Murphy Sues Wayne Mayor; Court Injunction Cancels Graduation

WAYNE, NJ — Wayne Township will not be facilitating any graduations this week after all.

Today, a Mercer County Superior Court judge issued an injunction against Wayne Township to put a halt on the graduation ceremonies, confirmed by reports from TapInto and Northjersey.com.

On the township website where the regulations for graduation ceremonies used to be listed, the message reads simpy: "2020 Wayne Hills & Valley High School Graduation has been CANCELLED!"

On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy sued the township, according to northjersey.com, in order to enforce the regulations he set forth for graduations.

According to TapInto, Murphy had mentioned the township, and the planned graduations, during a news conference last week, using the opportunity to remind people that in-person ceremonies are not allowed until July.

"I know Wayne was looking to do a graduation ceremony next week. The good news is it appears to be organized in the way we want it; the bad news is we are not allowing them until July 6," said Murphy.

Vergano announced the guidelines for graduations on June 11, which he said the town would be facilitating.

"We have agreed to step in and hold graduation ceremonies since the Board of Education is unable to due to the fact that the state-established guidelines make it virtually impossible to hold a meaningful graduation ceremony," said Vergano, in a June 9 letter to the township.

"We are acting in their place because we can and, the bottom line is our graduates, who have been working toward this day since kindergarten, deserve it."

The graduations were scheduled for June 18 and June 19 prior to news of the cancellation.