Jersey Jazzman Jammin' All Week
Newark State Superintendent Cami Anderson: "First Amendment? What's That?"
I guess we now know why Chris Christie lauded Newark's state-appointed superintendent, Cami Anderson, at his distraction from Bridgegate State of the State address: they are kindred spirits. Both love to bully underlings, and neither brooks dissent:Councilman Baraka asks for immediate firing of Cami Anderson(For Release Wednesday, August 14, 2013)Councilman Ras Baraka Asks for Immediate Removal o
JAN 15
Michelle Rhee: Chicken?
This is hilarious:Michelle Rhee’s call this morning at 10:25 on Twitter, saying “I’m around for a bit, does anyone have any questions for me?” was like dumping pretzels on a beach filled with hungry seagulls.The Twitterverse lit up with questions that came fast and furious, and overwhelmingly from critics of Rhee, the former D.C. schools chancellor and current lightning rod for issues around schoo
Karen Lewis Has @GovChristie's Number
Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, knows what it's like to have a bullying politician try to unilaterally force school system changes on students, their families, and their teachers. Because she is so damn smart, she saw through mayor Rahm Emanuel's transparent union-busting call for a longer school day, and demanded instead that Chicago's children get a better school day. Thank
JAN 14
Christie's Useless School Time Proposal in Three Graphs
So Chris Christie implemented "Operation Ignore Bridgegate" today at his State of the State address with a proposal that was sure to make reformies swoon:Despite the improvements we are seeing in Newark and Camden, I believe we need to take bigger and broader steps to adjust our approach to K-12 education to address the new competitive world we live in. Our school calendar is antiquated
@GovChristie's Bridgegate Distraction: Shafting Students and Teachers
Whenever Chris Christie needs a distraction, he goes to his fallback position: screwing teachers, students, and schools: Republican Gov. Chris Christie, dealing with a political payback scandal that threatens to damage his second term, intends to unveil a plan to increase the amount of time children spend in public school in his State of the State message on Tuesday.The governor, widely seen as a
JAN 12
Normalizing "Plausible Deniability"
I don't normally watch the Sunday talk shows... but how could I not this week? All Christie, all the time.The big question the punditocracy seems to care about now is "What did Christie know and when did he know it?" That's fine, to a point -- but it's also a problem. Because it sets a default position for Christie, and every other politician, that I find dangerous:In this point of view,
JAN 08
The GWB Is Not Chris Christie's Greatest Sin
UPDATE: Apparently, there was a fatality connected to Bridgegate. Did this woman die directly from the delay? Who can say?I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me these people ought to be brought up on charges.Well, I guess this is one way to boost your national name recognition...We will, of course, be hearing more and more about Chris Christie and the George Washington Bridge scandal for weeks to come.
JAN 07
Teachers: Responsible for EVERYTHING
I swear to you, I promised I wasn't going to write about another Tom Moran (editorial page editor of the Star-Ledger) column for at least a month. But I just can't let this one go, because it is such a perfect illustration of the double standard that exists today for teachers [all emphases mine]:Tom Moran, 1/5/14: After a heartbreaking string of seven killings in Newark over the holidays, Polic
