Why New Jersey is the Joke of the Nation

"Abbott School Districts" now 31 school districts in the state that the NJ Supreme Court determined are "urban" and in violation of the State constitution that orders the State to provide "...maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools..."

First some history,
May 1998: The NJ Supreme Court issues Abbott V and orders an unprecedented series of entitlements for urban school children including: whole school reform, full-day kindergarten and preschool for all 3 and 4 year olds.

Never mind that this is 100% unconstitutional: The NJ State Constitution, Section IV states:

"The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of FIVE and EIGHTEEN years." The NJ Supreme Court's ruling left out the 5 to 18 stipulation in the State's Constitution...an act that the LIBERAL Harvard Professor Traub described as "irresponsible".

A Problem That Isn't There:
The Washington DC based Education Trust issued a report "The Funding Gap 2004" showing NJ is the nation's leader in providing equitable school funding for poor and minority students. This Oct 2004 analysis was done again in Jan 2006 and NJ leads the nation again.

While the State average education spending per pupil is just under $11.000, some of the Abbott Districts, like Atlantic City, are receiving $38,000 per pupil.

What does the Abbott School districts do with all this extra money? Superintendents (Jersey City) earn $300,000 per year and janitors make $150,000 in overtime!