JACKSON, NJ – New Jersey mandates a lot of things. COVID-19 vaccines, sanctuary state protection, police reform, COVID-19 lockdowns and more, but one New Jersey lawmaker says its time to mandate more important things, like the English language and education.
“Our local senator John Bramnick decided he was going to introduce legislation mandating grief classes for high school students in New Jersey. In and of itself, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Chisolm said. “Is this really what we should be mandating English? Reading? Writing? Arithmetic? Things that can make New Jersey one of the top five and not the bottom five states to live?”
Chisolm said that Bramnick should instead focus on putting mental health services back in the hands of individuals and their communities through religious groups, medical professionals and social work.
“How about getting America ahead of China and twenty other countries against?” He asked. “If you want to mandate something, John, there’s nothing wrong with grief, but how about civics and teaching kids what our country is all about?”
Bramnick pushed his grief agenda this week as New Jersey is reeling from a mental health crisis affecting teens in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Bramnick sat powerless in the Republican minority as Democrat Governor Phil Murphy imposed mandate after mandate that not only crushed New Jersey economically but also mentally.
“Grief is one of the most complex emotions and perhaps the hardest to learn how to understand and manage,” said Bramnick (R-21). “Instead of leaving kids to try to figure it out on their own, we’re going to ensure that our high school students are taught how to recognize and effectively cope with feelings of grief and loss.”