Pink Hula Hoop 2: Follow the money.
The Pink Hula Hoop isn’t about education. It’s about money for privatized charter schools. Money and how connections among powerful people beget more money. It starts at the top, with Gov. Chris Christie who, while starving traditional public schools of operating and construction funds, has allocated an unprecedented amount of public money to privately-operated charter schools, including TEAM Academy. Last year alone, in 2013, he allocated $125 million in construction funds to charter schools–$40 million to TEAM. In 2011 and 2012, TEAM projects, directly or indirectly, received some $30 million in public loan funds.
Christie’s generosity with public money to charter schools like TEAM allowed Cami Anderson, the woman he appointed schools superintendent in Newark, to come up with “One Newark,” her plan to close neighborhood public schools and expand privately-run charter schools. TEAM will grow from four charter schools to 10.
Getting all that public money to TEAM has required the help, not only of the