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VIDEO: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm VIDEO: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm
Video: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm A Jersey City mom was arrested at a Board of Education meeting last week, sparking outrage from a city councilwoman, a sharp response from the school board president, and a GoFundMe launched to support the woman’s legal defense. Emily Pecot was charged with criminal trespass following the Thursday, May 21 meeting, according to municipal court records. The offense happened around 8:30 p.m., and Pecot is scheduled to appear in Jersey City Municipal Court on Tuesday, June 9. Video of Pecot's arrest was shared to Instagram by the Jersey City Times. Pecot’s remarks (1:39:51) focused on decorum a…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Harvard University faculty voted to cap the number of A grades undergraduate students can receive beginning in 2027, according to multiple news reports, including CBS. Faculty approved the measure in a 458-201 vote, limiting A grades to 20 percent per class, with professors allowed to award four additional A grades beyond the cap. The policy will apply only to undergraduate students, according to the university. A-minus grades and lower grades will not be affected under the new rules. Faculty also rejected a separate proposal that would have allowed individual courses to opt out o…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Schools nationwide are able to use a popular class management system after a cybersecurity incident locked out teachers and students, exposing personal data for millions of users. Canvas was "fully back online" on the morning of Friday, May 8, according to education technology company Instructure's website. The platform used by about 9,000 K-12 schools and universities was down for several hours on Thursday, May 7, in a data breach claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters. Instructure said it first detected suspicious activity in Canvas on Wednesday, April 29. While the …

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect A swatting group calling itself Purgatory is believed to be behind more than 10 hoax active shooter reports that triggered lockdowns at universities nationwide — and now, federal prosecutors have filed charges against a suspect tied to the spree, officials announced Thursday, April 30. Villanova At The Center The wave of hoaxes began on Aug. 21 at Villanova University, where families and new students attending orientation Mass were sent scrambling after an alert warned of an “ACTIVE SHOOTER” on campus. Students and parents barricaded doors and hid as heavily armed officers flooded the Main L…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
17 Schools Set To Close As $3B Philadelphia Facilities Plan Passes After Chaotic Vote 17 Schools Set To Close As $3B Philadelphia Facilities Plan Passes After Chaotic Vote
17 Schools Set To Close As $3B Philadelphia Facilities Plan Passes After Chaotic Vote A controversial plan to close 17 Philadelphia schools and reshape the district passed after a tense and chaotic meeting on Thursday, April 30, as community outrage forced multiple interruptions before the final vote. The Philadelphia Board of Education approved the $3 billion facilities master plan following hours of protests, two recesses, and a shift to a virtual format, resulting in the measure passing just after 6 p.m., according to officials and reports. The proposal had been delayed the previous week to allow for more public input, but tensions escalated as students, parents, teacher…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs A former Penn State professor accused of repeatedly raping his dog in a state forest has learned his fate in court, according to newly filed documents. Themis Matsoukas, 64, of State College, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 22, in Huntingdon County Court, records show. He pleaded guilty to open lewdness and indecent exposure, and was found guilty of sexual intercourse with an animal, according to the court summary. For the animal-related charge, Matsoukas was sentenced to a term of confinement of one to four months in a county correctional facility, court records state. He received n…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year A Pennsylvania educator has earned the nation’s top teaching honor for the second year in a row, state officials announced. Leon Smith, a teacher at Haverford High School in Havertown, has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe said on Tuesday, April 21. Smith, who was named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, becomes the latest educator from the Commonwealth to receive the national recognition. “Pennsylvania is honored to have, for the second year in a row, an educator from our great Commonwealth named National Teacher of…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Catholic School Teacher With ‘Too Many’ Child Porn Images Sentenced In Federal Court Catholic School Teacher With ‘Too Many’ Child Porn Images Sentenced In Federal Court
Catholic School Teacher With ‘Too Many’ Child Porn Images Sentenced In Federal Court A Catholic school teacher who admitted to having “too many” child pornography images has been sentenced to years in federal prison, closing a case that began with a disturbing online tip and unraveled into a years-long pattern of abuse. Federal officials announced on Tuesday, April 14, that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, was sentenced to 90 months in prison — seven and a half years — along with 10 years of supervised release, by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert in Philadelphia. He faced up to 40 years in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years. A feder…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video
Watch: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video A New York school district’s video of middle school children being bewildered by outdated technology has gone viral. In the clip, which racked up more than 2 million views on Instagram, various children at a Niskayuna Central school approach an overhead projector and attempt to guess what it is. A couple students even try to see something in the bulb or on the (empty) projector’s surface. View this post on Instagram “I do not know what this is,” the first student in the video says. “Looks very old.” “Is it an X-ray machine?” one guesses. “I …

