Richard Shaftan was incensed by portions of the judge’s eight-page ruling, particularly its mention that allowing the boy back into school "would place the general student body at Sparta Middle School at risk of (contracting) a communicable disease recognized by the Department of Health."

"You have to wonder how someone can write that statement and be sitting on the bench," said Shaftan...

http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/01/12/14/news9-stillout.htm

http://www.nj.com/njcommunities/ledger/sussex/index.ssf?/njcommunities/ledger/sussex/154de57.html

Naturally, we're going to appeal this ridiculous ruling.  I will leave discussions as to specific legal strategies to my legal team.  Mr. Carroll will be discussing specifics with the media today.

This battle is just beginning.  Here's more ways you can help whether or not you live in New Jersey (especially if you live in one of the other 42 states that have this mandate).

1) Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, and if you live out of state, send one to a New Jersey newspaper and demand answers.

2) Pester your legislators to change the law.

3) Call talk radio about this issue.

4) Go to http://www.527fund.com/contribute.html and make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE contribution to the Political Speech Legal Defense and Education Fund which is helping fund this lawsuit.  Thanks to your help we are able to continue this case forward and we will.  Even the "system" cannot sustain a policy with no public support, and with Jim McGreevey looking to cut spending what better place then to end this expensive mandate which doesn't create one political patronage job and is by no means a vote-getter by any stretch.  It's just a matter of time before New Jersey or some other state abandons this ridiculous and expensive mandate and the domino effect begins.  The drug companies know this.  They aren't going to go down without a fight.

On to victory!  Back to work...

Rick Shaftan
Neighborhood Research/Mountaintop Media, Sparta NJ
973-726-8114