“I didn’t know n✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎✴︎s were allowed”


You may have heard that a despicable racial expletive was used during a recent city council meeting in Absecon, NJ. The statement has since been denounced by city leaders and is being investigated by law enforcement. Still, incidents like this cause fear, mistrust and can only serve to reinforce a belief that racism is behind Absecon’s drive to segregate itself from the Pleasantville School district.

Sign up to March for Freedom Justice and Opportunity, Sunday, March 20, 1:30 PM at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Pleasantville, NJ.

In a recent New York Public Radio report about New Jersey’s segregated schools, “it’s just the element” is how one Absecon resident described the "problem" with Pleasantville and its students. In that same broadcast, Absecon School Superintendent, Dan Dooley denied his push to leave Pleasantville was racially motivated yet stunningly called it “an equity issue” for his students “because”, he said, “those with means go other places”. Mr. Dooley is correct that it is an “equity issue” but he failed to acknowledge how his plan would create the means for Absecon kids to “go other places" while leaving Pleasantville students more isolated and more segregated than ever before.  

Last year, Building One America and Mount Zion Baptist Church marched on Absecon to demand their leaders abandon their illegal and immoral campaign to secede from Pleasantville. We called on the Governor to reject the Absecon petition on the simple grounds that it is unconstitutional and it is wrong. 

One year later we’ve heard nothing from Governor Murphy and there’s been no change in the stance of Absecon’s leadership despite their verbal condemnation of overt racism. This Sunday, March 20, 2022 we will march again. This time will call on Absecon to show us that their denunciations of racial epitaphs are more than just words. We will call on them to withdraw their petition and join with us to press Governor Murphy and our legislative leadership to develop a real, lasting, and fair solution to the problem of school segregation and educational opportunity here and across New Jersey - a solution that will give all students, white, Black, Brown, rich, poor and middle-class the “means” to access and enjoy a thorough, efficient and a quality education in a society where everyone is allowed everywhere.

Sign up here to march for freedom justice and opportunity