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Briana: Protests at Princeton.

Two students arrested after building a Gaza Solidarity encampment in growing protests nationwide.

>> The atrocities committed on October 7 were horrific and do not change the fact that in the last six months over 34,000 Palestinian lives have been taken.

Briana: Plus, remembering Donald Payne Junior.

We pay tribute to a colleague and friend.

>> It is hard for me to imagine I will not see that face, dapper Dan with his eyeglasses to match every suit, every bowtie.

Briana: Also, protecting LGBTQ students.

Calling on school districts to re-adopt a policy aimed at protecting transgender students.

>> Every student deserves a safe school to learn and grow in.

Briana: Pre-k fallout.

Private childcare centers on edge, worried about losing children with universal pre-k programs.

"NJ Spotlight News" starts now.

>> From NJ PBS Studios this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening, things for joining us.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

Nationwide protests over the war in Gaza have erected at Princeton University where police officers arrested two graduate students after demonstrators set up in encampment.

Showing solidarity with other pro-Palestinian movements and vowing to stay put until Princeton divests all funding from companies profiting off the Israel-Hamas war.

Pop up protests at close to 50 colleges and universities across the country from Columbia in New York, where students have been protesting more than week, to the University of Texas and USC.

All igniting a debate not only over the war, but American support for Israel and the right to free speech on college campuses.

Ted Goldberg is in Princeton with the latest.

Ted: Students tell me they plan to remain at this encampment until Princeton fully divest from companies associated with Israel.

They are joining similar movements at campuses across the country and tell me this cause is so important to them, even if there are run-ins with law enforcement, they will not be scared away.

Ted: two graduate students were arrested after pitching tents on the college court, a school violation.

The school says after repeated warnings to cease the activity and leave the area two graduate students were arrested for trespassing and barred from campus pending a disciplinary process.

>> They will not be able to complete their degrees.

They continue to build a liberation zone home the hundreds of students who have reclaimed this portion of campus as their own in celebration of Palestinian life and the life we will continue to give to Palestine once Princeton divests.

>> The Intimidation on this campus has gone for weeks and months, but the people almost exclusively people of color.

Two student comrades were also people of color.

Of the people they have chosen they chose two people of color, that is telling a lot about the climate here.

>> I think the University is acting in a heavy-handed manner with the arrest of students and eviction of students from housing.

It is not justified and supersedes policy and procedure.

Ted: The combination protest and sit in welcomes students leaving their classrooms and a journalist was nearly arrested after using a megaphone to speak.

Noise amplification is also against the rules of Princeton, so he was led off.

>> The reaction of the University is atrocious, overreaction.

It is a peaceful protest.

>> Academic Free meant is under assault.

There is a move to censor what faculty teach and students learn.

There are bureaucrats and Theo Kratz in the U.S. government that would like to strip faculty members of tenure.

Ted: Professor Max Weiss joined over 100 pro-Palestinian students here to protest.

>> This genocide must stop, it is a stain on the world.

>> It is a duty for all of us to stand up against genocide, oppression, for liberation.

This is an extension of colonial and Imperial powers at play.

Ted: There were also counter protesters, showing signs of hostages held by Hamas and say Princeton is in danger of becoming a hotbed of anti-Semitism.

>> Colleges are under attack.

Princeton is not the worst.

I am in New York and see what is happening to Columbia.

Ted: Columbia canceled in person classes after reports of anti-Semitic languages at pro-Palestine protest.

>> Antisemitism is calling for destruction of the state of Israel.

The genocide of the Israeli people is anti-Semitism.

Every student here who is Jewish is experiencing anti-Semitism.

These go toward the destruction of the Jewish people.

That we cannot stand for.

>> We demand Princeton divest from companies profiting off Israeli apartheid and genocide campaign that has taken the lives of over 34,000 Palestinians, 70% of whom are women and children.

Ted: She leads the alliance of Jewish progressives and does not believe anti-Israel protests are anti-Jewish.

>> The atrocities of October 7 were horrific and do not change the fact that in the last six months over 34,000 Palestinian lives have been taken.

Ted: If Princeton does not divest protesters do not plan to go away anytime soon.

Counter protesters plan to stay on Princeton's campus as well.

At Princeton, I'm Ted Goldberg, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: State and federal leaders mourn the death of Congressman Donald Payne jr.

He died Wednesday after suffering from a cardiac episode three weeks ago that left him hospitalized and in a coma.

The six term Democrat from Newark represented the 10th district since 2013, succeeding his late father who held the seat for nearly a quarter century.

His colleagues remember him as a dedicated public servant with a dapper sense of style, always wearing his signature bowtie and matching glasses.

He was beloved by fellow members of Congress including Bonnie Watson Coleman who worked alongside Payne for 10 years and in the statement said she loved him like a brother.

She joins me now.

Congresswoman, before we start I want to extend condolences to you.

I know you had a dear relationship.

You wrote that he called you a sister-mother.

Were you close off the bat?

How did you come to have that type of relationship with Donald Payne?

Rep. Coleman: We were the two African-American members of the delegation in the state of New Jersey.

Our fathers worked closely together.

