New Jersey Governor Chris Christie went to an open meeting with parents and other concerned citizens where the topic was the impoverished district of Camden, which has been under state control for three years.
In the meeting, education activist and Camden resident Sue Altman debated Governor Christie and didn’t back down. This video is going viral.
All Christie knows about education is that 1) it costs too much, and, 2) charters do a better job for less.
Altman explained that the charters don’t enroll the same demographic as the public schools.
Public ed advocate/Camden resident Sue Altman stood up and held her ground against Gov. Christie for nearly 6 minutes – correcting him on how long the state’s run Camden schools, calling him out on the hypocrisy of planning far less for Camden than his own administration’s report says is needed, reminding him the kids there can’t even drink the schools’ water….At one point, Christie just gives up and throws Altman the microphone.
For context about the event and about Camden, read this post by Professor Steven Danley (who happens to be Sue Altman’s husband).
Sue is a star. The way she handled the Governor, with knowledge, persistence, wit, and a smile is a lesson to all of us.
PS: I corrected this post to show that Sue is not yet a parent. She and Steve were married this summer.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Sue Altman is an amazing advocate for all children in NJ. And, she’s a really lovely woman. We are lucky to have her!
Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for this bi-pedal disaster. When CC ran for his second term, he was supported by many high profile Democrats over the actual Democratic contender, Barbara Buono. Barbara was stabbed in the back by her own party, the party bosses were too busy kissing up to Christie. So far as I know, this is unprecedented in recent NJ political history. CC is a hard core charter/voucher, school privatization ideologue; he absolutely loathes public schools, their teachers and especially their unions.
The Democraven Party.
So–C.C. finally came back from his Trump Brown-nosing Tour to actually govern (well, make that bully) his state?
I have always referred to him as a B.F.F.
And those letters don’t stand for “Best Friend Forever.”
Sue has done this in more than one forum, speaking Truth to Power with knowledge, wit and grace. In New Jersey, it is the persistence and dedication of people like Sue (and Julie Borst and many others) that will ultimately defeat the greedy education reformers.