BREAKING — Elected officials throughout the state, including Governor Phil Murphy, have denounced Frances Cogelja’s disparaging anti-LGBT comments, with Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson joining the call for her resignation.

"Hackensack Board of Education Trustee Frances Cogelja's recent statements do not represent our values of inclusion and understanding," Governor Murphy said.

"No one who plays a pivotal role in the education of our children should lead with ignorance," Vainieri Huttle's says. "Now is the time to show our children what is right, love and tolerance should always win."

This follows The Star-Ledger's Editorial Board's call for her resignation and response to Cogelja's defiant declaration that she will "never" resign her seat at Monday night's Board of Education meeting, which was attended by over 200 people.

"It is not her right, as a sitting member of the board of education, to refuse to comply with the law because of her personal prejudices," they wrote. "Cogelja must resign, because how can she be trusted now to fairly represent LGBTQ students and teachers?"

Additionally, the New Jersey School Ethics Commission is investigating Cogelja's activities to determine if she violated the code of ethics.

Trustee Cogelja has betrayed the trust of her constituents. She is unable and unwilling to put all children of our district first, regardless of their sexual orientation. She clearly does not understand the seriousness of her actions and the harm her words have caused.

Continue to share this petition to demand that Cogelja put herself aside and put the well-being of our schools first. The fight for what's right continues.

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