Chris Christie is a leading candidate for the Republican nomination in 2016.
Jersey Jazzman here reveals what Christie has done about the high school in the state Capitol, Trenton Central High School.
Listen to the students. Watch the video. The high school sends kids to Ivy League colleges, but Christie rants about “failure factories.” He never acknowledges that New Jersey is one of the nation’s highest performing states, and his policy towards the districts with high concentrations of poverty and racial segregation is privatization and, as Trenton High School vividly demonstrates, neglect.
As the video shows, the building is literally falling apart, crumbling, parts of it are unsafe.
On education, Chris Christie deserves an F.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thanks, Diane. Just one thing to add: take a minute and really listen to the amazing kids in this video. When Nukermini Kermah runs for Congress someday, I’ll be the first one to write her a check.
Any school that’s educates brilliant, articulate young people like these is in no way a “failure factory.” The only “failure” is the one sitting behind the governor’s desk in Trenton.
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Imagine if Christie runs against Cuomo in ’16. A choice between two educational wrecking balls. Green party anyone?
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I will not be voting for Christie, Cuomo, Clinton or Bush. Who in the Green Party is thinking of running?
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The video of the high school ought to go viral. Chris Christie should have a hard time explaining the conditions in this school.You would think one of his billionaire buddies would want to help him cover his derriere and start renovating ASAP. Kudos to the kids for speaking up. It’s not a cliche to say they are our future.
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They should run a series called, *Christie’s Educational Legacy*
Trenton, Camden, Newark, Paterson, Jersey City, and more . . .
A video library highlighting the physical underbelly of NJ schools. They could contrast that with some clips from Ridgewood and Upper Saddle River.
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The video of Chris Christie berating the teacher needs to be kept in front of the public as well.
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I think someone could put together quite a montage of Christie memorable moments.
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He will not get anywhere with his horrendous record on what he has done to education in New Jersey and how he has treated the teachers of New Jersey who are taking care of the state’s children each and every day, in the classroom, and in many cases under extremely difficult conditions thanks to his defunding and cuts to public schools as he funnels money towards the vouchers, charter, for profit corporations like Achieve 3000 and privatizers. Christie will be a disaster as a national candidate for the Republic party and i say bring ’em on!
Hillary 2016
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Politicians are scoring points with the general public by taking pot shots at teachers and our unions. His whole act is being carefully crafted for voter appeal. We are under attack by politicians because it works in their favor.
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…only if we refuse to counter these attacks with the truth about our schools and educators.
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NY teacher has a point. At least in the N.E., teachers were paid enough and had enough intangible benefits to draw ire in the last two decades by technically educated but otherwise non-self aware individuals to draw ire.
Christie appeals to the inner city goon marginally employed goon male–a huge demographic in our post-industrial society. Christie is loud, misinformed but fronts a pretension of intelligence by applying ill-conceived ‘solutions’ to complex problems he does not, and does not want to, understand.
The best thing teachers can do is inform parents of the destruction of edu reform, the motivations of edu reformers, and the corruption-esque relationship between politicians and the edu reformers. Also, be active in unions. CORE was successful after the local union machine was voted out. It’s possible, but members have to be active. (Union members have a poor history of this and the resultant labor lieutenant, partnership union is not a foregone conclusion.
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