Categories: NewarkNews

John the Ringworm

“We are hopeful that the winners are ready to get to work to put Newark back in local control,” Abeigon said. “We also want to make sure that resources come back to traditional schools. Corporate charter schools, we view them as parasitic. I don’t see any compromise coming from their sector at all so I don’t see why the city feels that they can compromise with these people.”

That’s John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union, comparing the public schools that educate one out of every three Newark students to organisms that survive by ingesting their hosts. Abeigon also tells The Advocate that NTU members “do not agree that working with charter school advocates is in the best interest of Newark students” and that he hopes that “the newly elected members of the school board move toward a moratorium on charter schools.”

There are three types of public schools in Newark, all accessible to families through the Newark Enrolls program. Traditional district schools educate about 33% of Newark schoolchildren. District magnet schools, which restrict admissions to schoolchildren who meet their academic criteria, serve about 36% of Newark schoolchildren. Charter schools educate about 31% of Newark schoolchildren (although shares will shift as charter schools expand in response to parent demand).

Mr. Abeigon suggests that two-thirds of this diverse system turn on the smallest third. Who’s the antagonist in this picture?

Laura Waters

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