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by Joe Wilkinson
Schools
Burglary Turns Fatal In SWAT Standoff, Fire At Home Of Accused Philly School Employee: Reports Burglary Turns Fatal In SWAT Standoff, Fire At Home Of Accused Philly School Employee: Reports
Burglary Turns Fatal In SWAT Standoff, Fire At Home Of Accused Philly School Employee: Reports A late-night burglary spiraled into a deadly SWAT standoff and house fire at the home of an accused Radnor Township school employee, leaving one suspect dead and another in custody in Delaware County on Wednesday, April 8. The chaos unfolded around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, on the unit block of Rhodes Avenue in Collingdale, where two masked and armed men were seen breaking into a home believed to be unoccupied, according to multiple reports and law enforcement sources. The home belongs to Michael Robinson, 43, a former paraprofessional at Radnor Township Middle School who was arrested in …

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Fatal Fight At Store Near UPenn Campus, Shooter Flees On Scooter: Police Fatal Fight At Store Near UPenn Campus, Shooter Flees On Scooter: Police
Fatal Fight At Store Near UPenn Campus, Shooter Flees On Scooter: Police A fight inside a University City convenience store near the University of Pennsylvania campus turned deadly, Philadelphia police announced on Monday, April 6. The shooting happened at a grocery store on the 4000 block of Market Street around 4:42 p.m., just steps from UPenn and Drexel University, according to police. Officers from the 18th District responded and found a 26-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound inside the store, authorities said. Investigators say the victim and the suspect got into an argument moments before the shooting. The suspect had entered the store with a gun …

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Graduate programs across the Northeast are being recognized among the best in the nation, according to a new report. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings on Tuesday, April 7. The list evaluates programs in several fields, including business, law, medicine, engineering, education, and nursing. The media outlet said it compared grad programs based on factors like research performance and career outcomes. "We know a graduate degree is a major commitment," said LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News. "That is why we are dedica…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Phony Bomb Threat Forces NJ School Into Lockdown: Police Phony Bomb Threat Forces NJ School Into Lockdown: Police
Phony Bomb Threat Forces NJ School Into Lockdown: Police A bomb threat caused a high school in Gloucester County to be placed under lockdown Thursday, March 19, authorities said. At 7:28 a.m., officers responded to West Deptford High School for a bomb threat, West Deptford police said. The school was placed into an immediate lockdown while officers responded and assessed the situation, police said. The Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office Bomb K-9 Unit responded to the scene and conducted thorough sweeps of the interior of the school, police said Officers also reviewed school surveillance footage in detail, police said The investigation into the b…

