Must register by Thursday, March 25, 4pm to speak at the JC school board meeting on Thursday, March 25.

https://www.jcboe.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1536962&type=d&pREC_ID=1667573

It is a Facebook Live meeting broadcast here: https://www.facebook.com/TheSchoolDistrictOfJerseyCity/

Public comment speakers are on the phone (no video). Just remember to answer your phone from a Jersey City phone number usually between 7pm-10pm. You'll have 1 minute to speak.

Speak your mind or feel free to use this:

We are all in this together. The teachers are vaccinated. The school buildings are ready. The HVAC systems inspections were certified as the Superintendent presented in his Building Readiness Report at the January 28 Board of Education meeting. The CDC has updated its guideline lines that children only need 3 feet of distancing in the classroom, which is an improvement from 6 feet. Please make sure our students are back in school this April. Children belong in school for their mental health and well-being.
Remember: Email the Board and Superintendent Walker often to speak out for families and students:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Also - Join the dialogue on Facebook: Open Jersey City Schools Now!

UPDATE as of February 17:

School Board Trustees Gina Verdabello and LeKendrick Shaw hosted a Community Forum on February 16. Union Leader Ron Greco and Superintendent representative Dr. Galano also in attendance.

No leader prioritized the impact on children and families as a reason to reopen. It's clear there is no concrete plan and a lot of finger pointing the blame.

Be vocal! Speak up for children!

1- Register for public comment at the next BOE meeting on February 25

https://www.jcboe.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1536962&type=d&pREC_ID=1667573

2- Email school leaders - addresses below.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/upshot/schools-reopening-coronavirus-experts.html

UPDATE as of January 30:

At the January 28 Board of Education meeting, members disappointingly spent little time discussing school reopening.

Superintendent Walker presented this "building readiness" document. In summary, it's checklists at each school on cleaning, air duct work, indoor air quality, and each principal sign off on the PPE equipment received. See this video of the meeting where Walker stated, "the definition of ready changes from one moment to the next, but for the most part, we are." (1 hr, 4 mins)

A list was provided of the CARES Act spending.

Board Members replied to the public comments and their views on the school-opening (the last 22 mins of the video) In summary:

-Superintendent Walker says reopening is a staffing issue: prior to each school opening date, he surveys the learning staff and the result is he will not have enough who can come in person to be able to open the schools.

-Board President Ali cited a NYTimes article inaccurately citing the School Dashboard shows teachers' case rate increased at a faster rate than the community cases, when the article actually indicates this could possibly be due to increased testing, and there was an increase in teachers' rates both for remote teachers and in-person teachers, so no in-person was not a sole factor. The article is called, "CDC Officials Say Evidence Schools Can Reopen if Precautions are Taken" so it actually demonstrates schools can reopen.

-Board Member Lyons is concerned about what the board should do regarding vaccinations for the 4,500 employees. He agrees it mentally impacts kids, but that there is a new strain that effects teachers more.

-Board Members Verdibello and Hamilton say there is "no right or wrong answer to open or not open." Hamilton said they always err on side of caution (implying in this case, not to open schools).

Action:
Please email! Let them know your views, facts from articles, anything that will show school leadership to make school-opening a priority topic and the reality families and students are facing:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Mayor Fulop:

[email protected]

ORIGINAL PETITION:

It is time to re-open Jersey City Public Schools to give families a choice for safe in-person learning!

Students and parents are suffering from increased stress, anxiety, and social isolation given the prolonged period of remote learning. Studies show that the achievement disparities have worsened across income levels and between White students and Black and Hispanic students as a result of online learning since COVID-19.

The science overwhelming indicates that young children are not driving the spread of COVID-19. Neighboring schools, including large districts like New York City, have implemented strict measures and standards to safely operate in-person instruction. Even within Hudson County, Hoboken Public Schools have provided students the option of full-time in-person since September 2020.

While we understand the fears of the unknown, we do not want our school leaders to make decisions based on fear.

Please consider the facts on how schools can safely re-open and the impact remote learning has had on our children and families. Please give families a choice to attend in-person learning.

Act now!

