Tag: NJEA

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The Democrats’ Fight against School Choice Is Immoral

Betsy DeVos as Secretary of the Department of Education

by DAVID HARSANYI January 20, 2017 12:00 AM @DAVIDHARSANYI

Betsy DeVos wants better education for minority and low-income kids. There’s something perverse about an ideology that views the disposing of an unborn child in the third trimester of pregnancy as an indisputable right but the desire of parents to choose a school for their kids as zealotry. Watching President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, answer an array of frivolous questions this week was just another reminder of how irrational liberalism has become.
Democrats often tell us that racism is one of the most pressing problems in America. And yet, few things have hurt African Americans more over the past 40 years than inner-city public-school systems. If President Obama is correct and educational attainment is the key to breaking out of a lower economic stratum, then no institution is driving inequality quite as effectively as public schools.

Actually, teachers’ unions are the only organizations in America that openly support segregated schools. In districts across the country — even ones in cities with some form of limited movement for kids — poor parents, typically those who are black or Hispanic, are forced to enroll their kids in underperforming schools when there are good ones nearby, sometimes just blocks away.

Read more at: https://www.nationalreview.com/article/444046/betsy-devos-democratic-opposition

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Poor Children Deserve an Education too

Betsy DeVos as Secretary of the Department of Education

 

January 17,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, so who’s Afraid of Betsy DeVos? “Mrs. Devos’s Most Important Qualification is that She Has the Courage of Her Convictions”, in an editorial the Wall Street Journal attempts to answer the critics and make the case to provide poor children with better educational opportunities. We know the unions don’t like it and neither do Democrat, lawmakers looking to stifle their constituents keeping them fat, dumb and happy.
Who’s Afraid of Betsy DeVos?
The Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal Opinion
January 14th, 2017
Click Here to Read

Democrats are searching for a cabinet nominee to defeat, and it’s telling that progressive enemy number one is Betsy DeVos. Donald Trump’s choice to run the Education Department has committed the unpardonable sin of devoting much of her fortune to helping poor kids escape failing public schools.

Mrs. DeVos’s most important qualification is that she has the courage of her convictions.

The DeVoses have donated tens of millions of dollars to charity including a children’s hospital in Michigan and an international art competition in Grand Rapids. They’ve also given to Christian organizations, which the left cites as evidence of concealed bigotry. Yet education has been their main philanthropic cause.

During the 1990s, they patronized a private-school scholarship fund for low-income families and championed Michigan’s first charter school law. In 2000 they helped bankroll a voucher initiative, which was defeated by a union blitz. The DeVoses then turned to expanding charters, which have become Exhibit A in the progressive campaign against her.

Two studies from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (2013, 2015) found that students attending Michigan charters gained on average an additional two months of learning every year over their traditional school counterparts. Charter school students in Detroit gained three months.

The real reason unions fear Mrs. DeVos is that she’s a rare reformer who has defeated them politically. Prior to being tapped by Mr. Trump, she chaired the American Federation for Children (AFC), which has helped elect hundreds of legislators across the country who support private school choice.

AFC has built a broad coalition that includes black and Latino Democrats, undercutting the union conceit that vouchers are a GOP plot to destroy public schools. In 2000 four states had private-school choice programs with 29,000 kids. Today, 25 states have vouchers, tax-credit scholarships or education-savings accounts benefitting more than 400,000 students.

You know progressives have lost their moral bearings when they save their most ferocious assault for a woman who wants to provide poor children with the education they need to succeed in America.

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DeVos selection ignites fight on how to help students

Betsy DeVos as Secretary of the Department of Education

Chad Livengood , Jonathan Oosting and Michael Gerstein , The Detroit News11:39 a.m. EST November 25, 2016

President-elect Donald Trump’s planned nomination of west Michigan philanthropist Betsy DeVos for education secretary has ignited a debate about how the country delivers a high-quality education for every child.

DeVos, 58, supports increasing school choices, which she has called an attempt to “empower” parents to find good schools for their children, whether they be traditional public schools, alternative public academies known as charters, virtual schools or private and religious institutions.

“Betsy DeVos is a brilliant and passionate education advocate,” Trump said Wednesday in a statement. “Under her leadership, we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families.”

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2016/11/24/devos-selection-ignites-fight-help-students/94406260/?mc_cid=612320a0b1&mc_eid=9ec7cf1771

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New Jersey may raise superintendent salaries

Dan Fishbein 10

Hannan Adely , Staff Writer6:09 p.m. EST November 16, 2016

New Jersey officials are considering a plan to raise salaries for school superintendents, in a move local leaders hope will keep the school chiefs from fleeing their jobs for more lucrative work.

Acting Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington proposed changes Wednesday that would raise the maximum salary from $175,000 to $191,584 and allow for 2 percent raises in subsequent years.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/education/2016/11/16/superintendent-salary-cap/93974660/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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Full-day Kindergarten Public Question for Ridgewood

home alone
Full-Day Kindergarten: Public Vote is Election Day, November 8
Ridgewood residents will see this full-day K question at the bottom of the ballot:

RESOLVED, That there shall be raised an additional $929,800 for General Funds in the 2016-17 School Year. These taxes will be used to employ additional personnel and to acquire additional equipment and supplies in order to implement the District’s full-day Kindergarten program. Approval of these taxes will result in a permanent increase in the District’s tax levy. The additional taxes authorized herein will be used exclusively for purposes described herein and to finance expenditures that are in addition to those necessary to achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

Click here for a PDF of the public presentation.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.
Click here to view all full-day Kindergarten documents

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Governor Christie held his latest Fairness Town Hall in New Providence and Hammered the Tax Fairness Message

Chris_christie_theridgewoodblog
October 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, On Tuesday, despite the Governor’s legal trouble, Governor Christie held his latest Fairness Funding Town Hall in New Providence, continuing to make the case for massive property tax relief and equal funding for every student in our state.
The Governor made it clear that its unacceptable to allow the failed, court-ordered school funding format to continue to fail inner-city students and short-change our surburban schools and taxpayers. The largest force opposed the Governor’s Fairness Funding Formula is the NJEA. They have spent millions to buy the support of Trenton Democrats to block any effort to reform school funding, making property taxpayers foot the bill for a failed formula.
The Governor’s plan to provide equal funding to every student across our state would translate into more money and property tax relief for 75% of school districts in the state. In New Providence, the Governor’s plan could translate into a $3,232 reduction in the average homeowner’s yearly property tax bill.
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Phil Murphy aka Corzine 2.0 Exposed For Exploiting Election Law Loopholes

Tax and Spend Democrat Phil Murphy for Governor
October 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, This week, presumptive Democrat Gubernatorial nominee and Corzine retread was exposed by WikiLeaks for exploiting loopholes in election law to further his political ambitions.

Democrats are poised to nominate another Wall-Street insider with expert knowledge on exploiting election laws to further his candidacy. The most recent revelations in the saga on Corzine 2.0 (aka- Phil Murphy) came after WikiLeaks furnished e-mail correspondence between Murphy and DC insider and Clinton advisor John Podesta, who has been at the heart of the latest WikiLeaks scandals.

Murphy has already spent a boat-load of money on television and print advertising claiming to be an outsider, but the latest leaked e-mails paint a much different picture of a politician that knows how to use his own money to get his way.

Murphy established a tax-exempt non-profit organization, allowed to take unlimited money without disclosing its donors, in a clear attempt to bolster his Gubernatorial ambitions. Under the law, this organization was supposed to be a “social welfare organization”, allowed to engage in political activity, but not as its primary mission.

As reported by WNYC News, While Murphy said publicly that this was simply a public advocacy think-tank, privately in e-mails to John Podesta, disclosed that the group was formed to boost his name ID as he was “VERY serious but not yet committed” to run for Governor.

With a direct line to one of Clinton’s main advisors and after his shameless acceptance of endorsements of corrupt county bosses and Trenton’s largest special interest group, the NJEA, Murphy’s wasted no time making it clear to voters that he is just another political insider with Wall Street values pretending to be someone he’s not to get elected.

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Governor Chris Christie Moves to Break the Cycle of Educational Failure in the Abbott Districts

School Choice by ArtChick
file photo by ArtChick
September 16,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Governor Chris Christie announced the Christie administration went to court on behalf of New Jersey taxpayers, to the Supreme Court, to say three things:” First, that this funding formula has failed for 30 years and that it needs to be overturned. Second, that the real thing that’s preventing us from teaching kids in these districts are the ridiculous work rules that are imposed upon us by statute and by collective bargaining agreements with the teachers union that prevents us from doing common sense things like, if there are going to be layoffs in our schools, that we should layoff the least effective teachers, not do layoffs, as we are required to do by state law, based purely upon seniority. If you’re there the longest you get to keep your job. If you’re there the shortest you lose your job. How does that ensure that children are getting a thorough and efficient system of education? And, how is it that in Camden, one of the worst school districts in the state, the union contract requires only four hours and forty five minutes of instruction for every seven and a half hour day that a teacher puts in. Four hours and forty-five minutes of instruction for every seven and a half hour day a teacher puts in. It’s these kinds of work rules and collective bargaining agreements that we are stuck with in this state that prevents these kids from having, in urban districts, that what they really need. Let’s talk about what happens in a lot of these urban districts, what happens is that the family life isn’t there often, to support what you need to do to make sure that your kids do well in school. Now sometimes this is because of broken homes but sometimes it’s in intact homes and because those families are struggling to make ends meet, sometimes those folks have to work three or four jobs to keep a roof over their heads, And when you have to do that you’re not going to be home at 3 o’clock when the kids get home from school. So who’s checking when they’re going to do their homework? Who’s encouraging them to do their reading. Who’s sitting down with them to help them do their math?  It’s not happening. So what should we do? Should we just give up on those kids and give up on those families who out of no fault of their own, are just working 15, 16 hours a day to keep a roof over their head. In those districts, we should have a longer school day. In those districts we should have a longer school year. If those children are falling behind, let’s spend more time with them. That kind of result, we should be willing to pay for. “Gov. Christie On Urban Education: We’re Tired Of Paying For Failure, We Need This System To Change

