Senators Condemn Bergen Trustee Who Called LGBT Studies Repugnant

Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker have spoken out and condemned a Hackensack Board of Education trustee who said she is "disgusted" by a new state law requiring schools to teach LGBT history.

The Democratic senators in a joint statement Monday said Frances Cogelja's comments were "discriminatory, hurtful, and simply do not represent New Jersey values."

"New Jerseyans take pride in our rich diversity and the invaluable contributions made by each and every community to our neighborhoods, economy, arts, and culture. Our LGBTQ community is essential to the fabric of our state’s identity as a warm and inclusive place to live," the senators said. "To preserve this strong sense of community and solidarity, we must be united in the goal of teaching New Jersey’s children the history of the LGBTQ community and the incredible contributions it continues to have on our state."

Booker is running for the 2020 Democratic Party nomination for president. He has been New Jersey's junior senator since 2013. Menendez has been a senator since 2006.

Cogelja has come under fire from elected officials since her political rivals released emails she wrote in February to the Hackensack school superintendent that she found a new state requirement to teach LGBT history to students "repugnant," NorthJersey.com reported.

Bergen County Executive James Tedesco called the remark "shameful and unacceptable."

Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation Jan. 31 requiring boards of education to include instruction, and adopt instructional materials, that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people starting in the 2020-21 school year.

Garden State Equality, a New Jersey LGBTQ advocacy group, praised the change. The group will host a rally Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Hackensack City Hall, calling on the City Council to pass a resolution demanding Cogelja resign from the board.

"No elected official who believes that LGBTQ students should be ignored and shoved back into the closet should be responsible for their education or future," Garden State Equality said in an email to supporters Monday. "It’s imperative that each and every education official across New Jersey understands that our curriculum law must be faithfully implemented, and Trustee Frances Cogelja has shown she’s incapable of doing so. She must resign."

Cogelja said earlier this month she would "never" resign her seat, NorthJersey.com reported.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com