Categories: News

Irony of the Day

The Paterson School Board split their vote last week, arriving at a 4-3 decision to spend $280K for board members to participate in a team-building program offered by the Center for the Reform of School Systems, a Texas-based organization with a “vision of a better America and built on a tradition of meaningful reforms designed to help school districts reach higher levels of performance.”

The organization is run by Don McAdams, a former Houston school board member, who recently coached members of the Plano, TX school board to “avoid split votes and to meet at a private home to get to know each other, and hope no citizens showed up.”

The Paterson school board vote split because some members complained that the resolution agreeing to the fee did not specify who would attend, for how long, where the sessions would be held, and whether the $280K includes travel to Texas, according to the Alternative Press. One board member noted that three members’ seats are up every year, so it’s unclear how the district will benefit. Another noted that New Jersey School Boards Association offers free board training.

Laura Waters

View Comments

  • Calling all hucksters! Welcome to Chris Christie's New Jersey.

    The real irony here is that the Paterson School Board had its oversight authority revoked by the state many years ago. This program is intended to prepare the Board to regain at least some of its powers.

    I'd lay off the private meetings, though.

Recent Posts

BREAKING: Statement from JerseyCAN on State’s Long-Delayed Release of Student Test Results

This is a statement by Paula White, Executive Director of JerseyCAN, on the New Jersey…

2 years ago

NJEA: Murphy’s Elimination of Teacher Performance Test Is a Major Win for Students and Educators

This is a press release. Earlier today, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill to eliminate…

2 years ago

Murphy Signs Bill Eliminating EdTPA Test for Teacher Certification

Today Gov. Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill 896, which prohibits the New Jersey Department of…

2 years ago

LILLEY: Blue States Had More School Closures and More Learning Loss — Just Like NJ under Gov. Murphy

The 74 conducted a study of the relative learning loss in Democratic (Blue) and Republican (Red) states and…

2 years ago

One of Newark Superintendent’s New High Schools Tolerates Racism Against Black Students

In October 2020 Newark Superintendent Roger Leon announced with great fanfare the opening of district’s…

2 years ago