Jersey Jazzman reports that Governor Christie has decided to take control of the Camden school district.
Camden is the fourth school district in the state to be taken over.
Paterson, Newark, and Jersey City are already controlled by the state.
JJ writes:
“Let’s be clear: Paterson has been under state control for 24 years, Jersey City for 22 years, and Newark for 18 years. Golly, what do you think all these places have in common?”
He shows in a graph that these districts have very few white students. So what’s the goal?
“And so the plan is clear: take over the schools, starting where there aren’t many white kids. Starve them of funds, then declare them “failures,” and install your cronies. Thetakeover of Camden’s schools has been in the works ever since California billionaire Eli Broad installed his puppets into the NJDOE. Tomorrow is simply the culmination of a long-term plan.”
What has been the result of these state takeovers? From the point of view of the students, nada.
Again, quoting JJ’s powerful post:
“If anyone has any evidence that disenfranchising local citizens and local parents leads to better school outcomes, please let me know, so I can debunk it as a load of crap. No school district ever got better by taking the local community out of its decision-making process. It’s shameful that Chris Christie, a tool of the ruling class, dares to tell the parents of Camden that he knows better than they do what needs to be done for their children.”
Look at it this way. Instead of closing a school here or there, or a dozen or two dozen schools, the governor simply seizes the whole district. It is his to play with. Some democracy.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It takes a governor to raze a village …
I am wondering what the NJ law is that permits him to do this. Does it have anything to do with the district being in deficit?
This is great. Now lets see how Christie does as a superintendent. I hope he can solve the problems of poverty, no jobs, gangs, apathy to school, etc. I know there are poor teachers out there, but on the whole there are hard working teachers who are just as frustrated as Christie and families in Camden. I hope all can be flexible in the things that need changing in order to help.
i did my student teaching at woodrow wilson high school in camden, nj. those kids don’t need “a government” to run their schools. they need support. i had a boy in my class who was 17 and still in 9th grade, but b/c i took in under my wing and so did the rest of his teachers (all student teachers), he passed each class (mine with a solid C). children need to have someone who cares about teaching them, not someone who is fearful each day about losing his/her job b/c they state may come in and close the school. and schools need money, not bureaucrats who know nothing about education.
The money is too addictive for these power junkies – it’s happening nationally, as we can see. Read David Sirota’s article here -http://www.salon.com/2013/03/11/getting_rich_off_of_schoolchildren/
The question is – How do we stop the madness? Keep them away from their drugs of choice – power and money.
I understand what is behind the takeover. I am supportive of the new initiative to fight so-called “education reforms” which are clearly targeting corporate control of our public education system. HOWEVER, I just read that the per pupil funding ion Camden is about $23,000. How is that possible? Our district, outside of metro Detroit, receives around $8,000 per pupil! Camden does not sound like a district starved for funds. If we want to fight these take overs we have to use arguments that make sense. Please correct me if the Camden per pupil number I cited is incorrect.
Where I found my data – http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-21/news/29568835_1_comparative-spending-guide-pupil-districts
When Christie was informed that the President of New Jersey City University — had used fraudulent academic credentials to become NJCU’s president — he appointed new NJCU Board members — who refused to take any action against this President.
The NJCU President — confessed — in Federal Court — in September 2011 — that he, himself, had added a non-existent academic degree — to his NJCU personnel record — so that he could become NJCU’s president.
Governor Christie was informed about this — and did nothing.
How many others, at NJCU, are still using fraudulent academic credentials — can only be determined by a complete “academic degree-audit — of every faculty member at NJCU.