State House Rally for Public Schools, Community Control, & Democracy

Community Activists Oppose Christie’s “One Newark” Privatization & Charter Schools Plan

Whose Schools? – Our Schools!

Statehouse steps , Trenton (3/27/14)

Hundreds of people rallied today on the State House steps to protest the Christie Administration’s State imposed dictate, the Orwellian “One Newark” Plan, which would close community public schools, layoff hundreds of teachers, and increase funding for private Charter schools.

Those interested in following the critical issues at stake should visit retired Star Ledger reporter Bob Braun’s Blog. John Mooney at NJ Spotlight education beat has done a good job following some of the issue as well, but not with nearly the edge and passion of Braun’s Blog..

Here is Star Ledger story by Peggy McGlone: Hundreds protest Newark’s plan to close schools and lay off teachers.

The crowd appeared to be mostly from Newark, with some supporters from Camden –

I was a little surprised that there wasn’t a larger presence and organized support from the full spectrum of progressive, labor, civil rights, and community and social justice groups, because what is going on in Newark is part of a much larger organized, well funded, corporate, ideological attack on public institutions, teachers, unions, control of community schools and development, and related core features of democracy.

The Christie Administration is imposing a Wall Street, corporate, Neoliberal ideological model of privatization of public institutions; top down anti-democratic corporate controls on decision-making; cronyism; and a racist forms of gentrification. See:

• The Real Story Behind the Detroit Pension Fight and What it Means to America’s Future

This model is not limited to the Detroit bankruptcy situation or to only in Newark and Camden, but being imposed across the country in various forms. It is rapidly becoming the dominant urban development model, as corporate investment and real estate values trump all other social values and democratic objectives.

People of good will need to stand together in support of the people of Newark – especially the kids – and defend the institution of the public schools, a core feature of our  democracy and a vital component to any notion of social justice.