OPINION
Public education is the ultimate public service because we educate the public. Those of us who devote our lives to public schools aren’t just educating children. We are shaping communities, cities, and the very democracy this country was founded on and which we proudly build upon. So while I generally don’t dignify baseless accusations with a response, when elected officials continue to spew tired, uninformed, malicious nonsense about Newark Public Schools without facts and without shame, I am compelled to respond. That kind of bullying wouldn’t fly in our schools, and it will not go unchecked here.
As the largest school district in New Jersey, we know we carry a special responsibility for excellence, accountability, and transparency. We carry that weight with pride. Our school system is thorough and efficient, our administration is fiscally disciplined, and our Board of Education works tirelessly and governs effectively. This is all while keeping our eyes on what matters most: student success. We have a historic 10-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020–30, and we are executing it with fidelity and seeing results. That’s why people come from across the state, across the nation, and across the world to see how Newark does it. They come to learn, to collaborate, and to witness excellence, not to cast blame like some of our more … fragile legislators.
And the receipts are plentiful…