New Jersey School Faces Backlash for Exceeding Enrollment Limits
Fairfield residents and planning board members expressed outrage after an Islamic school revealed it was operating with more than three times its approved student capacity.
Residents of Fairfield, New Jersey, voiced strong opposition at a planning board meeting regarding the Islamic Education Foundation's (IEF) request to significantly increase enrollment at Al-Ghazaly Jr/Sr High School. The foundation, initially approved for 90 students, revealed it currently has 313 children in its classrooms and was seeking to expand to 400.
The revelation that the school was operating at approximately 247 percent over its authorized capacity without permission led to a heated exchange. Hayat Jaludi, the foundation's Executive Director, defended the decision, stating her priority was to avoid disrupting students' education. "If there are any educators in this room, you will understand and appreciate the importance of not disrupting or interrupting students' right to be educated," Jaludi explained. "We made the decision to try to run the school with that capacity of students and we've been successful so far."
The foundation's attorney expressed surprise at this disclosure, claiming no prior knowledge of the school operating outside of town approval. Jaludi insisted the foundation was law-abiding but felt compelled to accommodate the existing student body.
Board members and local residents sharply criticized Jaludi's explanation. One board member countered, "We have a community of 8,000 people who need to be answered for, and this is exactly one of the things that they put us here to do." The foundation's claim that they were unaware of the 90-student limit when purchasing the building was disputed by the board. A board member likened Jaludi's actions to driving at 120 mph simply because the car is capable, stating, "You don't have the jurisdiction to make that decision unilaterally."
Concerns were raised about safety during emergencies, the strain on town resources, and traffic congestion. Annette, a Fairfield resident, called the situation "dishonest" and argued that the increased student population would overextend the town's police and fire departments, potentially jeopardizing children's safety during emergencies. Another resident, Aninta, reported that traffic has become unbearable since the school's opening, making it difficult to exit her street.
Mike, another local, pointed out the school's small footprint compared to its student numbers, citing other schools with larger campuses. He worried that the limited space and proximity to a busy roadway could lead to accidents and legal repercussions for the town.
The planning board postponed a decision on the enrollment increase, pending a traffic study. Following the meeting, town officials confirmed that safety inspectors found the building not to be a hazard and that it was designed to accommodate the current occupancy. Despite this, zoning officers issued violation notices and summonses for operating beyond approved limits.
The town also addressed the online reaction to the meeting, noting the presence of insensitive and anti-Islamic comments on the video livestream. To mitigate the impact on students and audiences, comments on the video were disabled. The IEF has been contacted for comment. 
