Four days before her inauguration, Gov. Mikie Sherrill revealed that Lily Laux is her choice as New Jersey’s next commissioner of education.
“Lily is a lifelong public servant and educator with decades of experience helping children learn and thrive,” Sherrill said Jan. 16. “I look forward to working with her to invest in mental health services, high-impact tutoring and other critical programs that will expand opportunity and help our children get ahead.”
Laux, who holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Memphis and Columbia University, is a former middle school teacher. Her career includes nearly a decade at the Texas Education Agency.
Silvia Pereira, AFTNJ’s executive vice president of PreK-12, said in a statement Jan. 16 about Laux’s appointment, “We look forward to working collaboratively with her to address the important issues facing PreK to 12 education, including academic quality, support for educators, and student well-being. Together, we believe meaningful progress can be made to strengthen our public schools and better serve all students.”
During her inauguration on Jan. 20 in Newark, Sherrill thanked “the men and women of labor.” And in one of her many references about opening doors to opportunity in New Jersey, she cited “the fight for fair wages and good working conditions” undertaken by labor leader Peter McGuire, the founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and an early proponent of Labor Day.
Moments after pausing to sign two executive orders (one declaring a state of emergency on utility costs, a key campaign issue), Sherrill said, “But as I learned in the Navy, the only easy day was yesterday. But luckily, we don’t need easy here in New Jersey. We have grit, we’re tough, and when you hurt our families, we’re gonna fight — we’re gonna fight for jobs, we’re gonna fight for housing families can afford, for good schools, safe streets and ending skyrocketing utility costs.”
ABOVE: Gov. Mikie Sherrill delivers her inaugural address Jan. 20 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.
BELOW: AFTNJ President Jennifer S. Higgins with New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charlie Wowkanech and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan in the NJPAC lobby before Sherrill took the oath of office. (Photos by Chris M. Junior)
