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The Jaffe Briefing - August 25, 2021

STATEWIDE – Once upon a time, getting a teaching gig was a real coup. Not now, however. Just like virtually every other business, it has become increasingly more challenging for school districts to land good, qualified staff. NJ Spotlight reports that many teachers aren’t interested in getting in front of a classroom, coping with pandemic-related concerns like contracting the virus, wearing a mask and dealing with their own childcare needs. The urban districts have the biggest challenges, yet it is also proving difficult for the smaller, suburban ones to land teachers for special education, science, mathematics, and bilingual education. Another headache: colleges did not pump out as many new teachers through the pandemic, as the rookies could not finish their student teaching. And, on the other end of the spectrum, veteran teachers see this as a particularly good moment to retire.

EDISON – A veteran councilman won't give up his day job without a fight. Council President Robert Diehl is suing his employer, the South Plainfield school board, for age discrimination. Diehl, 67, was the district’s interim high school principal for two years, but claims he got unfairly passed over for permanent promotion in favor of a “considerably younger, significantly less experienced” applicant. His lawsuit also accuses South Plainfield’s school superintendent of “repeatedly mistreating, bullying and harassing" him with disparaging cracks about his age. But the district’s lawyer tells the Home News Tribune that Diehl’s recriminations result from “nothing more than his false sense of entitlement.” A fixture for two decades on Edison’s council dais, Diehl is, however, very spry in a squabble.

WYCKOFF — It’s not nice to mess with school elections without giving the school board a friendly heads-up. That’s what the Township Committee just did, switching school elections from November to April. And it ignited an unfriendly squabble that's got the school board president telling The Record this hasty change is “highly political,” costly, and may “adversely affect the quality of education.” Upset parents pleaded with town officials to exert more control over the autonomous school board after a “tempestuous year” of disputed decisions about staff and finances. Town officials believe the switch may improve the school board’s transparency, accountability and – if voters reject annual school budgets – allow the Township Committee to take a razor-sharp scalpel to school spending. 

BRIEFING BREATHER

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

STATEWIDE – Just in time for New Jersey’s universities to reopen for the fall, the state has a new law that will hopefully curb hazing. Of course, no one in a fraternity basement at 3 a.m. is reviewing the latest state statutes before planning an “event” for a pledge class. However, if these brothers do something tremendously stupid, they will be looking at harsher criminal penalties. The legislation is named for a Readington teenager who died from hazing at a Penn State fraternity in 2017. The new law upgrades crimes for hazing, as well as expands the definition beyond forcing pledges to drink booze or take drugs. Educating Greek organizations about these important new laws – and having them actually pay attention – is now the challenge.

STATEWIDE – Sure, 8.3 cents may not make a big impact in your household budget, but it’s still worthy to note the state’s gas tax is decreasing. Yes, you heard that correctly. This big tax cut will kick in on October 1, setting a new tax at 42.4 cents. It is all part of this predetermined formula created under the Christie Administration which we don’t particularly understand. But it’s still a nice little talking point for Gov. Phil Murphy among his bullet points of tax-cutting. So, have at it. Top off that tank. You deserve it.

IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS

LONDON – We’ve all been reading the stories of a shortage of truck drivers, but now things have gotten serious. How so? Well, if you happen to be a milkshake lover in London, you won’t find it on the menu of any of the 1,250 McDonald’s restaurants in England, Scotland and Wales because of some glaring supply problems. Fingers are pointing everywhere, with blame squarely on a combination of the pandemic and Brexit, which makes it harder for people to come work in the U.K. Finding bottled drinks is also becoming a huge headache for McDonald’s, making them temporarily unavailable, as well. McDonald’s says it's “working hard” to return those items to the menu. Expect Grimace to rent a U-Haul.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

It was this day in 1985 that the Mets’ Dwight Gooden became the youngest pitcher ever to win 20 games, at just 20 years, 9 months and 9 days old.

WORD OF THE DAY

Ossify – [AH-suh-fye] – verb

Definition: To make or become hardened because of change

Example: When I first adopted my puppy, many of the bones in his body had yet to ossify.

WIT OF THE DAY

“If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."

-Tallulah Bankhead

BIDEN BLURB

“The answer is clear: We cannot continue to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

-Joe Biden

WEATHER IN A WORD

Heat