The Cami cover-up
The chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Schools has asked the state education commissioner, the state attorney general, and the state comptroller to coordinate an investigation into the state’s operation of the Newark school district. He asked many of these questions before–and, so far, the Christie Administration and its legislative allies, including Democrats, have stonewalled his efforts and covered up the possible violations of law.
State Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex), in a 10-page letter to the state officials, lists scores of detailed questions he wants answered about the Newark district’s proposed $53 million deficit, the hiring of consultants, the granting of raises to top aides of the state-appointed school superintendent, the operation of the district’s “One Newark” enrollment plan, possible business connections between public officials and private entrepreneurs, the lack of state oversight over her spending and travel practices, the treatment of special education students, and possible conflicts of interest involving the state Economic Development Authority (EDA) that has awarded more than $100 million in construction funds to Newark charter schools.
Rice has twice demanded state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson appear before his committee to answer the questions but she blew off his invitations twice—including when she traveled to California to attend a conference, part of her disappearance from Newark in the run-up to the mayoral election.
“The lack of information, transparency, and accountability by Superintendent Cami Anderson and her administrators has raised much concern by the public regarding the sale of the 18the Avenue School building, the ‘One Newark’ plan, the igh salaries and raised provided to her staff, her relationship with consultants as well as the superintendent’s continuous travel out of state to conferences rather than being in the district to address the problems of the Newark Public Schools,” Rice wrote.
For five months, Rice has asked these questions and they have been reported in the media–including, at times, the main-stream media. Clearly, state education The Cami cover-up | Bob Braun's Ledger: