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Schools

NJ Spotlight: Why Is Commissioner Cerf Still 'Acting'?

Political grudges, impassioned rhetoric may be keeping Cerf from Senate confirmation.

In Gov. Chris Christie's battle with Democrats over the confirmation of Chris Cerf as his education commissioner, a lot of political energy is being spent on a job title that most agree doesn't mean a whole a lot in legal terms.

The symbolism may be another matter.

At issue is Cerf's continued title as "acting" commissioner of education, exactly one year tomorrow since his appointment by Christie.

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The acting part sticks with him until he is confirmed by the Senate. But the Senate has yet to even hear the nomination, since state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) has exercised his "senatorial courtesy" to block consideration due to an evolving series of objections to Cerf that now seem unlikely to go away.

It started with a perceived slight to Rice's Joint Committee on Public Schools, moving more recently to Cerf's relationships to politicians in state and then education firms outside of it.

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Christie, for his part, has raised the stakes significantly, taking Rice, along with other Democrats in Essex County, to task repeatedly in the past week. He is now holding up the appointment of new Superior Court judges to Essex County until the confirmation is resolved.

Ironically, the "acting" title has virtually no impact on the job's functions; Cerf holds the same powers that he would when and if he is confirmed.

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