1. Sign this petition

2. Register to speak and share your story at the virtual school board meeting on January 28, 2021

https://www.jcboe.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1536962&type=d&pREC_ID=1667569

3. Email Mayor Fulop and the Jersey City Public Schools leadership to share your story:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

This is written by a group of parents with students at Cordero PS 37 on behalf of other parents, guardians and community members of Jersey City.

No donations.

Lets not call it playoffs, let's call it what it was called when the NJSIAA created a postseason of two weeks, grouping desiring football teams throughout the state of New Jersey to play in a “2020 Postseason Grouping”. The grouping afforded teams, with the hunger and desire to compete, the opportunity to play two additional games beyond their regular-season schedules, and I am appealing to you, Committee Members, and requesting that the same consideration and opportunity be given to all the New Jersey State basketball teams.


Just like the competitive, hungry football players, New Jersey high school basketball players would like the opportunity to compete amongst top teams in their conference and crown an unofficial champion. As a high school senior, and I am sure I speak for many, I know having any form of basketball this season is a blessing and I want to express gratitude, but as a competitor I still want what I,myself, and others have worked for over so many years, a chance to be seen as a champion. If being seen as a champion can not happen on the state level then we are asking that our local conferences organize a “Post Season” grouping similar to that the football conferences were able to enjoy. Allow for the top teams to compete at their highest local level, and earn the right to be seen on a bigger stage and earning an “Unofficial Crown”.


Not having the chance to play the highest performing teams in the conferences or league at season's end leaves one to go by record as to who is the better team without the best teams fighting for those top honors, like tradition, in the end of season. A team at seasons start might not have been playing to their potential and their overall record does not reflect that. Or the opposite is true, a team at the start might have gotten a break and won a game that truly was not reflective of their ability levels. Regardless of the case, I am requesting that the basketball players get what they have been competing for their entire basketball careers in the state of New Jersey, a chance to compete at the highest level possible and a chance for them and their team to showcase their talents. With proper precautions determined by the Health and Safety Committee that were employed during the “2020 Postseason Football” groupings, it is my belief, and the others' behalf that I am writing on, that the N.J. Basketball Leagues are capable of finishing out a successful basketball season as well as an unofficial but meaningful postseason grouping of games that will support the players feeling as though they competed at highest level possible this season and had the opportunity to showcase their skills at the highest level.



Thank you for your time and consideration.


Respectfully yours,


Javon Solomon

On Saturday April 24, Mr. Michael Smurro, Vice Principal of Neptune NJ Middle School, was caught on video tossing a cup of beer onto fellow diners at Fred and Ethel's in Absecon. He did so, seemingly, because he was angry that his wife was being filmed while she was loudly complaining about having had to share a bathroom with a transgender woman. Mrs. Smurro was arguing with diners around her and making hateful, transphobic and homophobic remarks. She repeatedly insisted, "She's a man! She's a man!" Smurro remained quiet until he finally decided to walk briskly up to the table where the filming was taking place and throw a full cup of beer onto the diners there. He then backed away making remarks such as, "You can come out now." It seemed he was trying to instigate a fight.

A violent, transphobic and hateful physical aggressor does not belong anywhere near NJ children. We demand that he be removed from his position IMMEDIATELY, without pay, until a full investigation of this situation is complete.

On April 5, 2021, in Lexington County, South Carolina, 15-year-old Sanaa Amenhotep was lured away from her home by someone she thought was a friend. She left without permission and was gone for an extended period of time. Her mother contacted the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department to inform them that her daughter was missing. The mom said the first question she was asked was, “had she done this before’? Her response was “Yes, but it’s different this time”. Basic information was taken, but they took no action. Sanaa and her mom had recently relocated from New Jersey and had limited family in the area. For days her mother and aunt went looking for her. On the 5th and 10th days of her missing, again her mother reached out to the Sheriff. Again, no action was taken. On April 30, 2021, after 25 days, Sanaa Amenhotep’s decomposing and bullet ridden body was found in a shallow grave less than 25 miles away from her home. Would things have been different if the police had taken action when the mother said, YES, BUT IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME?