That was a beginning for us to jump off into a relationship.

And we liked each other.

We immediately like each other and trusted one another and recognized that we shared the same legacy of service and expectation on our part.

Donald and I became as he said, sister-mother relationship.

Sister working together and mother when I was bugging him about doing something for himself.

Briana: You mentioned your life of public service.

You both came from a trailblazing fathers, families who dedicated themselves to public service.

Like his father, Donald Payne worked in his congressional seat up until his last moments.

What do you feel will be his legacy?

Rep. Coleman: Commitment to his constituents, working to further educate people on the impact of colorectal cancer, which his daddy succumbed to, worked on making sure the Northeast transportation network was supported.

Donald worked on policies that advanced equity in everything.

He loved his constituents so much he probably did more one minutes on the floor recognizing heroes in his community than any other member.

We used to tease him.

On the floor there is a seat you put something in that seat to show you will do your one minute.

Every time anyone would go by the seat, Donald has that seat already.

He wanted to make sure he highlighted the good things and good people of his district.

Briana: He played such a role in the Black congressional caucus but also representing New Jersey and how that leaves a hole for representation of his constituents, but of Black residents in New Jersey.

Rep. Coleman: It is a big loss to the state of New Jersey and constituents who happened to be Black, and citizens who happened to be Black.

But it is a loss to constituency across New Jersey.

Donald represented himself as a Black man, but the issues he pursued were for the betterment of all people.

There was no animus in Donald, no bias, no prejudice.

Donald wanted to do good work.

Donald did good work.

It is hard to imagine I will not see that face, that dapper Dan with his eyeglasses to match every suit, every bowtie.

I am not going to see that smile.

I am not going to be able to joke with my friend.

This is heartbreaking.

Heartbreaking for all the members of the Congressional Black caucus, but heartbreaking for members of Congress who had the blessing and opportunity to work with him.

Briana: He has been a pillar in New Jersey as well as in Congress.

Thank you for sharing your words about your friend.

Rep. Coleman: Thank you.

I want everyone to keep his family in prayer.

I know where his soul is, at rest and not suffering.

I need his family to know we love them.

Briana: With roughly two months left in the public school year a pair of civil rights groups are making a final plea to 16 school districts urging them to reconsider their stance on the state cost gender rights policy known as 5756, setting guidelines for schools around parental notification of a student's gender identity.

Letters from the ACLU and Garden State equality were sent following Roxbury school district decision to join systems scrapping the policy entirely.

A move advocates see as dangerous.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports.

>> Every student deserves a safe school to learn and grow in.

That is what this guidance has been.

Brenda: Gender rights advocates watched in alarm as more than two dozen New Jersey school boards revoked policy 5756, the controversial state guidance advises trans and non-binary students should not be automatically outed to their families by school faculty or staff.

It is a prime target of the conservative parental rights movement.

This week both of the ACLU and Garden State equality sent letters to 16 districts urging them to readopt 5756.

>> It is clear communication focused on student safety.

From a conservative standpoint you could say this would help reduce liability for a school having this policy because it is clearly laying out how we protect student safety.

>> We want to make sure all school districts understand, when they revoke these policies it does not absorb them of responsibilities.

Brenda: ACLU admits 5756 is not mandatory but notes school districts must follow New Jersey's tough law against discrimination.

The letter says repealing 5756 leaves school administrators and staff without clear guidance, opening the district to liability and signals to LGBTQ+ students and families that schools may not be a safe and welcoming environment to all.

>> As LGBTQ+ students are facing threats across the country, New Jersey has a responsibility to lead by example and ensure students are safe and welcome.

Brenda: She would not comment when asked whether the ACLU has been contacted by a family in one of the 16 districts that got a letter.

They include Lacey Township's board of Ed, led by Bruce, who said the message is not well received.

>> I have heard from some people this is perceived as a bullying tactic of Garden State equality and the ACLU using legal and threatening language to scare school administrators.

I am paraphrasing the letter to some extent, we will be watching you.

Brenda: The letter states our organizations will monitor districts to ensure they are meeting obligations to provide students with a safe environment free from discrimination.

They are in court for two of three county districts sued by New Jersey's Attorney General after they adopted their own policies.

>> We have to reconcile conflicting interest between parental rights, transgender student rights, and of the rights and obligations of a school district to both parties.

Brenda: Many believe districts are waiting for the court to offer direction.

At least three districts have rescinded -- abandon efforts to rescind 5756.

Something for law should not require teachers to inform parents about their child's gender identity.

Briana: Free universal preschool has been a goal of both the Murphy administration and progressive groups in the state.

The governor proposed an extra $20 million in the new state budget to expand free pre-k announcing 1000 more seats.

For private childcare centers already facing funding challenges and staffing shortages, the timing could not be worse.

As owners tell Joanna Gagis, it could cause a drastic low to business.

>> Preschool expansion comes into a town and stays within the pre-k system.

You are seeing those centers have to close.

That is what we are hearing from a lot of directors.

There is panic when expansion come -- expansion comes.

Joanna: Private childcare centers depend on a three-year-olds and four-year-olds because they offset the much more in -- expensive care of infants and toddlers that often lead centers at a net negative.

