Bob Braun was a reporter for New Jersey’s biggest newspaper—the Star-Ledger—for fifty years. Now he writes what he wants, without any constraints.
In this post, he lacerates the series of articles about charter school corruption and theft of public dollars in New Jersey because it failed to reach the logical conclusion of the evidence it produced. The logical conclusion would be to call off the heist of public funds by grifters, real estate developers, and corporate chains.
He writes.
“The series, far from calling for an end to the theft of public school funds to finance charter expansion, promotes so-called “reforms” that would make it easier for charters to expand—and further degrade public schools. ..
“Wrong because, the basic, irrefutable truth about charter schools is this:
“Privately-operated charters take away money (construction and operating funds) from public schools—especially in New Jersey’s largest cities where resources are scarce. They are replacing public schools, using public money that should be used to repair public schools.
“Charters are replacing regular public schools and that was never the intent.
“Following the series’ suggestions would mean more charter schools, less money for public schools, and a continuation–even enhancement–of the racism that propels public education policy in New Jersey’s cities.
“The truth about privately operated charters and how they are built and operated with public funds has been glaringly obvious for years—but few in the commercial press wanted to look at it, including The Record (northjersey.com).”
Once again, like the series in the Los Angeles Times that documented corruption on a grand scale, the series concludes with a timid proposal that pleases and is sure to embolden the charter lobby.
Braun describes in detail how Governor Chris Christie, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Education Entrepreneur Chris Cerf and their allies engineered the charter school coup, with the help of the Star-Ledger’s zealous Charter love:
“Yes it is too bad that charter schools—with the connivance of Christie, Booker, Cerf, former state-appointed Newark superintendent Anderson and former state education commissioner David Hespe, among others—were able to channel tens of millions of public dollars to privately-owned charter school operations.
“But that wasn’t the worst of it.
“Children suffered—and the mainstream media didn’t give a damn. Anyone who expressed sympathy for Newark’s children was denounced as a conspiracy theorist.”
To understand the moral and ethical corruption at the heart of charter schools in New Jersey, read Braun’s article in full.
The moral and ethical corruption was even worse than the real estate deals and graft.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The notion that charter schools are a magical miracle run by saints has embedded itself deeply in newsroom culture. Of course that starts with editorial boards, which are separated by a firewall, but my view is that it’s still pervasive. So they really struggle with doing exposes, and the tendency is still to treat problem charters as exceptions to the saintly rule.
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Expose after expose after expose. How do they cling to their illusion that charters are magic. Although they do make public money disappear without a trace.
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Ha! I think it’s just sort of a pervasive faint hint in the air, an unconscious attitude that settled in early on.
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How do you break bad habits and prejudices, esp editorial boards? How much graft does it require to break the spell?
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I don’t think it’s actual graft, though I have loudly called out the number of former mainstream education reporters who leave journalism to go to work for the billionaire-funded education “reform” sector. It creates the perception that they were slanting their coverage or pulling punches to suck up to their future employers, and the perception maybe accurate, too.
But I think editorial boards get wedded to their positions, seeing them as basic principles. Turnover would help in the case of some editorial boards that I know, but that’s complicated because then I’m kind of endorsing age discrimination.
With editorial board members who aren’t actually seeking employment in the billionaire-funded education “reform” sector*, sometimes I think they’re the only voices cheerleading for “reform” hustles and scamsters that AREN’T getting paid for it.
*As some have — I could name them, but it’s awkward because they’re colleagues and even social friends
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WEDDED to their positions. Yes.
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One person has written education editorials for NY Times for about 25 years. Brent Staples. He loves charters and testing.
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Karen Wolfe sent me this comment, which WordPress refuses to accept:
I’ve tried to post this twice:
The original money to launch Newsom’s gubernatorial bid came from the same dark charter figures who schemed with Eli Broad to unsuccessfully defeat Proposition 30, Governor Jerry Brown’s initiative to fund public schools through a tax on millionaires. The schemers included one of Newsom’s early donors, John Scully, who sits with his wife on the board of Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy. https://m.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Newsom-already-has-700k-on-hand-to-run-for-6105799.php
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Charter Magic
To pull a rabbit
Out of hat
Magician’s habbit
Such is that
To make the moola
Disappear
The Charters fool ya
That is clear
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Curiouser and curiouser.
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When DeVos was asked at her hearing about crumbling public school buildings in need of repair, she told the committee the parents need “more choice” so parents can find the right fit for their children. The current DOE is not willing to invest any money in the schools that serve the most students. The buildings would be in much better shape if privatization attack dogs hadn’t been inventing schemes and buying representatives in order to drain public school budgets for the past twenty years.
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“The series, far from calling for an end to the theft of public school funds to finance charter expansion, promotes so-called “reforms” that would make it easier for charters to expand—and further degrade public schools. ..
The same thing applies to what is happening in California with the so-called “reform” committee. The makeup of the committee makes that crystal clear.
Deformers keep using the same play.
When is the public going to catch on?
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Often the public is unaware of the all the behind the scenes manipulations to suppress democratic input and the wealthy that game the system in order to give charters preferential treatment. Privatization has morphed into a gigantic “pay to play” scheme. Public schools have no ability to fight back in this way. They have no money, lobbyists or spin doctors, except for unions. Their biggest asset is an informed public that respects the common good and will show up to defend it.
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My observation is that teachers’ unions have lobbyists who do things in the same old traditional way — advocating with legislators and maybe the press to win support for legislation they favor. There’s a massive propaganda apparatus on the other side, bashing public schools and teachers and their unions (largely made up of uppity women), and teachers’ unions have been totally oblivious about the need to respond to that with a new kind of outreach.
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The union lobbyists are relevant to oppose charters because a tiny number of charters joined the union. 90% of charters are non-union
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The teachers’ unions could still mount an outreach countercampaign against the massive “reform” machinery that incessantly bashes public education and constantly disparages teachers and their unions (made up largely of uppity women) — and call for reasonable laws that reined in the charter rampage — without completely blowing off the few charter teachers who are members. It’s just not on their radar to operate that way, but it should be. It would be worth the investment.
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Some Fix We’re in
The game’s a fix
The ref’s been bought
The same old tricks
Are all they got
But public’s blind
As bat can be
And can not find
The answer key
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Bob Braun has a keen understanding of the politics in NJ. I agree with him 100%.
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I’m relieved educators have you on our side!
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