Almost daily we hear stories about teens who go missing, found as victims of trafficking and exploitation or assaulted and even murdered by a predator, like Sanaa. While those cases may generate headlines or brief flurries of media interest, what is sometimes missed is how their cases began and how we as first responders, call takers and investigators approached their case from onset.


All too often those cases began as a report of a missing child who was either characterized by the family from the start as voluntarily missing or whose case was approached as a probable runaway by law enforcement. Sadly, many of those we “thought” were runaways or were voluntarily missing were actually abducted, lured away or not allowed to return by a predator, like Sanaa. Regardless how they went missing, the bottom line is that their cases did not receive the same degree of attention or investigative resources that a reported abduction or endangered missing classification might have prompted, like the case of Sanaa Amenhotep.

CREATING A POLICY AND A CULTURE CHANGE

In order to properly address the issue of runaways and voluntary missing in terms of how we respond and investigate, we must implement national policy and a culture change in law enforcement. In a vast majority of these cases the child is reunited with their family or comes home on his or her own. It is easy to see how we can become complacent to the fact that there are children in that group that will never come home, like Sanaa Amenhotep, without a law that requires a different public safety response.


One child’s death is one too many. While Sanaa Amenhotep’s abduction and murder are not the first case of this nature and sadly, probably will not be the last. But it should be considered the catalyst for change. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, NCIC, there are an estimated 460,000 children reported missing every year in the United States. This, however, is only a snapshot of the problem. There are many cases that go unreported or treated as a runaway case, as the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office did with Sanaa Amenhotep.


It is time for a cultural shift in regard to runaways and implement a national policy and plan of action for public safety response. We propose the introduction of the Amenhotep Respond and Alert Law.

This IS Cranford New Jersey's most historic landmark. Make sure it gets the recognition it deserves by adding your name to tell local officials that you want the "Venice of New Jersey" to register the Cranford Canoe Club on the state and national registries of historic places.

The Cranford Canoe Club is one of the oldest canoe clubs in the United States and a community landmark known as part of Cranford’s identity for over a century. The current canoe club, while not the first, is the Rahway River’s last surviving canoe club.

In the late 19th century Cranford saw the formation of many informal boating/hockey clubs. The Cranford Canoe Club had its origins in the “Shanty Gang” which held meetings in A. Clark’s red “Lobster Shanty” canoe livery at the intersection of Normandie Place and Riverside Drive. In 1904 or 1906 the Shanty Gang renamed themselves the Skeeter Club then in 1908 formalized as the Cranford Canoe Club. After serving as a club, the facility was run as a private business first by George Apgar until 1972, then by the Betz family alongside the Canoe Club Workers of America (CCWA) until 1990 when the facility was sold to the Township of Cranford.

By signing this petition, you will be helping to say you regard the Canoe Club as historic and it deserves preparing the history, research, and funding to support a nomination first to the New Jersey Historic Registry. Once approved, it then can pass to the National Historic Registry.

FYI - it will take $$$ as well (approx. $2,000) just for the paperwork :).

After November 25th, 2020, DDD closed in-person congregate day service facilities until at least January 19th 2021 due to COVID-19 in the state of New Jersey. However, after a webinar on January 7th, 2021, they decided to keep programs closed for in-person services with no reopening date identified. Adults with developmental disabilities need programs and day programs matter.

I am a 31 year-old who has autism (ASD) and loves attending Camp Acorn since 2002.

The developmentally disabled desperately need respite and have waited too long for programs to reopen for in-person services. When programs first closed last March, as mandated by Governor Murphy and DDD, they weren't prepared.

Please help me sign this petition so we can write a letter to DDD, demanding to have all congregate day service facilities reopen because day programs matter and the developmentally disabled need these programs.

The image of Jersey City, NJ has changed dramatically during the last decade. The construction of luxury high-rises has considerably intensified, bringing profit to developers while burdening its residents. The waterfront area gets more crowded with the tallest buildings located along the shoreline and overshadowing the rest of the city.

The planned construction of 5 congested high-rise buildings with the tallest, 51-story tower, at the shore end of the ground of Pier 6, which has only narrow side walkways for public access to the Hudson River shoreline and no green space, is just one of many examples of enriching developers at the expense of our safety and quality of life.