As the state expands universal pre-k, many childcare centers wonder if they will survive.

>> We know the model works and we need to tap back into that and see, it could work for those districts, could work for preschool expansion as well.

Joanna: The state already has a successful partnership between the SDA school districts and private childcare in a mixed delivery system where students can attend pre-k in either public or private settings.

>> All districts did mixed delivery, and it worked.

They were able to keep their doors open, able to add highly qualified staff with BA's, run high-quality community-based programs in collaboration with their school districts.

Joanna: As districts seek to create programs with$1.2 million proposed, a commissioner says they should look to existing childcare centers before launching any industry programs.

>> There is a responsibility we have to make sure every community has the tenants needed to be successful.

It is a big piece of society being successful.

Joanna: There is no mandate for districts to contract through existing childcare centers and not all centers want to be included in this model because it is still unclear for them how it works and who is in charge.

>> It was difficult to follow the licensing guidelines and the DOE guidelines, they seemed to clash.

Joanna: Dawn owns the little learners in Hackensack.

She turned two rooms licensed for 23 kids into classrooms that could only hold 15, according to DOE standards.

They would say licensing says we can't do it but then they would say, we are the DOE and have to do it our way.

Joanna: The other challenge was teacher compensation where the district paid pre-k teachers higher than what she could pay.

>> They will not entirely pay for the salary but are not entitled to the benefits.

Staff can only work for those six hours for 180 days.

A childcare center is open 12 months a year, before care, aftercare, summer camp.

They are back down to that private pay salary.

>> It is important the small childcare centers like myself should have the ability to give families leaving public school to stay here, and maybe have a voucher system or something where, as long as you have a teacher with a BA, certification and curriculum, why can't we keep those kids?

Joanna: Would you want a contract directly with DOE to bypass the district?

>> I would love that.

That would be fantastic if we could do that.

That would help us tremendously.

Especially now losing nine children next year.

Joanna: She is losing those kids to the Hackensack district rolling out its pre-k program in its existing buildings leaving the future of her center uncertain.

Joanna Gagis "NJ Spotlight News ."

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, another victory for the labor movement.

Two former cleaning staff members at the American dream mall getting jobs back and a retro pay after a three-judge panel at the labor board ruled in their favor, stating they should not have been fired for meeting with union organizers.

As Melissa Rose Cooper reports, the decision sends a clear message to anyone who violates a workers right to unionize.

>> The decision was good because I was unjustly terminated and the judge decided in my favor on a permanent basis.

Reporter: He reacted to a recent ruling from the national relations labor board requiring American dream contractor HSA cleaning to re-contract he and his Hochul core -- his coworker who were fired for attempting to form a union in 2022.

>> I was out of work for 13 months.

That affected me deeply because I depend on that job.

Reporter: Last summer they returned to work after a federal judge ordered HSA to immediately reinstate them.

Now the NLRB permanently secures their jobs, entitling them to receive any back pay in full.

>> Now it is permanent, I feel safe.

Before it was on a temporary basis and I was afraid I may be terminated.

Now I feel comfortable and safe.

>> This happens quite often unfortunately with employers opposed to unionization.

The labor law lacking those strong fangs, having financial penalty, will often decide to engage in illegal activity like firing workers for organizing because the cost is really low in the end.

The ruling sends a strong message to coworkers in the workplace that, yes, we are allowed to talk about having a union if we wanted as a tech to activity.

We can organize if we would like to do that.

Reporter: Kevin Brown is the Executive Vice President for 32 BJ union.

>> This was a victory of an appeal which also reaffirms the federal court judge's decision.

We won several rounds for these workers in court, despite the company's best efforts to impede us and feed workers chances to win the American dream at the American dream mall.

Reporter: Despite the NLRB ruling many employees are having a hard time on the job.

>> There has been harassment of these workers.

These two and others.

There have been termination of other workers unlawfully because of exercising their rights to organize.

We filed additional charges which the labor board is investigating as well.

Aside from violation of the workers' rights to organize, there has also been a lawsuit filed by the workers for sexual harassment, and independent lawsuit for two workers.

We believe there will be more coming forward.

Reporter: We reached out to HSA and are awaiting response.

Lawyers for the company denied firing them out of retaliation for organizing a union and claimed they were let go due to necessary cuts in the workforce.

The NLRB ruling requires information out -- outlining unionization rights to be posted.

American dream is declining,.

Briana: Turning to Wall Street, stocks took a nosedive as the economy shows signs of slowing.

Here is where the markets closed.

Make sure to tune into NJ business beat with Raven Santana this weekend.

She focuses on New Jersey's construction industry and talks to a female CEO about the challenges she has faced in a male-dominated field.

And many students choosing a skilled trade over college which could fill a gap of over half a million construction workers in the U.S. Watch at 10:00 on the YouTube channel.

That will do it for us tonight.

Don't forget to download the "NJ Spotlight News" podcast so you can listen anytime.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

Thanks for being with us.

We will.

see you tomorrow night >> New Jersey education Association making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

And New Jersey realtors, the voice of real estate in New Jersey.

More information online atnjrealtor.com.

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