NJ may create a task force to teach your kids about kindness

Not all politicians hate each other, and extreme media should not be trusted in its portrayal of the way things work in government or everyday life, according to a bill that will be introduced soon in the New Jersey Legislature.

The proposal aims to create a group of New Jersey lawmakers that will be tasked with visiting schools throughout the state and teaching students about civility.

"We want to tell students, it's not us versus them. It's all of us, although we disagree on stuff," said Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union.

The 20-year legislator, who's running for New Jersey governor in 2025, called into Steve Trevelise's Tuesday evening show to discuss his intention to introduce a bill establishing the Joint Legislative Statemanship Task Force.

The task force would be comprised of 12 members of the New Jersey Legislature: six members of the Senate and six members of the Assembly, from both sides of the political aisle.

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According to a draft of the legislation, the task force would travel to schools on a yearly basis and discuss the importance of engaging with others in a respectful manner, as well as talk about instances in which the task force members worked with others to resolve differences in a non-confrontational way.

“Schools are the ideal settings to begin teaching civic virtues since young people spend most of their waking hours learning in classrooms and interacting with their classmates and peers,” Bramnick said. “During an era in which hostile political rhetoric and political violence has increased, it is imperative to emphasize civility to students in the state and to highlight the experiences of decision-makers who have effectively deployed the virtues of civility in order to enact positive change.”

The visits would include grades kindergarten through 12, according to the bill.

Bramnick's bill would be introduced as a concurrent resolution, as opposed to a proposed law. If it were to pass both legislative houses, it wouldn't need the governor's signature.

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