The lack of effective planning to provide sufficient infrastructure, such as schools, health care, transportation, parks and green spaces etc., has created significant challenges for the growing population in Jersey City. Furthermore, the noise and air-pollution from massive construction, in addition to frequent interruption of water supply, all have negative impact on our lives. Residents of the coastal area of Jersey City no longer feel that they live in a healthy urban environment where both nature and people can thrive.

It is very disappointing that there is a lack of transparency in regard to development plans, as we often find out information either from media or when excavators have already started digging the ground next to our doors.

The Pier 6 Project is going for approval to the Jersey City Planning Board and the only way to make a difference is by making our voice heard. Can we count on your support today by signing our petition, which appeals to the JC City Council, Planning Committees and Environmental Agencies to make the Pier-6 Plan friendly to the neighboring communities?

Mandalay Board, on behalf of the Mandalay Community

Globally around 21% of young women were married before their 18th birthday.
650 million girls and women alive today were married as children.
12 million girls under 18 are married each year.
In the United States, more than 200,000 minors were married between 2000 and 2015.
Child marriage is currently legal in 46 states (only Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania have set the minimum age at 18 and eliminated all exceptions), and 20 U.S. states do not require any minimum age for marriage, with a parental or judicial waiver.
Most of them were girls and more than 80% of them were married to an adult.
In the state of Michigan, over 4000 minors were married in the years between 2000 and 2010 (the youngest was fifteen)
In 2019, Reps. Sarah Anthony, Graham Filler, and Kara Hope introduced a trio of bills that must all pass together to end marriage before 18 (HB4003, HB4004, and HB4005, respectively). All three bills died at the end of the 2020 legislative session. These representatives along with Rep. Daire Rendon introduced a new package of bills in 2021 (HB4226, HB4227, HB4228) to end child marriage.
HB4226 would remove the parental consent exception for 16 and 17-year-olds; HB4227 would eliminate the judicial approval loophole for those 15 and younger; HB4228 would eliminate the right to marry for emancipated minors, and HB4229 would eliminate the judicial approval process.
Child marriage must end everywhere but we in our home state of Michigan.

Will you stand against child marriage?

We need a new crime on the books in New Jersey.

INTIMATE PARTNER PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE.

Violence is more than the use of physical force. It is any action intended to kill another.

When the physical manifestations of domestic violence shows a person beaten within an inch of their life, there is always psychological violence: emotional, mental, spiritual, and verbal abuse. Yet, when each of the these elements are present without a physical or sexual assault, why do we put it into another category?

Well, we need another "bucket" for men and women to have language that articulates their experience.

In domestic relationships INTIMATE PARTNERSHIP PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE is the "white collar" crime of homicide. Perpetrators, unwilling to get their hands dirty, recruit their hitmen to execute the attempt to take your life. To beat you into submission through relentless invalidation and deprivation of your basic your needs and human rights. The goal is to make you submit to their control or take your own life. With a callus inability to empathize, the abuser does not care, as long as they can get their way or can walk away with clean hands.

Now more than ever, this fissure has been revealed to be a crack so deep and so profoundly evil that victims can no longer stay silent under its criminal weight.

In addition to turning your family and friends against you, these white collar criminals infect every man-made system. Law enforcement, the courts, mental health professionals, and religious leaders. Institutions are weaponized to beat us within an inch of our lives. Perpetrators take pleasure in human suffering and wait to see if you'll finish the job for them.

A. Abuse by proxy. Either by mutual relationships or community.

B. Institutional abuse. Use of law enforcement, justice system, mental health and legal professionals to inflict physical and mental cruelty.

C. Attempted parental alienation. Interfering and undermining with the parental role. This not the same as parental alienation syndrome (PAS). More on this later.

Please sign this petition by June 8, 2021 (New Jersey Primary) to begin the conversation among all stakeholders. Help this initiative become the pivotal issue at the General Election on November 2, 2021.

Language in the new marijuana legislation disrupts the holistic, community-based approach we take to keep our children healthy and safe. We believe minors are best served when parents can work in conjunction with the people who teach, coach, mentor and protect our youth. Unfortunately, the new legislation signed into law by Governor Murphy prohibits the police from participating in that collaborative effort by threatening them with criminal charges should they engage minors who are obviously violating the law.

