Last night Gov. Christie nominated Christopher Cerf, former deputy chancellor of NYC public schools, as NJ’s Commissioner of Education. From the Wall Street Journal:
Mr. Cerf, 56 years old, will be nominated to lead a department that has been adrift since the sacking of its former commissioner, Bret Schundler, in the wake of the state’s loss in a federal education grant competition. A spokeswoman for the governor wouldn’t confirm the selection.
Mr. Christie has spent the past year cutting school funding, tangling with teachers and superintendents, and trying to make New Jersey’s schools do more with less. He has pointed to Newark and other cities as examples of school systems where more money has not led to sufficient education gains, leaving children “trapped” in failing schools.
Joel Klein, the outgoing chancellor of New York City schools, where Mr. Cerf served as a deputy chancellor until 2009, called Mr. Cerf “a man of enormous intellect, talent and deep understanding of K-12 education and would be a terrific leader.”
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From today's NYT:
"Derrell Bradford, executive director of E3 (Excellent Education for Everyone), an advocacy group in Newark, who supports the choice of Mr. Cerf, said Mr. Christie “made it pretty clear what the requirements are for state commissioner. You have to support school choice of all kinds; you have to understand the state cannot afford its schools; and you have to understand that we’re at war with the status quo.” "
Tell it like the Gov thinks it is, Derrell. Sure feels like a combat zone to me. Interesting that you place yourself entirely on the other side.
A practical question: should we address Mr. Cerf as "Honorable Commissioner" or "Field Marshal"?