Politics does not belong in schools

TINTON FALLS - Senator Vin Gopal, Chairman of the New Jersey Senate Education Committee is slamming the Colts Neck Board of Education for hosting a political event on school grounds.

“Since this majority has taken office in Colts Neck - the Board of Education has only focused on politics. Their entire tenure on the board has been focused on politics. Now they are hosting a political event on school grounds  by having numerous political organizations such as the America First Policy Institute and Turning Point USA host it and forcing all of their students to participate.

“We have seen the Colts Neck Board of Education do nothing productive as it relates to the actual education of their children. What have they done on mental health? Special education? Improving grades and scores on math and science? The answer is nothing. They are the most partisan group of elected officials I have ever seen. They are full of hypocrisy - talking about ‘indoctrination’ when they are illegally attempting to force these children to sit through a political event rather than getting their education. Dozens of Colts Neck parents have reached out to me, even many who actually hold very conservative beliefs, are outraged at what these politicians are doing to their kids.

“If U.S. Education Commissioner and former World Wrestling Federation CEO Linda McMahon, who openly advocates for eliminating the Department of Education, was simply visiting a school district, her presence would raise policy questions, not concerns about partisanship. But that is not what is happening here. This event is organized by several political groups, and it places students in the middle of what is essentially political messaging, which is inappropriate and constitutes forced indoctrination. It is unacceptable that the kids are being thrown into the middle of politics and I share the parents' outrage.”