We understand the will of New Jersey voters in electing to legalize marijuana. We have no issue with the legal usage of cannabis for those of age, but minors are still prohibited under the law to use or possess alcohol and marijuana. Though this legislation has been amended to allow for parental notification, it only serves to provide a false sense of security to parents.

Police use the power of observation to perform their duties as community caretakers, emergency aid providers, keepers of the peace, and law enforcement officers. This involves utilizing all of one's senses, including the sense of smell. One of the most conspicuous manifestations of marijuana and alcohol use is the odor associated with their ingestion.

Under the current legislation minors can be observed smoking marijuana by a police officer, but if that police officer stops or detains that minor based on the odor, that officer will face serious sanctions, including being charged with the Crime of Official Deprivation of Civil Rights. If officers are so discouraged from engaging minors using drugs and alcohol in the first place, what good is the parental notification amendment?

The laws are unclear and confusing, and they discourage police interaction with at-risk youth by threatening to punish officers for doing their jobs.

The legislation must be corrected. Sign your name to let Trenton know that you support this effort. Allow police officers to participate in the collaborative societal effort to care for our children, and remove the threatening language against officers who seek to simply do their jobs.

We are writing as parents who are concerned about our children’s education. None of us could have anticipated the pandemic or that schools would switch to virtual platforms. Yet after more than a year of remote learning we discovered something – some of our children actually learn BETTER virtually.


For a variety of reasons, including disabilities, medical conditions, and bullying, our children have THRIVED during remote learning in ways they never thrived in person. We don’t want to “return to normal” because “normal” wasn’t working for our kids.


Thirty-three US States have permanent, free, public or charter virtual school options. Many of these programs predated the pandemic, others have been added or have expanded within the last year. Our neighbor Pennsylvania, for example, has operated virtual academies successfully for several years. Pennsylvania’s virtual program does not detract from the in-person school experience, rather it provides a vital choice and reaches students that otherwise would be falling through the cracks. 33 States already know what we New Jersey parents have recently discovered -- that virtual school is a valuable alternative for students who struggle during traditional in-person school.


Governor Murphy, you have said repeatedly that “every child should be in school in person.” We disagree. Respectfully, we request a meeting with you and with Interim Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan, so we can share our stories and convince you that virtual is a better option than in-person school for some students.


Many of us have children with complex medical needs that make them high risk for serious complications from COVID-19. Many of us have children with disabilities that have been better managed at home. Many of our children qualify for special education and have IEPs (Individual Education Plans). Our IEPs are supposed to ensure our children receive INDIVIDUALIZED education delivered in a way that best meets their needs. For many of us, remote learning best meets the needs of our children. For many of us, our children’s teachers agree that virtual school is helping our kids improve by leaps and bounds and helping them succeed in ways they never have before. Frustratingly, our school districts will no longer be allowed to provide the format that works best for our children because the State of New Jersey will not permit them to continue to provide a virtual option.


While we understand that learning in person is best for many students, we also know that learning virtually is what is best for other children. Families deserve to have a CHOICE in our children’s education and to do what is best for our kids.

Further, your Executive Order permitting a virtual choice expires June 30, 2021. You have stated “summer programs will not be affected,” but the guidance issued for Special Education Extended School Year (ESY) summer programs is vague. Some school districts are telling students that our high risk and unvaccinated children will not be eligible to participate virtually in ESY programs. Parents are being told their ONLY choice is to send their children to school in person or forfeit their rights to the special education programs to which they are legally entitled.

Governor, we need your support. Please issue clear guidelines to protect virtual ESY programs this summer for families who choose them. Please also allow virtual programs to operate in New Jersey in time for the opening of school in September 2021. And please, if you need more information, meet with the parents and students who have benefitted from virtual learning. When you see how it has helped our children, maybe you will understand why we are so passionate about maintaining it.

Families need a virtual school option. Education is not one size fits all, Our Children are not one size fits all.


Thank you.

New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice

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https://njparentsforvirtual.wixsite.com/website
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