IN THE MATTER OF KAREN JACKSON, GALLOWAY COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL, ATLANTIC COUNTY1/24/05, (#26-06 SEC)

#26-06 SEC (SEC Decision http://www.nj.gov/njded/legal/ethics/2005/c08-05.pdf)
IN THE MATTER OF KAREN JACKSON, 	:
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
GALLOWAY COMMUNITY CHARTER 	:
DECISION
SCHOOL, ATLANTIC COUNTY. 	:
:
SYNOPSIS
The School Ethics Commission (Commission) determined that Galloway Community Charter
School Board of Trustees member Karen Jackson violated N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1(i) of the Code of
Ethics for School Board Members when she made a derogatory statement regarding a student-
created project proposed by a teaching staff member, which was intended to provide instruction to
fulfill the Core Curriculum Content Standards for Holocaust Education. After considering the nature
of the charge, the Commission recommended that the Commissioner of Education impose a penalty
of reprimand.
Upon a thorough review of the record, the Commissioner, whose decision was restricted solely to a
review 	of 	the 	Commission’s 	recommended 	penalty 	pursuant 	to 	N.J.S.A. 	18A:12-29(c) 	and
N.J.A.C. 6A:3-9.1, concurred with the Commission’s recommendation. 	The Commissioner thus
ordered that Karen Jackson be reprimanded as a school official found to have violated the School
Ethics Act.
This synopsis is not part of the Commissioner’s decision. It has been prepared for the convenience of the
reader. It has been neither reviewed nor approved by the Commissioner.
January 24, 2006

AGENCY DKT NO. 382-12/05
IN THE MATTER OF KAREN JACKSON, 	:
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
GALLOWAY COMMUNITY CHARTER 	:
DECISION
SCHOOL, ATLANTIC COUNTY. 	:
:
The 	record 	of 	this 	matter 	and 	the 	decision 	of 	the 	School 	Ethics 	Commission
(“Commission”), finding that Galloway Community Charter School Board of Trustees member
Karen Jackson violated N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24.1(i) of the Code of Ethics for School Board members when
she made a derogatory statement regarding a student-created project proposed by a teaching staff
member, which was intended to provide instruction to fulfill the Core Curriculum Content Standards
for Holocaust Education. 	Upon issuance of the decision of the Commission, Ms. Jackson was
provided 13 days from the mailing date of the decision to file written comments on the recommended
penalty for the Commissioner’s consideration.
No comments were filed by or on behalf of Ms. Jackson.
Initially, 	it 	must 	be 	emphasized 	that, 	pursuant 	to 	N.J.S.A. 	18A:12-29(c) 	and
N.J.A.C. 6A:3-9.1, the determination of the Commission as to violation of the School Ethics Act is not
reviewable by the Commissioner herein. 	Only the Commission may determine whether a violation
of the School Ethics Act occurred. 	The Commissioner’s jurisdiction is limited to reviewing the
sanction to be imposed based upon a finding of a violation by the Commission. 	Therefore, this
decision is restricted solely to a review of the Commission’s recommended penalty.

Upon a thorough review of the record, the Commissioner determines to accept the
Commission’s recommendation that reprimand is the appropriate penalty in this matter for the reasons
expressed in the Commission’s decision.1 In so ruling, the Commissioner is satisfied that in
recommending a penalty for the violations it found, the Commission fully considered the nature of the
offense and weighed the effects of aggravating and mitigating circumstances. 	Therefore, the
Commission’s recommended penalty in this matter will not be disturbed.
Accordingly, IT IS hereby ORDERED that Karen Jackson be reprimanded as a school
official found to have violated the School Ethics Act.
IT IS SO ORDERED.2
ACTING COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision: January 24, 2006
Date of Mailing: 	January 24, 2006
1 It is noted that Ms. Jackson resigned as a Board of Trustees member effective April 22, 2005.
2 This decision may be appealed to the State Board of Education pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-27 et seq. and
N.J.A.C. 6A:4-1.1 et seq.
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