Parent Who Was Arrested At Jersey City School Meeting Has Day In Court

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A Jersey City mom who was arrested at a school board meeting in May made her appearance in court on Tuesday and saw her controversial case dismissed.

Supporters of Emily Pecot — who was removed from a Jersey City Board of Education meeting on May 21 after speaking about services for students with special needs — attended the Tuesday morning hearing. The case was dismissed without any testimony.

Pecot referred questions to her attorney, Leo Hurley of Jersey City.

"We're pleased that the state dismissed the baseless case against Emily Pecot in court today," Hurley said, criticizing the board for "stifling dissent related to public matters in the public square."

"She was handcuffed, arrested, and charged with a crime in violation of her Constitutions rights," Hurley said, "in order to keep her from speaking on matters of public importance, as is her First Amendment right. There is not now, nor was there ever, any justification to charge Emily Pecot, a mother of a child with disabilities [and] an advocate for better government."

Pecot, the mother of a student on the autism spectrum, had spoken about services for special needs students as a member of the group Parents United for Special Education Reform.

In the months after the arrest, parents and local officials criticized the incident and the board's actions in general.

Residents said the board has cut the amount of time parents are allowed to speak down to one minute, and have criticized the board's transparency.

Hurley said that Pecot believes the board should "Stop punishing parents and focus on fixing the inequitable mess that is special education in Jersey City."

On Tuesday, Jersey City Mayor James Solomon said, "As elected officials and leaders of a school system, the Board of Education has a responsibility to listen to constituents — even if it is uncomfortable. Like all parents in Jersey City, Ms. Pecot wants what is best for your child and is using her time and voice to advocate for a better education for all. That is valuable work and deserves to be honored, not shunned.”

Jersey Councilwoman Eleana Little had posted on social media in May that after she wrote to School Board President Noemi Vazquez on Friday to address the arrest, Vazquez responded by saying Little had "avanger syndrome" (sic) and said, "Upon my return next week, I will be addressing your desire to reprimand and offer a corrective plan about an issue on which you are clueless."

Vazquez did not respond to a request for a comment from Patch on Tuesday about the dismissal.

'Congratulations,' Morris Says

But Board Vice President Dejon Morris, who had requested the arrest — according to a police report obtained by Patch — said Tuesday, "Congratulations to her. I wish her nothing but continued success and all the best in her future endeavors."

The police report obtained by Patch showed that Pecot was removed at the request of security director Rudy Snelling and from Morris.

Parents Weight In

Two parents in Jersey City said they were pleased with Tuesday's outcome but disappointed with the arrest.

“Emily’s case being dismissed is an important step toward justice," said Tere Fox of Jersey City. "Anyone who watched the full Board of Education meeting videos could see she was not at fault. This outcome also underscores the broader concerns about the board’s leadership and its repeated failure to listen to the community it was elected to serve."

“No parent should have to worry that speaking up for their child at a public Board of Education meeting could end with them in a jail cell," said parent Jackie Cox Battles. "While I’m grateful this case was dismissed, it’s deeply troubling that it happened in the first place. A meaningful outcome would be for this to become a turning point where families are treated as valued partners and public engagement is welcomed and respected."

Read previous reporting on Jersey City Patch: Mom Addresses Her Arrest At Jersey City School Board Meeting

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