Lawmakers Ask NJ Education Chief to Ease Background Rules

Two New Jersey legislators have asked the state's education chief to call off the dogs on school board criminal background checks, at least temporarily.

Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Jerry Green and Assembly Education Chairman Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. wrote a letter Friday asking acting Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf to give board members additional time to comply with the new state law.

Green and Diegnan write that some board members may have not have been aware of the Dec. 31 deadline and that others may have been stymied by a backlog on fingerprinting.

An education department spokesman says Cerf will review the recommendations.

On Thursday, the state said 183 school board members received letters this week saying they must step down for failing to submit to the background checks in time.

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