VIDEO: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm VIDEO: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm
Video: Mom's Arrest At BOE Meeting In Jersey City Sparks Firestorm A Jersey City mom was arrested at a Board of Education meeting last week, sparking outrage from a city councilwoman, a sharp response from the school board president, and a GoFundMe launched to support the woman’s legal defense. Emily Pecot was charged with criminal trespass following the Thursday, May 21 meeting, according to municipal court records. The offense happened around 8:30 p.m., and Pecot is scheduled to appear in Jersey City Municipal Court on Tuesday, June 9. Video of Pecot's arrest was shared to Instagram by the Jersey City Times. Pecot’s remarks (1:39:51) focused on decorum a…
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Harvard University faculty voted to cap the number of A grades undergraduate students can receive beginning in 2027, according to multiple news reports, including CBS. Faculty approved the measure in a 458-201 vote, limiting A grades to 20 percent per class, with professors allowed to award four additional A grades beyond the cap. The policy will apply only to undergraduate students, according to the university. A-minus grades and lower grades will not be affected under the new rules. Faculty also rejected a separate proposal that would have allowed individual courses to opt out o…
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Schools nationwide are able to use a popular class management system after a cybersecurity incident locked out teachers and students, exposing personal data for millions of users. Canvas was "fully back online" on the morning of Friday, May 8, according to education technology company Instructure's website. The platform used by about 9,000 K-12 schools and universities was down for several hours on Thursday, May 7, in a data breach claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters. Instructure said it first detected suspicious activity in Canvas on Wednesday, April 29. While the …
Hackensack BOE Races To Pass $169M Budget As 100+ Employees Face Layoffs Hackensack BOE Races To Pass $169M Budget As 100+ Employees Face Layoffs
Hackensack BOE Races To Pass $169M Budget As 100+ Employees Face Layoffs Hackensack school officials are expected to vote Wednesday, May 6, on a proposed $169 million budget as the district faces more than 100 staffing cuts and a growing financial crisis. The special Board of Education meeting was scheduled ahead of a May 7 state deadline to approve and submit the district’s 2026-27 budget. The district’s financial problems surfaced publicly over the past several months during a series of tense board meetings focused on layoffs, spending cuts, and emergency borrowing plans. At a March 25 special meeting, district officials discussed plans to eliminate about 100…
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect A swatting group calling itself Purgatory is believed to be behind more than 10 hoax active shooter reports that triggered lockdowns at universities nationwide — and now, federal prosecutors have filed charges against a suspect tied to the spree, officials announced Thursday, April 30. Villanova At The Center The wave of hoaxes began on Aug. 21 at Villanova University, where families and new students attending orientation Mass were sent scrambling after an alert warned of an “ACTIVE SHOOTER” on campus. Students and parents barricaded doors and hid as heavily armed officers flooded the Main L…
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs A former Penn State professor accused of repeatedly raping his dog in a state forest has learned his fate in court, according to newly filed documents. Themis Matsoukas, 64, of State College, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 22, in Huntingdon County Court, records show. He pleaded guilty to open lewdness and indecent exposure, and was found guilty of sexual intercourse with an animal, according to the court summary. For the animal-related charge, Matsoukas was sentenced to a term of confinement of one to four months in a county correctional facility, court records state. He received n…
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year A Pennsylvania educator has earned the nation’s top teaching honor for the second year in a row, state officials announced. Leon Smith, a teacher at Haverford High School in Havertown, has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe said on Tuesday, April 21. Smith, who was named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, becomes the latest educator from the Commonwealth to receive the national recognition. “Pennsylvania is honored to have, for the second year in a row, an educator from our great Commonwealth named National Teacher of…
WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video
Watch: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video A New York school district’s video of middle school children being bewildered by outdated technology has gone viral. In the clip, which racked up more than 2 million views on Instagram, various children at a Niskayuna Central school approach an overhead projector and attempt to guess what it is. A couple students even try to see something in the bulb or on the (empty) projector’s surface. View this post on Instagram “I do not know what this is,” the first student in the video says. “Looks very old.” “Is it an X-ray machine?” one guesses. “I …
