More from Newark

Ya just can't make this stuff up!  From a friend, in response to the stat in Barbara Martinez's article about Newark's Central High School, where "only 4% of the students last year passed using the standard state high school test":

 

You'll love this:  One of the biggest threats to Booker's slate on Tuesday is in the South Ward, where Central High School's principal (Ras Baraka) is running for city council in the South Ward – and could very well win -- in which case he'll have two "part-time" government jobs paying him a total of over $200,000 (more than the governor makes).  Good thing Central's doing well enough (4% passing) that he doesn't need to spend any more time working with the kids… 

 

Another friend pointed out that Central High School is "a $102 million brand new facility, with those results."  It would be hard to find a better data point that more money, simply poured into the broken system, doesn't result in any improvement for students.  And what a travesty it is that some of the finest public schools in America, located only a short distance away in Newark – KIPP TEAM, North Star and Robert Treat charter schools – have to struggle to raise money to find space, while the government pisses away $102 million for a fancy new facility for one of the worst public schools in the country. 

 

Chris Christie, Bret Schundler, Cory Booker and Clifford Janey: SHUT DOWN THIS SCHOOL!  (To be clear: keep the kids, but get rid of the adults and turn the beautiful facility over to a proven operator who, unlike the existing status quo, will have to deliver!)