This is now a reality for some SOMA families.  Yet, according to NJ.com, outgoing BOE President Joshua seems to suggest that wanting a transportation policy robust enough to support the district's integration goals, is the same thing as wanting the whole universe to revolve around you.

“Before I was on the board, when this was sort of being percolated and developed, I used to say everyone was fine with integration, as long as they were the sun, and everything just moved around them, but no one wanted to be a planet.”

Note, access to busing between 1 and 2 miles impacts more than just the 90 SOMA families from whom historical courtesy busing was taken away.  It impacts all SOMA families placed via the III in 2021 (kindergarten) and 2022 (kindergarten, first, sixth) who were denied courtesy busing outright.  The reference to 90 families -- by the district and by the press -- continues to be misleadingly low.

Please keep making your voices heard.

• BOE: boemembers@somsd.k12.nj.us
• Dr. Taylor: rtaylor@somsd.k12.nj.us
• Maplewood Mayor, Dean Dafis: ddafis@twp.maplewood.nj.us
• South Orange Village President, Sheena Collum: scollum@southorange.org