Over recent years, I have received complaints from parents about superintendents “trained” by the uncertified, unaccredited Broad Superintendents Academy. Eli Broad is a multi-billionaire who freely admits that he knows nothing about education but everything about management. He firmly believes that when school systems have good managers, tests scores rise and the system gets better. He also puts great stock in closing low-performing schools instead of helping them. He espouses “creative disruption,” which seems to be popular among moguls.

Lately, I have heard rumblings about Montclair, New Jersey, a suburb known for its high-performing, well-respected, and racially integrated public schools.

Then someone sent this article, which sounds sadly familiar to the Broadie style.

“Scott White, the Director of Guidance at Montclair High School, leaving left the district this month after 22 years to take a position at Morristown High School. He’s going with some major criticisms. He has been blogging at “White’s World,” in which he discusses what he thinks are problems in Montclair.

In his post “Montclair Has Lost its Way,” he says: “The desire is to get rid of every experienced, thoughtful teacher and administrator and replace them with compliant, cheap and willing newcomers who do not know what it is like to be treated with respect.” He goes on to say that the same people (education reformers) also have the desire to leave every public school as a “rotting carcass after every student of quality has moved to charter schools and private schools funded by vouchers.”

“In his post titled, “Issues at Montclair,” (This post was removed from his blog after we ran this story) he states, “Morale is as low as I have ever seen it. Virtually every teacher I speak to, especially the strongest teachers, are planning their exit strategies. The environment is about compliance and loyalty and there is absolutely no emphasis on strong teaching.” He goes on to say that “the administrative team is extremely weak,” “Teachers are writing lesson plans that are never read,” and “We are being treated as a failing school when there are some highly successful things about the school.”

“In his post about Superintendent MacCormack called “MacCormack to the Rescue,” he talks about her training from the Broad Institute and business style and says “Like any oppressive regime, the workers are afraid to speak out and the managers are learning that unquestioning obedience is the only way to survive.”

Public education will survive. A better day is coming. It won’t happen as a matter of course. The present era will end when parents rise up and fight for their community public schools. We cannot allow the destruction of a precious community asset, destroyed by the whim of a billionaire in Los Angeles who knows nothing about education or learning or teaching or children. Those who have received Broad “training” must strive to unlearn it and remember that they are educators, not managers. They are preparing children to be good people, not fodder for global competition.