TEANECK, NJ—In a significant decision, Superior Court Judge Carol Novey Catuogno ordered the Teaneck Board of Education to comply with New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act, known as the “Sunshine Law.” The ruling came after local resident Keith Kaplan successfully argued that the Board had consistently failed to notify the public of its meetings properly.

Judge Catuogno highlighted that the Board had neglected its duty to post an annual list of meeting dates by January 10th each year and to notice individual meetings along with their agendas adequately. This failure has persisted, prompting the court to demand immediate corrections to ensure transparency.

Teaneck has been reprimanded for not following these protocols for years, which led to a court order mandating a strict adherence to the Open Public Meetings Act moving forward. This includes a directive that the Board redo several past votes, including the contentious decisions made in December 2023 and January 2024 regarding personnel changes, under properly noticed meetings.

In particular, the votes from the meetings on December 21, 2023, and January 3, 2024, have been brought into question. The Board has been given 70 days, until September 26, 2024, to address these issues and redo the votes; failure to comply will result in the nullification of the decisions made at those meetings.

The court’s decision marks a pivotal victory for transparency advocates and underscores the necessity for public bodies to operate in an open and accountable manner. Judge Catuogno expressed confidence that the Board would now comply fully with the legal requirements for public meetings.

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Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

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