Our leaders, the kids
Newark’s political and organizational leaders will, I know, scoff at this but, right now, the leaders of the struggle against “One Newark” and the privatization of public education are the hundreds of high school students who early this morning marched from three high schools to Military Park and who, tomorrow, are expected to take even bolder action against the policies of Cami Anderson, her puppet master Chris Christie and Christie’s privatization guru, Cory Booker.
That doesn’t mean a few hundred high school students from Science Park, Arts, and Central will bring down Anderson but what it does mean is this: For now, they are keeping the fight alive, they are serving as the conscience of the Newark community, and they are reminding everyone that real people–mothers and fathers and children–are hurt every day by the disruption caused by this mindless reorganization plan.
No one listens to poor parents when they can suck up to Anderson, Hespe, and Christie. Poor parents can do nothing for anyone’s career.
The students–and the students alone– are making personal sacrifices for a righteous cause –and that cannot be said of any other group. Not the ministers. Not the unions. Not the politicians.
This morning I spoke with a courageous 15-year-old young woman, a sophomore at Arts High School, who knew precisely why she was Our leaders, the kids | Bob Braun's Ledger:
