A.O., on behalf of minor child, K.R. v. Jersey City Board of Education, Hudson County, 7/17/26 (#256-26)

256-26
OAL Dkt. No. EDU 09872-26
Agency Dkt. No. 252-06-26
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
A.O., on behalf of minor child, K.R.,
Petitioner,
v.
Jersey City Board of Education, Hudson County,
Respondent.
The record of this matter and the Initial Decision of the Office of Administrative Law (OAL)
have been reviewed and considered. The parties did not file exceptions.
Upon review, the Commissioner concurs with the Administrative Law Judge that this matter
should be dismissed because no issues remain to be addressed following the resolution of petitioner’s
motion for emergent relief.
Accordingly, the Initial Decision is adopted as the final decision in this matter, and the petition
of appeal is hereby dismissed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.1
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision: 	July 17, 2026
Date of Mailing: 	July 17, 2026
1 This decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-
9.1. Under N.J.Ct.R. 2:4-1(b), a notice of appeal must be filed with the Appellate Division within 45 days from the
date of mailing of this decision.

New Jersey is an Equal Opportunity Employer
State of New Jersey
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
INITIAL DECISION
DIMSISSAL
OAL DKT. NO. EDU 09872-26
AGENCY DKT. NO. 252-06-26
A.O. ON BEHALF OF K.R.,
Petitioner,
v.
JERSEY CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION,
Respondent.
_____________________________________
A.O. petitioner appearing pro se
Cherie L. Adams, Esq., for respondent Jersey City Board of Education (Adams,
Lattiboudere, Croot & Herman, LLC)
BEFORE MARIANNE B. ORTEGA, ALJ:
Record Closed: June 18, 2026 	Decided: June 24, 2026
Petitioner, A.O. challenges the Jersey City Board of Education’s (Board or
respondent) decision to exclude her child K.R. from her 8 th grade graduation ceremony.
On June 17, 2026, petitioner filed a Motion for Emergent Relief to compel respondent to
allow K.R. to walk in the graduation ceremony on June 18, 2026. The Board prohibited
K.R. from participation in the ceremony due to a vaping incident during an overnight trip.
The matter was filed with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) as a contested matter
June 17, 2026.
On June 17, 2026, I conducted a hearing and closed the record. An order denying
petitioner’s request for emergent relief was issued on the same date. 	By Order dated

OAL DKT. NO. EDU 09872- 26
2
June 18, 2026, the Commissioner upheld my decision that petitioner has failed to
demonstrate entitlement to emergent relief pursuant to the standards enunciated in
Crowe v. DeGioia, 90 N.J. 126, 132-34 (1982) and codified at N.J.A.C. 6A:3-1.6.
Accordingly, I CONCLUDE that no other issues remain. It is therefore ORDERED
that this matter be and is hereby DISMISSED.
I 	hereby 	FILE 	this 	initial 	decision 	with 	the 	COMMISSIONER 	OF 	THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION for consideration.
This recommended decision may be adopted, modified, or rejected by the
COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, who by law is authorized
to make a final decision in this matter. 	If the Commissioner of the Department of
Education does not adopt, modify, or reject this decision within forty-five days and unless
such time limit is otherwise extended, this recommended decision shall become a final
decision in accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:14B-10.
Within thirteen days from the date on which this recommended decision was
mailed to the parties, any party may file written exceptions with the COMMISSIONER OF
THE 	DEPARTMENT 	OF 	EDUCATION. 	Exceptions 	may 	be 	filed 	by 	email 	to
ControversiesDisputesFilings@doe.nj.gov or by mail to Office of Controversies
and Disputes, 100 Riverview Plaza, 4th Floor, PO Box 500, Trenton, New Jersey
08625-0500. A copy of any exceptions must be sent to the judge and to the other parties.
June 24, 2026
DATE 	MARIANNE B. ORTEGA, ALJ
Date Received at Agency:
Date Mailed to Parties:
ljb

OAL DKT. NO. EDU 09872- 26
3
DOCUMENTS RELIED ON
- 	Commissioner’s Final Decision, dated June 18, 2026
- 	Order on Emergent Relief, dated June 17, 2026