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Graduate programs across the Northeast are being recognized among the best in the nation, according to a new report. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings on Tuesday, April 7. The list evaluates programs in several fields, including business, law, medicine, engineering, education, and nursing. The media outlet said it compared grad programs based on factors like research performance and career outcomes. "We know a graduate degree is a major commitment," said LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News. "That is why we are dedica…
Ramapo HS Principal Quietly Reassigned, District Cites ‘Employee Privacy’ Ramapo HS Principal Quietly Reassigned, District Cites ‘Employee Privacy’
Ramapo HS Principal Quietly Reassigned, District Cites ‘Employee Privacy’ Travis Smith, who has been the Ramapo High School principal for about a decade, has been quietly moved into a district leadership role. The district's website lists him as Director of Strategic Initiatives for Ramapo Indian Hills while former Ramapo HS Assistant Principal Claudia Dargento has been named RHS principal. The change was first reported by NorthJersey.com, which noted that students received a text message on Jan. 14 saying assistant principal Claudia Dargento would soon be “in charge.” The message did not mention Smith and said no additional details would be shared beca…
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating'
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Their Disney dream vanished before takeoff. Dozens of Long Island marching band students were left stranded at JFK Airport for hours after their long-awaited flight to Disney World was canceled. The Kings Park High School marching band, color guard, and kick line arrived at JFK shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, for a scheduled Delta flight to Orlando only to be informed the flight had been canceled, Kings Park Superintendent Timothy Eagen told Daily Voice. Attempts to split the group onto multiple flights were rejected after proposed itineraries would have separated students from cha…
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School A substitute teacher was fired after a racially offensive remark directed at a student was captured on video inside a New York middle school. The incident happened in Saratoga County, in an eighth-grade classroom at O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills. A video widely shared online appears to capture the substitute teacher telling a student, “Take your cotton-picking hands to yourself.” That remark was directed at a Black student, according to multiple reports. The comment was heard in the background of a Chromebook video journal a student was recording for a class assignment. School lead…
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation An Adelphi University freshman is celebrating after a Nassau County judge ruled he did not cheat on a paper with artificial intelligence and ordered the university to wipe the violation from his academic record. In a decision issued Thursday, Jan. 29, Nassau County Supreme Court granted Orion Newby’s petition and annulled both the violation and the university’s denial of his appeal. Newby, who is on the autism spectrum, sued the university in July 2025, challenging its finding that he committed plagiarism during the previous fall semester, as Daily Voice reported. According to the petition…
Morris County Schools Announced Delayed Openings For Tuesday Morris County Schools Announced Delayed Openings For Tuesday
Morris County Schools Announced Delayed Openings For Tuesday Some North Jersey schools are not quite ready to reopen. Announcements of delayed openings for Tuesday, Jan. 27 were trickling in Monday afternoon. As of 4:30 p.m., these schools announced delayed openings: BERGEN Bergenfield Carlstadt Cliffside Park Cresskill Dumont Englewood Englewood Cliffs Elmwood Park Fairview Fort Lee Garfield Glen Rock Hackensack Lodi Maywood New Milford Oradell Paramus Ramapo-Indian Hills Ridgefield Ridgewood River Edge Rochelle Park Saddle River Teaneck Tenafly MORRIS Butler  Denville Dover  Kinnelon  Morris Netcong  Parsippany-Troy Hills&n…
NJ Schools Closed, Delayed Due To Winter Storm NJ Schools Closed, Delayed Due To Winter Storm
NJ Schools Closed, Delayed Due To Winter Storm New Jersey schools are beginning to make the call for Monday, Jan. 26, due to the winter storm expected to wallop the state with more than a foot of snow. As of 12:20 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, these schools are closed in North Jersey: BERGEN Bergenfield Carlstadt Cliffside Park Closter Cresskill Demarest Dumont East Rutherford Edgewater Elmwood Park Emerson Englewood Fair Lawn Fairview Fort Lee Franklin Lakes Garfield Glen Rock Hackensack Harrington Park Hasbrouck Heights Haworth Leonia Little Ferry Lodi Maywood Mahwah (virtual development) Midland Park Montvale Moonachie North Arlington Nort…
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit A New York elementary school built a wooden cage for a nonverbal, disabled student, his parents claim, intensifying a controversy that has already put multiple district officials on administrative leave. The parents of an 8-year-old Native American student allege the Salmon River Central School District constructed what they describe as a “wooden dog cage” specifically for their child while he attended St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne, according to a notice of claim provided to Daily Voice. The filing comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations that students — including those w…