Christie went on to say, “I’ve had enough of sitting back and waiting. I’ve tried negotiating with the legislature. I’ve tried negotiating with the teacher’s union. I’ve tried every other course, today my patience has run out. For the first time, it’s your governor going to the court and saying enough is enough, on behalf of the people of this state we’re tired of paying for failure we need this system to change, we filed that today and we’re going to fight for you in the Supreme Court rather than have the educational interest being the ones who are always fighting there with her handouts saying they need more of your money. And the fact is no one knows how it is going to go but I’m not going to sit back and be a bystander in this. I want urban education to get better in this state. I want those families to have an opportunity for their children to achieve their fullest potential. I also want your families to be able to continue to live here. “
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NJEA Moves on Screening Process to Pick Its 2017 Gubernatorial Candidate

Steve-Sweeney-Atlantic-City-finances

By Max Pizarro • 09/12/16 5:12pm

The New Jersey Education Association’s (NJEA) PAC Operating Committee this past weekend voted in favor of beginning the process of screening 2017 candidates for governor and the legislature.

It’s probably safe to say that Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) doesn’t need to bother showing up for that process.

He’s identified in a leadership letter to NJEA members as the instigator of “betrayal,” for failing to secure a public payment pension question on the 2016 ballot, and then lashing out at the NJEA in a letter to law enforcement.

https://observer.com/2016/09/njea-moves-on-screening-process-to-pick-its-2017-gubernatorial-candidate/

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Atlantic City Gambles on School Choice

gambling-addiction
August 28,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Atlantic City NJ, with a state takeover in the air Atlantic City has had its share of bad fortunes lately and this November, when voters in A.C. head to the polls, they’ll not only decide whether to gamble on the state-wide casino gaming referendum but also vote on a pair of city-specific school choice ballot questions.
RESOLUTION TO PLACE NON-BINDING REFERENDUM QUESTIONS REGARDING SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND TAX CREDITS WHEREAS, 

The City Council of Atlantic City is empowered with the authority to submit nonbinding referendum questions to the public in order to ascertain the sentiment of legal voters; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Atlantic City hereby submits the following questions to be printed upon the official ballots to be used at the next ensuing General Election as follows: “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City to begin offering vouchers to families with children ages 6-16 so they can select the school they want their children to attend?” “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City of Atlantic City to begin offering property tax credits to families with children ages 6-16 who choose to home school?”

The non binding Atlantic City school resolution was passed unanimously by the Democrat controlled governing body . The resolution is the creation of home schooled freshman GOP Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who is also a teachers union (NJEA) member .

Amazingly if the proposal is enacted, Atlantic City would become the first municipality in New Jersey to provide school vouchers. There is currently no law in New Jersey that would allow the city to give out vouchers to parents.

Kutz told the Atlantic City Impact a local paper ,”The vouchers would be redeemable at both private and public schools, pending space, and could save the city money if more students choose to attend private schools, Kurtz said. Students leaving the Atlantic City School District for private schools would reduce the district’s budget, therefore lowering the city’s budget as council tries to stave off a state takeover”

According to their website the Atlantic City teachers union the Atlantic City Education Association
(ACEA) clearly sees school choice as a threat ,and assures its members it “is vigorously fighting against these proposals.”

The Urban Institute a Washington DC think tank takes a different tact , “Evidence indicates that school choice programs can improve the educational and life outcomes of low-income students, but not all programs are equally effective. Charter schools such as KIPP and the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy have large positive effects on the academic achievement of their (mostly disadvantaged) students.”

The Institute goes on to say , “School choice policy, like most education policy, is largely made at the state and local levels. But the federal government could allow states to enact funding systems where federal, state, and local dollars follow students to the public schools of their choice”.

