NPU Parents & NSU Students concur: Superintendent Cami Anderson is destroying Newark’s schools.
Make up snow days! SGO’s! End of third marking period! Summative! Lions, tigers and bears—oh my! No wonder I couldn’t get this blog post done sooner.
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| Where are all her supporters? |
I was honored that the good people of the Newark Parents Union invited me to last week’s public education Town Hall Meeting. There were about 50 people in attendance. I’m sure there would have been more had not the NAACP Mayoral debate between Ras Baraka and Shavar Jeffries been scheduled for that same night.
Moderated by NPU President Frankie Adao, the panel included Hassan Manning, VP of NPU; Kristin Towkaniuk, President of the Newark Students Union; Susan Cauldwell of SOS NJ; John Abeigon, Newark teacher and community organizer; Leah Z. Owens, organizer with New Jersey Communities United; and yours truly.
If you’re unfamiliar with the One Newark plan, it kinda-sorta contradicts the education ‘reformers’ mantra of ‘choice’ by putting school ‘choice’ in the hands of Cami and Company. Parents fill out a universal application and central office assigns students to schools based on first, second and third choices. But in reality, ‘choice’ is a reformy misnomer because in their world, ‘choice’ does not equal ‘access’. A parent can ‘choose’ to enroll their child in a ‘successful’ charter school, but if that child doesn’t fit the mold, they are either expelled or ‘counseled out’.
“Everyone knows the charter schools don’t take special needs kids.”
That comment came from an audience member who is a parent of two special needs children. Remember, Robert Treat Academy and Discovery Charter School, arguably Newark's most successful charters, opted out of participating in One Newark.
The Jersey Jazzman/Dr. Bruce Baker/Dr. Joseph Oluwole autopsy of One Newark ain’t pretty. It’s 21st Century segregation at its finest with Black students and teachers getting the shaft. Among Marie Corfield: NPU Parents & NSU Students concur: Superintendent Cami Anderson is destroying Newark’s schools.: