The Network for Public Education has endorsed City Councilman Ras Baraka for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a career educator who opposes school closings and supports reduced class sizes and other research based strategies.
We are proud to support him and believe that his election will begin a movement to restore democracy to education in Newark, whose schools have been under state control for nearly 20 years.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Excellent news. Resistance to ‘reform’ is spreading, becoming organized and building political alliances to recapture and reinvigorate the public schools for the benefit of students, parents educators and communities. From time to time, we read the news and smile rather than frown.
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I think that’s a good choice, and I’m especially proud to be a supporter of the NPE when I see us make pro-active decisions like this endorsement. Colleagues, if we all take a minute to chip in when we click the link, that means we can find more good candidates and support them.
Right now, I’m pulling my own strength together to go in to my classroom and side with the sixteen-year-olds in front of me. If there is anything in the corporate reform playbook that supports them, I’ll absolutely go along with it and promote it. Here’s what I told my 4th block yesterday:
“This is such a great class, I hate it when we have to cut back on the things I promised you. But, it’s a large group and the only way to do this is if everybody “buys in” to the class, and really undertake to master college preparatory chemistry. If you can reach an A or B, you’ll be qualified to take chemistry at Salem State or a university. A C can get you started toward a 2 year nursing degree at Roxbury CC. Passing at all means you’ll be eligible for more technical on-the job-training. I had a former student driving a forklift at a loading dock, and he got a $7/hour raise for getting a hazardous materials certificate. Help each other, pick each other up so we can really do the labs like science students.”
“Help each other get across that stage, so you can be the ones who bring prosperity, safety, and security to your children and their children. You’ll be the ones people in your family turn to when they don’t know what to do. Living shouldn’t be this hard for you, and I’m sorry it is. It isn’t okay when anybody winds up freezing in a moldy, roach-infested apartment, with an untreated dental abcess and no way to get her feverish baby to the doctor. It’s our job to stop that kind of thing, yours as well as mine.I can’t guarantee anybody a productive job at fair wages, but that diploma gives everybody a better shot.”
All you casual beneficiaries of the privatization models, who often comment, please understand how much this actually matters. The real proponents of the business takeover, like Cami Anderson in Newark, make their fortunes by imposing destructive programs and policies. They ride around on their career ladders, basking in each other’s praise, while they leave real live students broken behind them, scattered along their path like roadkill. Ras Baraka is one of our own, though. He sides with the community of Newark for its own kids, and he’s shown that he will take on the eduventure profiteers.
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Wonderful window into a classroom in this day and age! Terrible times, but great kids!
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Wonderful news,!!! I agree with the above comments and want to say again need to support him not only during the run for mayor but by showing up when the Michelle Rhee’s of the world, Bloomberg soldiers come into our cities to hold their policy think tanks meetings,college appearances TV interviews, Boycott organizations that financially support Rhee, Bloomberg ,and the Duncan office. Our purchasing power matters. Once Mr. Baraka gets into office we need to assist him in the crafting of the education policy so that parents and the community are included. The billionaires movement have demonstrated successful tactics over the last ten years. Their agenda of divide and destroy public education has been a financially profitable one for them. Look who designed the Common Core. WE can win this war if we support the right candidates and work together for the common cause which for me is to save and improve public education. This can only be done by people who are true educators not the current crew masquerading as educators.
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This is disgraceful.
Do you all know that the man holds two full-time jobs for the city of Newark? One as principal of Central High School, and one as a City Councilman? Any good principal knows it’s not possible to hold down another full-time job. Where would he go during the work day? Hmmm. Can’t be in two places at once.
Did you all bother to learn more about his school before endorsing? The school is a failure, despite how much Mr. Baraka ries to trump it up. failing. If the city runs like his school we are in trouble.
This is such an irresponsible endorsement.
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Yes, we know that Ras Baraka is a high school principal while serving as a city councilman. We also know that his major opponent is favored by the Christie administration, wants to close more public schools and hand them off to charter operators, and will be well funded by the 1%.
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