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by Sam Barron
Schools
School Buses Engulfed In Flames At Philadelphia Depot School Buses Engulfed In Flames At Philadelphia Depot
School Buses Engulfed In Flames At Philadelphia Depot Multiple school buses went up in flames at a depot in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia late Wednesday night. At least three school buses were severely damaged when a fire broke out at the First Student Bus Depot at the intersection of Thompson and Butler streets around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The depot is located on Thompson Street just off Castor Avenue. Video shared on the Citizens app showed heavy flames shooting from the bus yard as the fire tore through the parked vehicles. Fire crews responded quickly and were able to extinguish the flames before the blaze spread fur…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating'
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Their Disney dream vanished before takeoff. Dozens of Long Island marching band students were left stranded at JFK Airport for hours after their long-awaited flight to Disney World was canceled. The Kings Park High School marching band, color guard, and kick line arrived at JFK shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, for a scheduled Delta flight to Orlando only to be informed the flight had been canceled, Kings Park Superintendent Timothy Eagen told Daily Voice. Attempts to split the group onto multiple flights were rejected after proposed itineraries would have separated students from cha…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School A substitute teacher was fired after a racially offensive remark directed at a student was captured on video inside a New York middle school. The incident happened in Saratoga County, in an eighth-grade classroom at O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills. A video widely shared online appears to capture the substitute teacher telling a student, “Take your cotton-picking hands to yourself.” That remark was directed at a Black student, according to multiple reports. The comment was heard in the background of a Chromebook video journal a student was recording for a class assignment. School lead…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation An Adelphi University freshman is celebrating after a Nassau County judge ruled he did not cheat on a paper with artificial intelligence and ordered the university to wipe the violation from his academic record. In a decision issued Thursday, Jan. 29, Nassau County Supreme Court granted Orion Newby’s petition and annulled both the violation and the university’s denial of his appeal. Newby, who is on the autism spectrum, sued the university in July 2025, challenging its finding that he committed plagiarism during the previous fall semester, as Daily Voice reported. According to the petition…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
NJ Elementary School Remains Closed After Fire NJ Elementary School Remains Closed After Fire
NJ Elementary School Remains Closed After Fire Arthur Rann Elementary School in Galloway has not re-opened after a fire in a classroom on Monday, Jan. 26. In a letter to families and staff Superintendent Stephen Santilli said they have not yet figured out a plan to relocate the 670 students and 109 staff to other buildings in the district. "While space is a challenge, even more pressing is the gathering and distribution of needed materials and supplies, breakfast/lunch, transportation needs, and parent drop/off and pickup in the new locations, are just a few of the many obstacles when developing a plan of this magnitude," Santilli said.…

