Reimagining the “Integral” Curriculum in the School District of the Chathams

The following letter was sent to the Superintendent and BOE for the School District of the Chathams on 02/14/2026. Also of the date and time of publication, a response has not been received.

NJ21st is a civic non-profit, non-partisan, independent journalism organization wholly funded by contributions from members of the 21st legislative District [and throughout the state]. I am writing with regard to your comment made to the Courier News about the Middle School’s request to attend a Robotics Competition.

“But it’s not necessarily integral to the curriculum. It is something you could pursue outside of the school’s approval.” [source]

I believe your comments, made publicly, warrant a public response.

Much like every other school District in NJ, Chatham spends more than double on Athletics as it does co-curriculars.

It is not clear to me how this accomplishment by the robotics team is less aligned than football.

In 2025, instruction accounts for about 36% of Chatham’s per-pupil spending. Even after backing out school-sponsored athletics recorded under instruction in the ACFR, it is about 35%. That should give all of us pause when we suggest academically aligned programs should be pursued “outside of the school’s approval.”

Chatham has the second highest per pupil cost when it comes to security [of seven comparable Districts] and, if “security” is anything like how other districts define it, the evidence for these measures is weak at best, often mixed, and routinely outweighed by documented downsides. There is no serious evidence that they improve student achievement.

Yet when faced with a middle school robotics team- a direct and demonstrable tie to mathematics, science, engineering and technology education – the District suggests it should be pursued “outside of school approval.”

It was concerning to hear this characterization of a Robotics program, a Middle School Robotics program, that wants to showcase their work in another country as “not necessarily integral to the curriculum” with the suggestion it should be pursued outside of the school’s approval.

If the cost of the trip is objectively excessive that is one matter, but I would encourage the District to reconsider its approach to its thinking, language and (more importantly) its funding when it comes to its characterizations of important programming – like robotics. I would suggest the same for the other Districts in NJ.

These students should be celebrated and supported.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

John Migueis
Founder and Editor

Submitted directly by the author; content reflects their own views