Atlantic City’s gamble on the future of educational opportunities now rests on residents taking the first step and showing up on election day and making the choice for choice . Success of Atlantic City’s school choice and voucher initiative will be determined by parents , students and local administrators who can then craft educational policy that works best for the students of Atlantic City.
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American Dream ongoing nightmare

Xanadu_main_theridgewoodblog

August 12, 2016

The state can’t scrape up the money to fix the state’s roads and bridges, fully fund its schools or pay for the pensions of retired state workers. But, somehow, it found a way this week to approve an $800 million bond after previously authorizing $350 million in tax breaks for a $3.1 billion megamall in the Meadowlands.

The state’s Local Finance Board, an arm of the state Department of Community Affairs, this week approved the bond for the massive Meadowland America Dream shopping and entertainment complex, known during a previous incarnation as Xanadu. After two false starts attributable to the project’s inability to get private financing, the project was taken over in 2011 by Triple Five, a Canadian firm, nearly a decade after it was first approved.

Last week’s approval by the Local Finance Board, and the approval of a financing agreement a day earlier by the mall’s landlord, the N.J. Sports & Exposition Authority, came unaccompanied by any outrage from state lawmakers other than Michael Doherty, R-Warren.

Why the silence? Perhaps legislators didn’t want to call further attention to the irony of their providing bonding for a private venture at a time they can’t scrape up enough money for the state’s basic needs, despite having the highest property taxes in the nation.

https://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/08/12/american-dream-meadowlands-bond/88634812/

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After stinging loss, teachers’ new pension plan may begin with revenge

Steve-Sweeney-Atlantic-City-finances

By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 09, 2016 at 7:30 AM, updated August 09, 2016 at 7:56 AM

TRENTON — With a ballot question asking voters to constitutionally guarantee state payments into the public worker pension fund dead on arrival this year, the head of the state’s largest teachers’ union suggested  that Senate PresidentStephen Sweeney’s likely 2017 gubernatorial campaign will meet the same fate.

Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association, stopped short on Monday of calling Sweeney’s refusal to post the measure for a vote ahead of a Monday’s deadline to get it on the ballot this year a deal breaker.

But he was also clear about the NJEA’s priorities — more specifically, its top agenda item.

“Our No. 1 priority has been passing this constitutional amendment,” Wendell said.

“I’m telling you that we will certainly send out a questionnaire to all of the candidates and we will screen all of them,” he said. “But we are definitely going to get involved in the primaries this year.”

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/08/with_pension_guarantee_dead_states_largest_union_l.html?ath=9c46bfc08d76232bb5a5e00eeaf0bfa2#cmpid=nsltr_stryheadline

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Reader says public-sector labor unions are attempting to influence the legislative process with campaign donations? Wow, there’s a surprise!

Sweeney & Prieto

The NJEA, FOP and other public-sector labor unions are attempting to influence the legislative process with campaign donations? Wow, there’s a surprise. Union thugs have destroyed NJ’s economy and made property taxes so unreasonable that the state suffers from net migration out and an economy that lags the recovery in surrounding states. The unions and their paid-for cheerleaders in Trenton are 100% to blame, they are driven by shameless greed.

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NJEA : Plot Thickens in Monmouth as Ousted Republican Goes on the Attack

REA, ridgewoood teachers

Plot Thickens in Monmouth as Ousted Republican Goes on the Attack

Early signs that Monmouth County will be one of the crucial proving grounds for a badly wounded Republican party in 2017 emerged Friday, as former Republican Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini called for her Democratic successors to acknowledge their ties to the NJEA. Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) called for state and federal investigations of the group this week after the state’s largest teachers’ union threatened to withhold campaign cash from state Democrats. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more https://politickernj.com/2016/08/plot-thickens-in-monmouth-as-ousted-republican-goes-on-the-attack/

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Sweeney bombshell: Investigate NJEA, cops union for extortion over pension threat

Ridgewood EA teachers protest
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 03, 2016 at 12:16 PM, updated August 03, 2016 at 5:34 PM
 TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney said Wednesday that threats by public worker unions to withhold campaign contributions unless the Senate passes pension legislation amounts to “bribery” and “extortion” and should be investigated by state and federal officials.

At a Statehouse news conference, Sweeney (D-Gloucester) responded to reports the state’s largest teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association, told county Democratic Party chairmen it wouldn’t release campaign cash until next spring as a cudgel to force action on a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing billions of dollars in contributions to the government worker pension fund.

Sweeney also said his office received a direct threat from the president of the Fraternal Order of Police. He penned letters to the U.S. attorney and state attorney general requesting investigate the threats as violations of both state and federal bribery laws.

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/08/sweeney_calls_for_investigation_of_njea_pension_vo.html#incart_river_mobileshort_home_pop