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns A librarian at a New York elementary school has resigned after a photo circulated online showing her standing on the back of a special needs student. The Schenectady Board of Education voted to accept the resignation of Maria Mawson, a librarian at Lincoln Elementary School, during its meeting Wednesday, Jan. 14. The resignation follows widespread outrage over an image that appeared to show an adult with a foot placed on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom, as Daily Voice reported. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany television station WNYT that the …
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Community anger is mounting after a photo circulated online that appears to show a staff member standing on the back of a special needs student inside a New York elementary school classroom. The image, which spread widely on social media this week, allegedly shows a woman with her foot on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom at Lincoln Elementary School in Schenectady. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany station WNYT that the student is her 8-year-old son, Gian, a second grader with ADHD who struggles to express himself. Rivera’s son was restrained on…
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation 'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation A New York school superintendent has been placed on home assignment amid explosive allegations that special needs students were subjected to a so-called classroom “timeout box” at an elementary school. The Salmon River Central School District launched an investigation after a former school board member alleged that students at St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne were subjected to improper restraint and seclusion practices, the district’s Board of Education confirmed Thursday, Dec. 18. The school is located within the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation. In a Facebook post that has since gone vi…
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says A person of interest has been detained in the Brown University mass shooting Saturday, Dec. 13, the FBI announced Sunday morning, Dec. 14. At least two people were killed and eight others were injured following reports of an active shooter near Barus & Holley Engineering, officials said. Eight people were listed in critical, but stable condition at the hospital following the incident, officials said. The shelter-in-place was lifted Sunday morning. "We continue to ask anyone with information that could help this investigation to call the Providence Police Department at 401-652-576…
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police A New York special education teacher and city councilmember is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an underage student. Fulton County resident Scott Jeffers, 42, of Johnstown, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 11, following an investigation launched at the request of Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio, according to New York State Police. Investigators concluded that Jeffers, a special education teacher at Johnstown Jr./Sr. High School, repeatedly communicated with a student under the age of 17 through social media, text messages, voice calls, and …
NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is
NJ School Warns Of Dangerous TikTok Trend - But Won't Say What It Is A school district in New Jersey is warning parents about a potentially dangerous TikTok trend. In an email sent to parents, the Stafford Township School District a TikTok video trend had come to their attention that "could be perceived as potentially threatening to the well-being of others." "We are encouraging families to review their child's social media presence and reinforce the importance of good digital citizenship," the school district said.  The school district did not say what the TikTok trend was. Daily Voice emailed the Stafford School District requesting more information o…
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College A now-former Lehigh University professor has admitted to running a wire fraud scheme that stole nearly $2 million from victims, according to court documents, federal prosecutors, and a statement from the University shared with DailyVoice on Thursday, Dec. 4.  Chinedu Ekuma, 45, of Catasauqua, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher to two counts of wire fraud after acknowledging he carried out the scheme from August 2020 through March 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to prosecutors, Ekuma used…
Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction
Linda McMahon's Turning Point-Backed Visit To Red NJ Town's Middle School Sparks Mixed Reaction An upcoming visit from Linda McMahon to a New Jersey middle school is sparking questions and concerns among some parents and residents. The U.S. Secretary of Education is set to visit Cedar Drive Middle School on Friday, Dec. 5, as part of a national civics education tour, Superintendent Dr. MaryJane Garibay said in a letter to families. The visit is tied to the U.S. Department of Education’s “History Rocks!” Trail to Independence Tour, which will bring McMahon to schools in all 50 states as the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary. Colts Neck was selected to represent New Jersey in t…
PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA
