Bruce Baker Gets Angry
Stand back:
I’ve heard it over and over again from reformy pundits. Funding equity? Been there done that. It doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. It’s all about teacher quality! (which of course has little or nothing to do with funding equity?). The bottom line is that equitable and adequate financing of schools is a NECESSARY UNDERLYING CONDITION FOR EVERYTHING ELSE!I’m sick of hearing, from pundits who’ve never run a number themselves and have merely passed along copies of the meaningless NCES Table showing national average spending in high poverty districts slightly greater than that for lower poverty ones.I’m sick of the various iterations of the “we’ve tripled spending and gotten nothing for it” argument and accompanying bogus graphs. And further, the implication put forward by
Please, Sir, Can Newark Have Democracy?
Apparently, (Acting) Commissioner Chris Cerf has decided that the good people of Newark aren't ready for democracy:
The Christie administration’s refusal to cede state control of Newark public schools, at least for now, has set off a political chain reaction that could land the continued takeover of its largest school district in court.
The latest development: The district's local advisory board has scheduled a special meeting tonight to weigh its options, including possible legal appeal.[...]Last month, New Jersey’s acting education commissioner Chris Cerf informed the district