Blindsided by Layoffs, Mayor Fulop Recommends Immediate Actionable Steps to Save Vital Special Needs School

Proposes Clear Recommendations to Fund A. Harry Moore Renovation at No Cost to Taxpayers; Demands Action from BOE to Return Students to a Renovated School

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop sent a letter to the School Board President, Lorenzo Richardson, demanding the Jersey City Board of Education show leadership and take action to return A. Harry Moore School students back to a renovated school facility.  In his letter, the Mayor put forth an actionable plan that would achieve this objective without any costs to the taxpayers.

“I am deeply concerned. The actions by both the Board of Education and NJCU are contrary to the first meeting we had when the A. Harry Moore issue arose,” said Mayor Fulop.  “As I have repeatedly asked both parties over the last few months, I will ask yet again: What is your plan?  There has been no long-term strategy, only delay in action, and this speaks volumes to the priorities of both entities. The current discussed plans of temporary structures to be built are not reasonable nor fair.”

The A. Harry Moore School serves some of the most vulnerable children with severe disabilities who come from all over northern New Jersey for the specialized curriculum the school has offered for decades.  As has been discussed, Jersey City’s Board of Education has assets that are drastically underutilized and can be strategically deployed to solve the A. Harry Moore building issues right away.

“It is time the BOE takes action and determines tangible, long-term solutions to keep the children at the A. Harry Moore facility.  While we stand ready as a city to help with the better utilization of assets, the first step needs to come from the BOE. Trailers and temporary structures are simply an unacceptable solution,” Mayor Fulop concluded.