Stephen Danley, a professor at Rutgers University, here describes the game that Camden’ state-appointed superintendent is paying on residents.
He touted the virtues of the Urban Hope Act for new school construction, not the School Development Authority, because the former is funded. But the only schools it offers are charter schools! Neat trick!
Danley writes:
“I don’t know where that leaves Camden residents (or what they should choose given such frustrating choices). I do know that this type of false choice disenfranchises them. There can be all the public meetings in the world, but if the decisions are stacked by legislation (district schools and no repairs, or charters in new or refurbished buildings), do they really have choice? One would think the architects of policies expounding on the benefits of school choice would have a little more insight into the nature of choosing.
“And that is what is sad about this current plan. It had the potential to focus on things that the community could rally around; universal pre-K, school repairs, school dinners, safe corridors. Instead, those (positive) steps are being used to sweeten a bitter pill; the announcement of school takeovers that comes next week and will turn Camden into Newark into New Orleans.
“Parents are being given a devil of a choice: a status quo in which they are punished by state legislation, or money that is linked to the erasing of their history and community.
“Those who manufactured a crisis should not get credit for fixing it.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Went to Rutgers. Glad they’re doing there part in this debate. Go RU!
Every time a politician backs an idea for charter schools, there should be an investigation to see which friends of the politician wil benefit.
Wondering if things in New Jersey will improve now that Chris Cerf is joining Joel Klein at Amplify???? http://www.nj.com/education/2014/02/nj_education_commissioner_sees_no_conflict_in_new_private_sector_job.html
This was a good piece. Cerfdumb in Counterpunch:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/01/31/new-jerseys-education-cerf-dumb/
We have read everything heir is on charters schools, we know who the billionaires are who are pushing this agenda. We need to start voting and hold our candidates accountable. As far as I am concerned Rutgers came late to this party. The Abbott Institute is part of Rutgers, The administration if they weren’t being cozy with the Governor knew what was going to happen when they removed Dr. Janey to put a Mayor Bloomberg non educator in the position. Non educators can not do education we have seen their results. Look at what Joel Klein did in NYC he should never have had that position. What do we need to do to start getting active and stop talking about it. Mayor Bloomberg and all the rest of them are in the process of creating millions for people who already are rich and ensuring that the poor stay poor. Is there something that I am missing in this takeover and destruction of public schools
A manufactured crisis?
A 2012 study produced by the Center for American Progress on the impact of teacher absences reported that on an average school day that year, 40% of the teachers in Camden were absent from their classrooms. Camden’s last two superintendents were forced to resign amid a storm of corruption and ineptitude. Proficiency rates on state test scores barely crack double-digits in elementary and middle school grades; only three 2012 graduates of Camden district high schools scored better than 1550 combined on the SAT. Under-funding isn’t an issue, per se; Camden City Public Schools spend about $25,000 per student, about $6,000 per student more than the average NJ district.
I believe strongly in local control and I share some of the same reservations about what the state apparently has planned for Camden. But let’s be honest about the circumstances that led to the state takeover in the first place: no so-called “reformer” had to manufacture anything.
Haven’t you proven the takeover hasn’t worked? If 40% of teachers are absent in one day could that be due to open positions? I wonder what is the turnover rate of staff? I’ll bet they have trouble placing and retaining staff. Charters will only make that problem worse.
That absentee number was taken from the 2011-2012 school year, well before the state takeover. You can read the report here: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2012/11/05/40371/teacher-absence-as-a-leading-indicator-of-student-achievement/
I’m not up on the latest research, but common sense would tell me that teacher absenteeism is more harmful to student outcomes than teacher turnover. I also assume that teacher turnover was quite high in Camden prior to the takeover as well; it has arguably the worst working conditions of any district in the United States.
No, he cites statistics from before the state takeover, which only just happened. He’s just pointing out that Camden schools were abysmal for a long time already (as in most poverty-entrenched areas whose industry base disappeared decades ago). Extra per-pupil expenditures no doubt went into the pockets of corrupt gov & school bureaucrats, not into the classrooms.
But Tim is on a tangent: the ‘manufactured crisis’ to which the Rutgers prof refers is allowing school infrastructure to fall apart. The consequent crisis is used to force conversion to charters, a la New Orleans, etc. The usual MO.
Camden High is falling down, falling down, falling down, Camden High-Trenton High- Asbury Park High School is falling down,
My Dear Christy/Cerf Axis!!