Michael Gottesman

 Individually and as Founder of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition

[1][OPRA #49539 email]

Dear Mr. Gottesman,

The Dumont Board of Education received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA)
request on August 7, 2023.  The official Records Custodian, Kevin
Cartotto, received your OPRA request on August 8, 2023.  As such, the
seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is August 16,
2023.  This response to your request is being provided to you on the 7th
business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request.

Your OPRA request sought access to the following:

1.  Please provide documents indicating the total number of students
enrolled in all public schools and charter schools in your District for
the 2022-2023 school year;

2.  Please provide documents indicating the total number of students whose
parents have availed themselves of the opt-out provisions of
N.J.S.A.18A:35-4.7 and opted their child out of all or a portion of the
2020 NJSLS-CHPE mandate or curriculum promulgated in accordance thereto
for the 2022-2023 school year. Please provide documents indicating the
number of opt-outs by individual grade levels.

3.  Please provide a copy of the document(s) used by the district by which
parents can opt-out or opt-in their children from all or a portion of the
curriculum mandated by the 2020 NJSLS-CHPE in your district.

4.  Please provide documents showing how you implemented the “parent
opt-out” for the 2020 NJSLS-CHPE and Health & Physical Education ‘s
curriculum and a copy of the document by which parents can opt-out their
children from all or a portion of the curriculum mandated by the 2020
NJSLS-CHPE in your district. Including but not limited to forms, flyers,
emails to parents and/or a website.

5.  Please provide documents showing how the 2020 NJSLS-CHPE mandate was
implemented in your district, for example: a) in the classroom; b) at home
by parents; c) as a homework assignment; d) in an assembly; e) as a
webinar; f) being taught on the last day of school; g) any methods but
with elements removed; h) not at all.

6.  Copies of the BOE policies and regulations regarding the composition
of your “Book Review Committee,” as well as policies controlling book
reviews or book removal requests.

7.  Copies of any book removal or review requests made by residents of
your school district since November 1, 2022 to present.

8.  If any books have been removed from curriculum or from public school
libraries as a result of a demand for removal or by the Board action in
accordance with your book removal policy, copies of all documents relating
to the review or removal.

9.  Any documents, policies or regulations relating to the review of
current textbooks or the review of new textbooks or textbooks being
considered for purchase.

10.Copies of all legal bills from the Board Attorney or from any outside
council from January 1, 2023 to present

The responses to your requests are as follows:

1.  Attached please find the Dumont Board of Education’s 2023-24
Application for School State Aid Enrollment count as of October 15, 2022
for the district.

2.  The Dumont Board of Education does not maintain a document providing
this information.  Custodians are not required to conduct research or
create new records in response to an OPRA request.  However, in the spirit
of cooperation and transparency please be advised that the Dumont Board of
Education had 1 student K-5 opt outs, 0 students 6-8 opt outs and 0
students 9-12 opt-outs.

3.  Please see the attached letter detailing the process for parents to
request an opt-out.

4.  Please see the attached letter detailing the process for parents to
request an opt-out.

5.  The Dumont Board of Education’s Curriculum Guides may be accessed at:
[2]https://www.dumontnj.org/apps/pages/inde...

6.  The Dumont Board of Education’s Policy and Regulation Manual can be
accessed at:
[3]https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Pu...

7.  Not Applicable.

8.  Not Applicable.

9.  The Dumont Board of Education’s Policy and Regulation Manual can be
accessed at:
[4]https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Pu...

10.Redacted Copies of Legal Bills are attached for the dates requested.

Please confirm receipt of this email and that you have received all
documents requested and that your OPRA request of August 7, 2023 is
satisfied.

Kevin Cartotto

Dumont Board of Education

Business Administrator

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[OPRA #49539 email]
2. https://www.dumontnj.org/apps/pages/inde...
3. https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Pu...
4. https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Pu...