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by Sam Barron
Schools
Villanova Closes Campus After Threat, FBI Investigating: Officials Villanova Closes Campus After Threat, FBI Investigating: Officials
Villanova Closes Campus After Threat, FBI Investigating: Officials Villanova University shut down campus operations after receiving a threat of violence targeting an academic building, officials announced Thursday, Jan. 22. The FBI is actively investigating the threat, and the university’s Department of Public Safety is working with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, according to a NOVA Alert. The university said it closed campus “out of an abundance of caution,” canceling all activities for the day. Residential students were advised to remain inside their residence halls. Non-residential students were told not to come to campus, and facu…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit A New York elementary school built a wooden cage for a nonverbal, disabled student, his parents claim, intensifying a controversy that has already put multiple district officials on administrative leave. The parents of an 8-year-old Native American student allege the Salmon River Central School District constructed what they describe as a “wooden dog cage” specifically for their child while he attended St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne, according to a notice of claim provided to Daily Voice. The filing comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations that students — including those w…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns A librarian at a New York elementary school has resigned after a photo circulated online showing her standing on the back of a special needs student. The Schenectady Board of Education voted to accept the resignation of Maria Mawson, a librarian at Lincoln Elementary School, during its meeting Wednesday, Jan. 14. The resignation follows widespread outrage over an image that appeared to show an adult with a foot placed on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom, as Daily Voice reported. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany television station WNYT that the …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Teen Identified After Fatal Chipotle Shooting Near Temple On First Day Of Classes (UPDATE) Teen Identified After Fatal Chipotle Shooting Near Temple On First Day Of Classes (UPDATE)
Teen Identified After Fatal Chipotle Shooting Near Temple On First Day Of Classes (Update) New details have been released in the fatal shooting inside a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University that killed a teenage boy, Philadelphia police announced on Tuesday, Jan. 13. The shooting happened around 5:15 p.m. Monday inside the Chipotle on the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue in North Philadelphia, where officers responded to a report of a person with a gun, police said. A juvenile male was found inside the restaurant’s bathroom suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 5:24 p.m., according to police. The victim has been i…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Community anger is mounting after a photo circulated online that appears to show a staff member standing on the back of a special needs student inside a New York elementary school classroom. The image, which spread widely on social media this week, allegedly shows a woman with her foot on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom at Lincoln Elementary School in Schenectady. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany station WNYT that the student is her 8-year-old son, Gian, a second grader with ADHD who struggles to express himself. Rivera’s son was restrained on…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Antisemitic Remarks By Philly Suburb Principal Lead To Firing By School District Antisemitic Remarks By Philly Suburb Principal Lead To Firing By School District
Antisemitic Remarks By Philly Suburb Principal Lead To Firing By School District Antisemitic remarks caught on a voicemail left by the principal of Lower Gwynedd Elementary School have resulted in his termination following a special public vote by the Wissahickon School Board. Philip Leddy was discharged after board members approved a resolution during a special meeting held Tuesday, Dec. 23, according to district records. December 23, 2025-Special Board Meeting Wissahickon SD The incident stemmed from a voicemail Leddy left for a parent on Dec. 19, which continued recording after he believed the call had ended. In the recording, Leddy is heard making antisemitic c…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation 'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation A New York school superintendent has been placed on home assignment amid explosive allegations that special needs students were subjected to a so-called classroom “timeout box” at an elementary school. The Salmon River Central School District launched an investigation after a former school board member alleged that students at St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne were subjected to improper restraint and seclusion practices, the district’s Board of Education confirmed Thursday, Dec. 18. The school is located within the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation. In a Facebook post that has since gone vi…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says A person of interest has been detained in the Brown University mass shooting Saturday, Dec. 13, the FBI announced Sunday morning, Dec. 14. At least two people were killed and eight others were injured following reports of an active shooter near Barus & Holley Engineering, officials said. Eight people were listed in critical, but stable condition at the hospital following the incident, officials said. The shelter-in-place was lifted Sunday morning. "We continue to ask anyone with information that could help this investigation to call the Providence Police Department at 401-652-576…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police A New York special education teacher and city councilmember is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an underage student. Fulton County resident Scott Jeffers, 42, of Johnstown, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 11, following an investigation launched at the request of Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio, according to New York State Police. Investigators concluded that Jeffers, a special education teacher at Johnstown Jr./Sr. High School, repeatedly communicated with a student under the age of 17 through social media, text messages, voice calls, and …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is
NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is A school district in New Jersey is warning parents about a potentially dangerous TikTok trend. In an email sent to parents, the Stafford Township School District a TikTok video trend had come to their attention that "could be perceived as potentially threatening to the well-being of others." "We are encouraging families to review their child's social media presence and reinforce the importance of good digital citizenship," the school district said.  The school district did not say what the TikTok trend was. Daily Voice emailed the Stafford School District requesting more information o…

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by Sam Barron
Schools
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College A now-former Lehigh University professor has admitted to running a wire fraud scheme that stole nearly $2 million from victims, according to court documents, federal prosecutors, and a statement from the University shared with DailyVoice on Thursday, Dec. 4.  Chinedu Ekuma, 45, of Catasauqua, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher to two counts of wire fraud after acknowledging he carried out the scheme from August 2020 through March 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to prosecutors, Ekuma used…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction
Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction An upcoming visit from Linda McMahon to a New Jersey middle school is sparking questions and concerns among some parents and residents. The U.S. Secretary of Education is set to visit Cedar Drive Middle School on Friday, Dec. 5, as part of a national civics education tour, Superintendent Dr. MaryJane Garibay said in a letter to families. The visit is tied to the U.S. Department of Education’s “History Rocks!” Trail to Independence Tour, which will bring McMahon to schools in all 50 states as the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary. Colts Neck was selected to represent New Jersey in t…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA
PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA A high school teacher and coach is accused of sending nude photos to who he believed was a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey and hoarding dozens of child pornography images and videos, according to a release issued on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 12:30 p.m. Manheim Township High School teacher, David Sean Burkhart, 45, of the 700 block of Scott Lane in Warwick Township, was charged with three counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of unlawful contact with a minor, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, Manheim Township Police Det. Nicholas Fritz wrote in the affidavit. Burk…

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by Jillian Pikora