Singleton Signals Strong Support for OSA in New Jersey

NJ Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D-7).

New Jersey Assemblyman Troy Singleton has only been in the legislature for a couple of months, and already, he's standing up for educational options in the Garden State.  In an editorial published in today’s Times of Trenton, the newly-minted lawmaker—who took over after the resignation of former Rep. Jack Conners in September—spoke out strongly in favor of the Opportunity Scholarship Act:

The OSA, as well as other strategic programs that are intended to enhance the educational opportunities of our children, is the answer. In approving the OSA, we must step outside of our preconceived notions and work toward our common goal of providing the best education for our children who are falling through the cracks year after year.

So, just who is Representative Troy Singleton?

Well, he’s a Democrat representing District 7, which includes Beverly, Burlington, Edgewater Park, and Riverside, New Jersey. Originally born in Philadelphia, Singleton was born in Willingboro and now resides in Palmyra with his wife and three children.

After winning his seat in the special election earlier this year, he's joined the growing list of Democratic OSA supporters.

Why?

Our educational foundation must be steeped in the principle that every child, regardless of ZIP Code, should be afforded the tools necessary to succeed. Adhering to this principle, however, can be particularly daunting in some segments of our society, where significant outside factors, such as crime, family strife and lack of nutrition, have a severe impact on the education of our children.

And that’s not all:

I am committed to ensuring that all children have that same opportunity to succeed. As we continue to strive to enhance our education system for all the state’s children, we have to consider tools such as the OSA to save as many students as we can as we pursue that goal.

It’s easy to see why Singleton is so passionate about great schools in New Jersey, since he himself attended Rowan University in New Jersey, studying business administration.

Singleton wants all of us to stand up for New Jersey’s Children.  But he has a specific request for his colleagues in the legislature: “Over the lame-duck session of the Legislature, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle recognize the critical importance of the OSA and why it needs to be signed into law now," he said. "Our children simply can no longer afford to wait.”

Watch below to learn more about this rising star in the Garden State.



Let’s hope his fellow Assembly members—both Democrats and Republicans—stand up and support this vital legislation!

- American Federation for Children | Alliance for School Choice, MSG