Newark, NJ – September 18, 2008

Students from New Jersey’s high poverty, racially segregated urban schools are set to vigorously oppose the court motion filed by State Education Commissioner Lucille Davy to end further implementation of the remedies ordered in the landmark Abbott v. Burke education equity case.

The Supreme Court will hear the State’s request on September 22^nd in Trenton.

The Abbott remedies, underway since 1999, are tailored to address the extreme disadvantages faced by urban students and to improve their schools. The remedies include a core curriculum on par with successful, suburban schools; tutoring, parent involvement, social and health services and other supplemental programs; high quality preschool; reform in elementary and secondary schools; and needs-based funding.

Noted civil rights attorney Lawrence S. Lustberg of the Gibbons law firm in Newark, co-counsel to the school children in the Abbott case, issued the following statement on the State’s motion:

"On behalf of New Jersey's poor urban schoolchildren, we are strongly opposing the State's extraordinary request to get out from under its long-established obligation to continue implementing the Abbott remedies. The State has fallen far short of making the required showing that those remedies are not needed or are ineffective.  To the contrary, the evidence shows that the remedies are having a positive effect on urban schools and their students, and that the need for them continues. It would be contrary to the law and harmful to the children if the State's motion is granted." 

ELC also serves as counsel in Abbott. Numerous organizations have joined the urban students in opposing the Commissioner’s request, including the Association for Children of New Jersey, the NJ Special Education Coalition, Dollars and Sense, Hispanic Directors Association, NJ Education Association, Urban Mayors Association, the NJ Black Issues Convention, and over fifteen urban school superintendents and their districts.