The www.tapinto.net  NJ-Patch article “Green Brook Named Among New Jersey's Best Places To Live”  revealed a strong priority put on comparing and competing with the surrounding areas, especially Watchung. There is a long-standing rivalry between Green Brook and Watchung that is rooted much deeper than just sports teams; the divide seems to be based more in status and in class.  The article compared Niche’s rankings of Green Brook and Watchung: Green Brook was ranked the 48th best place to live in New Jersey; Watchung was ranked the 170th best place to live in New Jersey. Green Brook was ranked as the 1,814th best place to live in America; Watchung was ranked as 4,657th best place to live in America. Green Brook also ranked as the No. 5 best place to live and raise a family in the Somerset County area, while Watchung ranked as the No. 17 best place to live and raise a family in the Somerset County area.  Green Brook received an overall Niche grade of A+ and Watchung received an overall Niche grade of A- with the following breakdown: 

I was surprised that Green Brook was ranked more favorably since I have always heard that Watchung was “better than us” all around, but it seems public schools is the only area they did slightly better in. This article was shared on our union’s Facebook page and has afforded the town “bragging rights.”  

However, the www.mycentraljersey.com article “Green Brook Mom Hopes for a Place for her Kids to Eat and do Homework” shows a very different side to the community. Despite being in a wealthier part of Somerset County, many families still struggle financially.  This article is actually about a former student of mine, and our staff put together a collection to donate after seeing this article online; we were all a bit shocked and unnerved to know how much we take for granted when we think about our students' home lives.  According to the article, “Green Brook resident Rosario Valiente, 30, works two jobs to be able to provide for her daughters. The single mother works hard to make ends meet but is unable to provide some basic necessities for her children, including a comfortable place at home to eat and do their homework.” The family relies on the Somerset Hills YMCA and local community resources for support. Valiente said, "I felt so bad with myself because sometimes I regret the conditions I'm living in but after that, I thank God because at least we have a home and something to eat at home." It is hard to reconcile this story with the data from other articles, and it really shows that there are two sides to Green Brook, and that this affects the students in our classrooms.  On a positive note, the fact that the community rallied behind this family to provide support shows that there is value in helping out neighbors. 

I entered the Dunellen Fire House and went up the flight of stairs to the hall they rent out. There were no reserved tables, so seating was on a first-come, first served basis. There was a built-in counter area where people checked in to get tickets.  It definitely had the feel of a “girls night out” and men were scarce. I found a seat at a table of middle-aged women, which was representative of many of the attendees; I was one of the youngest people there. I was surprised by the lack of diversity; aside from a handful of Asian and Indian women, most of the attendees were white.   The ticket price was higher than I was comfortable paying, so I wonder if the cost of attendance, along with the high-end products, had anything to do with the demographics of the event. There were pink table cloths and small centerpieces with a bingo theme; all the supplies to play were provided. The room has an actual bingo board mounted to the wall since regular games are held there. There were many tables set out, some with very appealing displays of various feminine prizes. Many of the women brought their own food and drinks to share with others. There was also a 50-50 raffle for other prizes available throughout the night. It was almost hard to hear the numbers being called with the buzz of conversation even though there were a microphone and speaker set up; in the corner, it looked like they even had access to a DJ booth for other events they host. 

During the games,  I overheard some of the women talking about the rumors going on at Green Brook Middle School. Right now, our former business administrator is suing the district for a hostile work environment, and rumors of a reduction in staff due to budget cuts have circulated. Some of them asked me, as a teacher, if I had “inside info” but I had to play dumb since much of that is confidential. I was surprised how much they already knew about some of the more controversial issues plaguing the district. Otherwise, much conversation revolved around their families. I am not interested in designer brand-name items, but the women who attended this event were clearly invested in them. I was surprised that many of them already had designer bags but were otherwise dressed very casually. These Michael Kors, Gucci, and Coach bags seemed to be status symbols, the way their kids obsess over having Nikes or  AirPods.  Although I didn’t win anything, I felt better about paying since it was going toward the PTO. Every shout of “BINGO” elicited an uproar of cheers and it had a very friendly, celebratory vibe to it. Overall, by the end of my observation, I felt like I had a clearer sense of what a typical parent event in Green Brook would be like, and helped me get to know the community better. 

Critical Issues 

Other Challenges 

Additionally, the NJ Health Standards require that “Instructional programs on the nature of alcohol, anabolic steroids, tobacco, and controlled dangerous substances, and their physiological, psychological, sociological, and legal effects on the individual, the family, and society shall be taught in each public school and in each grade from kindergarten through 12 in a manner adapted to the age and understanding of the pupils.” From my field notes, some of the themes I noticed involved adult and juvenile substance abuse, and at the middle school, vaping in bathrooms is becoming more prevalent. My school has displayed anti-vaping posters, but more could be done in the classroom to help students make better choices, which would also cut down on their use when they are older. The DARE program and existing curriculum are somewhat generic, so if the community’s issues of overdoses and incidents in the schools were explored, it might seem more relevant. 

Furthermore, the grade 6-8 social studies curriculum’s stated mission is to provide the “knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to become active, informed citizens and contributing members of local, state, national, and global communities in the digital age.” This includes fostering citizenship through active participation in local and global communities, and to consider multiple perspectives, value diversity, and promote cultural understanding. One connection to the existing curriculum at my school is through the Global Scholars program, which combines Social Studies and ELA skills to explore real-world problems and solutions. After doing research, students engage in local activism, leading fundraisers for the environment, animal rights, homelessness, etc. If the core mandatory Social Studies classes emphasized local issues like this more explicitly, it would help students grow up to be more community literate. The specific seventh-grade curriculum includes progressivism and political reform, and many of these causes regarding poverty, immigration, and women’s rights are still relevant today. To make history more meaningful, the curriculum could promote students making connections to the way these issues have evolved over time. Ultimately, the curricula could better reflect the community’s needs and find more  ways to promote content literacy.