On August 28, 2017, Governor Chris Christie proudly cut the ribbon with an over-sized scissors to mark the opening of the M.E.T.S. Charter School in Newark. He told the students that they would get every opportunity to succeed, and now it was up to them to decide how hard they wanted to work in school.
During Christie’s two terms in office, he has doubled the number of charter schools to 89.
Well, change that to 88.
Mercedes Schneider reports that the brand new charter school, not even two months old, has announced its plans to close by the end of the school year. Starting immediately, it is sending its students in 9th and 10th grades back to the much-maligned Newark Public Schools.
She writes:
“On October 19, 2017, M.E.T.S. sent the parents of its 9th and 10th graders this “special message” that their so-called school-choice “empowerment” was being immediately overridden by the vague determination of M.E.T.S. to immediately send all 9th and 10th graders back to the Newark Public Schools.
Of course, this profound, “special announcement” jolt– delivered by an “interim lead administrator”– is being framed as responsible, caring, and smooth.”
Then follows the text of the “special announcement.”
A story on a New Jersey website provides a few horrifying details about the shabby treatment of the children of Newark, bounced from one charter to another by “reformers:”
“Almost half of the students at the charter school have already been displaced once.
“District officials said 110 of the 140 students in grades 10-12 came from three closed charter schools — Newark Prep Charter School, Paulo Freire Charter School or Merit Prep Charter School — which were shut down by the state last school year for academic problems.“
Hey, Mark Zuckerberg, is this what your $100 million paid for? Constant disruption of children’s lives.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane To Mark Z. and the rest of the techno-fascists–put THAT in your algorithm and smoke it.
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I am with you, Catherine. We do NOT need more people like Gates and Mark Z, who as you wrote are: TECHNO FASCISTS. They have HUGE PROBLEMS with their EGOS and are NOT SCIENTISTS and MATHEMATICIANS. I think they know they are SHALLOW.
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Yvonne Siu-Runyan I think you are right that techno-fascists “know they are shallow.” However, the irony is that, if so, it’s an insight that rolls around in the deeper regions of their minds, but gets blocked from coming to consciousness by that same ego that you refer to in your note. They have to give up their nose-sniffing arrogance before that insight can get out to the light of day so THEY can see what is so obvious to the rest of us.
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Oh, another Mark. Still ugh.
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Wow.
What a difference two months make.
Governor Chris Christie cut the ribbon at M.E.T.S. Newark’s gala opening ceremony, then gave a speech that implicitly and explicitly slammed the pre-existing public high schools nearby as failures from which students desperately need to escape to “high quality” charter schools such as M.E.T.S. Newark and others.
However, in this letter to the parents two months later, M.E.T.S. administrators are not so dismissive of those same schools.
Apparently, when M.E.T.S leaders need those same schools to take on the burden of educating all the students whom M.E.T.S are callously dumping … well … maybe those schools aren’t so bad after all:
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M.E.T.S.:
“We have been working very closely with Newark Public Schools in order to help facilitate a smooth transition for each and every 9th and 10th grade student which would minimize any loss of instructional time and allow your child to get back to their studies as soon as possible. …We want to ensure an easy transition to another educational environment (i.e. the public schools they bash so they can expand) for our students.”
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What? You mean those “educational environments” that you earlier claimed were failure factories and dead ends, and that you promised to “outperform” during your gala opening, and at other times?
On that score, here’s the press release, Governor Christie put out the day of the ribbon cutting:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552017/approved/20170828a.html
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Governor’s Press Release:
“Charter schools continue to outperform their district counterparts. … On average, charter students in New Jersey gain an additional two months of learning in reading over their TPS counterparts….
“Demonstrating his strong commitment to investing in innovative charter schools that outperform (public schools) and exceed expectations at every level, Governor Christie today helped cut the ribbon for the new M.E.T.S. Charter School high school in Newark …
” … ”
“Despite the increase, there are still not enough seats for students who want them – there are currently 33,443 students on waiting lists to enter charter schools. (an implicit slam, as they’re on the waiting lists because the pre-existing public schools suck so bad.)
“The review process is in place to ensure the (M.E.T.S.) school has the structures in place to ensure academic success, equitability, financial viability and organizational soundness.” (That review process must have missed a few things apparently)
” … charter schools are a valued option in the public education system and that every child, regardless of his or her zip code, deserves access to a high-quality school. (i.e. the pre-existing TPS schools are not “high quality.”)
“NJDOE officials expanded the rigorous standards and metrics by which each and every public charter school is evaluated. This enabled NJDOE officials to take multiple factors into account when evaluating public charter schools across the state.”
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I hope the good people of New Jersey vote for Phil Murphy, a Democrat that according to his website, “Phil believes that our public schools are a critical part of what makes this state great.” Then, the residents of Newark need to pressure representatives for a fair funding formula for public education.
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I will be voting for Murphy for a whole host of reasons, education being at the top of the list. I am turned off by the fact that he’s a former Goldman Sachs guy but so far he’s saying the right things relating to education. I hope he follows through on his recent statements (such as de-emphasizing high stakes standardized testing). 8 years of the deplorable Christie, ugh, the ANTI-PUBLIC EDUCATION governor!!!!!
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Democrats like Obama often say the “right” things. When in office, they play the semantics game of “charters are really public schools.” Then, they start to privatize, I sincerely hope this guy turns out to be the real deal, but almost anyone has to be better than Christie.
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I’ll keep on using this line because it’s so apt.
Regarding these closures…”It’s not a bug, it’s a feature (of charter schools)”.
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M.E.T.S. officials now blame the school’s … errr… *”climate” for closing the 9th & 10th grades immediately — and the rest of the school (11th and 12th grades) next June.
Huh? ” … climate … “? What exactly does that mean?
This unfavorable “climate”, METS officials claim, is preventing METS staff from “provide(ing) the highest level of education to the number of students currently enrolled. High school is such a vital time in a young person’s life, and it would be a detriment to our students to not find a truly appropriate placement for them.”
Again, that “truly appropriate placement for” METS now-dumped students is, as of today, the traditional — and allegedly failing — nearby TPS public high schools.
You remember those schools? Those are the ones from which METS was supposed to rescue those doomed students … or so they had earlier claimed in their charter petition, and in public statements, with those sentiments echoed by privatizers such as Governor Christie, and Chris Cerf
This is truly METS officials talking out both sides of their mouths.
Think about it. Now that the kids whom METS dumped are now returning to those dreadful, failing TPS schools (as METS described them previously), I guess those students will be doomed once again … or not … or what-ever …
Furthermore, notice how the above quote hedges a little, by also citing the “number of students” as, in addition to the unfavorable “climate”, as playing a secondary factor.
Hey, before the NJDOE sent M.E.T.S. the millions to run the Newark M.E.T.S. branch, M.ET.S. officIals boldly proclaimed that they could handle that same amount of students, as a condition for receiving those millions, and now they ain’t so sure.
What gives?
However, back on opening day where Chris Christie cut the ribbon at a plush, gala even, they claimed they were good to go — no whining about “climate” or the “number of students” being any kind of problem:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552017/approved/20170828a.html
GOVERNOR CHRISTIE’s statement:
“The review process is in place to ensure the (M.E.T.S.) school has the structures in place to ensure academic success, equitability, financial viability and organizational soundness.” (That review process must have missed a few things apparently)
Fast-forward two months, however, and you get this official statement from M.E.T.S. officials:
(What did they know, and when did they know it?)
http://www.metscharterschool.org/2/News/30#sthash.B7BXdzQC.dpbs
Newark 9th & 10th grade special announcement
10/19/2017
Dear M.E.T.S. Parents and Guardians,
Yesterday at our monthly Board of Trustees meeting, our board reviewed the current climate at our Newark campus, located at 909 Broad Street. After very careful consideration and with the best intentions of each of our students the decision was made by the board to work with Newark Public Schools to have our 9th and 10th grade students placed within the school district and discontinue our 9th and 10th grades here at our Broad Street location.
Additionally, the decision was made to close the Newark location of M.E.T.S. Charter School at the conclusion of the 2017-18 school year.
This decision was an extremely difficult one, as the faculty and staff at M.E.T.S. cares deeply about each of our students and their success both in school and in the future beyond high school. The M.E.T.S. Newark campus cannot in good conscience say that it is currently equipped to provide the highest level of education to the number of students currently enrolled. High school is such a vital time in a young person’s life, and it would be a detriment to our students to not find a truly appropriate placement for them.
We have been working very closely with Newark Public Schools in order to help facilitate a smooth transition for each and every 9th and 10th grade student which would minimize any loss of instructional time and allow your child to get back to their studies as soon as possible.
Next week we will be having an information session with representatives from Newark Public Schools where parents of our 9th and 10th grade students are invited to meet with an enrollment specialist to discuss the placement process and next steps.
We want to ensure an easy transition to another educational environment for our students. The first information session will take place on Monday from 5:30PM – 7:00PM.
Should you have any questions or concerns prior to the information session, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you,
Madelyn Dullea
Interim Lead Administrator
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Oh, come on, Jack. Haven’t you heard of “climate change”?
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One other thing: the “Interim Lead Administrator, Madelyn Dullea,” was not M.E.T.S. Newark’s principal for the last seven weeks.
That would be Diemecha Harris, who got bounced outta there like she was a tennis ball right before this week’s blow-up.
Here’s an article celebrating Harris’ ascension to leadership at M.E.T.S. Newark back in early September:
https://patch.com/new-jersey/newarknj/newark-native-tapped-lead-mets-charter-school
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PATCH—NEW JERSEY:
“Harris said that she is looking forward to helping students and their families in her hometown.
“ ‘Growing up in Newark wasn’t easy, but I had exceptional teachers who mentored me and emphasized that the key to a better life was through education,‘ she said. ‘I took their advice, studied hard, and became the first person in my family to graduate from college.’ ”
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Wow, that sure didn’t last long.
Wonder what went on behind the scenes.
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Correct please:
His name is Mark Suckerberg with an “S” and not a “Z”. If he isn’t a sucker, then he joined the arrogant, greedy, power-hungry club of ignorant billionaire oligarchs working overtime spending lots of money to subvert the U.S. Constitutional Republic and the democracy it supports.
Subversion is illegal in this country, and when the legal system fails to act, the only choice left to the people is the kind of civil discordance that Thomas Jefferson talked about.
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Yes indeed. Lloyd, you are so smart.
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Lloyd Lofthouse Nice little word: “discordance.” Like calling a nuclear explosion a “bomb.”
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He’s not the sucker – we are for putting up with him.
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Wow! Good news. Hope the parents realize that charters are JUST FLY BY’s.
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*** OFF-TOPIC but breathtaking news!!! * ***
(with a Newark, New Jersey connection, no less … READ ON)
The Summit Charter School “Rape-gate” civil suit in San Jose, CA settled THE DAY AFTER MY LONG POST ABOUT IT ON THIS BLOG.
Mind you, this was after the local Northern California media had strangely and earlier went cold following its initially thorough coverage of this sordid affair.
Coincidence?
I think not. (or at least I strongly suspect not.😉 )
If I was indeed instrumental in any way in providing a positive outcome, or an early closure for the rape victim and her family …
Well, then, I want a medal! (Just kidding.)
(That’s something my late father would say when I showed him something like a perfect 100 score on a test or something.
“Whadda you want a medal?” )
The downside, of course, is that Summit Charter School Chain — noted for its replacing live teachers with computer-based “personalized learning”, btw — can now bury this embarrassing debacle with a sealed verdict that, in exchange for big $$$, the victim and her family have to clam up forever after … much like the Weinstein victims … until a few weeks ago, that is.
This case apparently involved a different kind of … errr… “personalized learning”, if you know what I mean. 😉
No media covered this Summitt Rape-gate settlement, by the way.
The fear that it would get greater and extensive coverage here on the Ravitch blog, or elsewhere may have pushed the Summit folks (who include Mr. and Mrs. Zuckerberg, no less) to end this whole civil suit forthwith. Mr. and Mrs. Z. were involved in another debacle in Newark, New Jersey, when they coughed up $100 million to close public schools and convert them to privately-managed charter schools. (That worked our so well for the students at the M.E.T.S. Newark Charter School earlier this week.)
To recap, I posted all this Summit Rape-gate stuff” — complete with links — on the Ravitch blog on September 6, 2017, complete with pictures of all the persons involved (almost all … not the teen victim, of course):
(Check out the COMMENTS Section BELOW for a refresher course on the Summit Charter School Rape-Gate in San Jose, CA … again complete with photos. It’s quite a yarn. You won’t be able to stop reading, let me tell ya!)
According to the court’s website, the attorneys for the victim and Summit settled *Rape-gate” THE VERY NEXT DAY!!! (September 7, 2017)
https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/California_State_Santa_Clara_County_Superior_Court/16CV302178/N.V._vs_Summit_Public_Schools_et_al/
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*”9 / 7 / 2017 — NOTICE: Settlement Atty Mark Boskovich”*
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(Boskovich is one of the two attorneys representing the victim, the lead being B. Robert Allard, arguably the most effective attorney for victims of teacher molestation, who regularly delivers multi-million-dollar settlements for his clients.
Okay, Attorney Allard may have played a small role in settling Rape-gate as well … but still 😉 )
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Cute!
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Just picturing in my mind christy rolling over and over confused by the insane notion that a school can close in just one years time. I guess the mets ran out of money because they still are weeping from ownerships messy relationship with non other than ole ponzi man himself madoff. Let the madness continue with people like christy running the education system in NJ and really screwing it up big time similar to the infamous photo this past summer of christy sitting on the beach in his beach chair….cant make this up people really
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May I point out that this story was first posted by Bob Braun on October 18?
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Also, do the millions of dollars that the NJDOE recently (October 15) sent to M.E.T.S. to educate the 9th and 10th graders now follow those same 9th and 10th graders back to the traditional Newark high schools, who must now take on the burden of educating them?
If not, that really stinks.
Think about it. M.E.T.S. keeps millions of funding for four grades, when it now, since the dumping, only has to educate two grades. In short, they now get more funding for less students.
Meanwhile the traditional Newark high schools taking in those students have less money and more students.
According to Newark’s union leader, John Abeigon, the answer is, “No,” the money does not follow them. It stays with M.E.T.S., even though they just lost half, or more of their students, and are now only required to educate the other half that stayed.
http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2017/10/newark_charter_school_that_opened_this_year_set_to.html
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N.J. Com:
“It’s not clear what will happen to the teachers who work on the Newark campus or how long they will be able to work at the school. Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon said teachers there were not unionized. He expressed concern that students would burden district schools and arrive without appropriate funding — the charter school received its per pupil funding on Oct. 15, he said.
“The money does not follow the kid,” Abeigon said.
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Notice how M.E.T.S. waited until AFTER OCTOBER 15(!!!) — the day the millions of dollars of school funding moved from the NJDOE in Trenton and into the M.E.T.S. bank account — before they then proceede to dump half their students. Again, those millions were given to M.E.T.S to educate all of their original students, not just half.
To quote Ben Franklin, “it shines and stinks like rotting mackeral in the moonlight.”
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