Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Bergen/Passaic) released the following statement regarding the Paterson school board’s Las Vegas trip to the National School Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education annual conference:
“The National School Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education annual conference provides our board of education members with an opportunity to learn about ways to better improve our school system as well as the education of our students. They attend this conference every year in various cities throughout the country. Educational conferences are an important tool in learning how to do their job.
“The statements made by state Senator Pennacchio were out of line. Paterson has been grossly underfunded for decades. Students are forced to learn in 100 year old buildings. It’s disappointing that Senator Pennacchio believes that board members attending a professional development conference is unnecessary but has remained quiet over the years while Paterson schools suffered.”