Schools Matter: Duncan and Obama Enabling Christie's Public Demolition Projects

Schools Matter: Duncan and Obama Enabling Christie's Public Demolition Projects

Duncan and Obama Enabling Christie's Public Demolition Projects

by Jim Horn

Jersey Roundup:

On a day when the NJ Supreme Court heard a challenge to Governor Christie’s $1.6 billion in school aid cuts, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan came to Newark and failed to offer support for full funding of the state’s public schools. Instead he embraced Governor Christie as a “partner” in his education reform efforts. Christie has prioritized huge spending cuts, vouchers, charters, merit pay, and the elimination of tenure.

Duncan held a town hall meeting with Newark Mayor Cory Booker to promote a federal teacher recruitment program. But in addition to ignoring the funding issue, Duncan did not address the sharp debate in Newark about the direction and control of school policy. The role of the Mayor, the