Hughes Justice Complex Richard Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton, New Jersey. Photo: Carmen Natale/ALM

The New Jersey Appellate Division ruled in favor of the state Department of Education, finding that the acceptance of an all-expenses-paid conference trip by a school board member was a violation of the School Ethics Act, according to the opinion.

Emmanuel Capers, a Paterson School Board member, served on the Curriculum Committee during the 2017-18 school year. Capers learned of Woz U, a company founded by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak that focuses on technical education, and later shared with committee members services offered by the company, including "free coding courses for juniors and seniors."