PA Teacher, Basketball Coach Sent Nudes To Undercover NJ ‘Girl,’ Hoarded Child Porn: DA A high school teacher and coach is accused of sending nude photos to who he believed was a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey and hoarding dozens of child pornography images and videos, according to a release issued on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 12:30 p.m. Manheim Township High School teacher, David Sean Burkhart, 45, of the 700 block of Scott Lane in Warwick Township, was charged with three counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of unlawful contact with a minor, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, Manheim Township Police Det. Nicholas Fritz wrote in the affidavit. Burk…
Morris County Schools Closed, Delayed: Snowstorm Shuts Down Dozens Of Districts Tuesday Morris County Schools Closed, Delayed: Snowstorm Shuts Down Dozens Of Districts Tuesday
Morris County Schools Closed, Delayed: Snowstorm Shuts Down Dozens Of Districts Tuesday A fast-moving winter storm forced widespread school closures and delays across Northwest Jersey on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Districts in Passaic, Morris, Sussex, Warren, and Somerset counties announced schedule changes as snow moved into the region. Passaic County Delayed: Ringwood Wanaque Morris County Closed: Chester Township School District Mendham Borough School District Mendham Township School District Morris County Vocational School District Washington Township School District West Morris Regional High School District Delayed: Boonton Township School District Butler Public School Distri…
Megyn Kelly’s ‘Disturbing’ Epstein Comments Spark Petition To Strip NY School Honor Megyn Kelly’s ‘Disturbing’ Epstein Comments Spark Petition To Strip NY School Honor
Megyn Kelly’s ‘Disturbing’ Epstein Comments Spark Petition To Strip NY School Honor Megyn Kelly’s recent remarks about accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein triggered hundreds of comments on a petition calling for her to be removed from her New York high school’s Hall of Fame. The Change.org petition, titled “Remove Megyn Kelly from Bethlehem Hall of Fame,” had gathered nearly 900 signatures as of Wednesday, Nov. 19. Organizers launched it after Kelly – speaking on her SiriusXM talk show Wednesday, Nov. 12 – said Epstein "was into the barely legal type, like, he liked 15-year-old girls. He liked the very young teen types that could pass for even younger than they w…
Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building
Penn State ‘Explosion’: Person Trapped, Students Evacuated When Floor Drops In New Building A loud noise inside Penn State’s new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building sparked an evacuation and emergency response after a floor suddenly shifted and trapped a person, university officials announced on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. The incident happened on Wednesday, Nov. 12, when the floor in the $128 million building dropped about 2 inches, fire officials told WTAJ at the time. The movement created a crack as wide as 1 1/2 inches stretching from the second floor to the roof, according to first responders. Fire crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports of what sounded like an ex…
Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says
Elementary School Student Dies After TikTok Challenge Accident, NY District Says An Albany elementary school is mourning the death of a young student who died after an accident at home reportedly linked to a dangerous TikTok challenge. The incident occurred Saturday night, Nov. 8, and involved a student from Arbor Hill Elementary School, Principal Rosalind Gaines-Harrell said in a message to families. She called the loss “profoundly sad” and warned parents about the serious risks tied to viral online challenges, which are often promoted as harmless entertainment. District officials said the accident appeared to be connected to a TikTok trend, though no additional deta…
WATCH ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One WATCH ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One
Watch ‘Bearista’ Starbucks Fight After Cup Sells Out In 1 Day – Here’s How To Get One Starbucks fans couldn’t bear the disappointment after the company’s surprise newest holiday item — the viral “Bearista Cold Cup” — sold out nationwide within hours of its release. The Seattle-based coffee chain issued a public apology after the launch turned chaotic, with viral videos showing customers fighting in stores and scrambling to grab the limited-edition item that sold out within hours on Wednesday, Nov. 6. “The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” Starbucks said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehous…
Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-DEI Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-DEI Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds
Hackers Send Vulgar Anti-dei Email To Penn Students, Alumni: University Responds Students, alumni, and faculty at the University of Pennsylvania received a vulgar, inflammatory email from a hacker on Friday, Oct. 31, the university confirmed. The fraudulent message, which appeared to come from Penn’s Graduate School of Education, contained offensive language attacking the school’s diversity and admissions policies. Some recipients said they received the vulgar message multiple times. The full message was shared on reddit: The email allegedly sent by hackers from UPenn. Reddit/r/philadelphia @bpt1047 In a statement posted to its website, Penn said its Office of Info…