by Bob Braun -

MURPHY RIGHT TO REMOVE PAULA WHITE; LEDGER COVERAGE, A DISGRACE

Gov. Phil Murphy (photo WHYY)

Gov. Philip Murphy’s rejection of  the appointment of Paula White as assistant state education commissioner was the right decision for the public schools of New Jersey. She is an avowed proponent of school privatization, the former head of an organization that promotes charter schools. She was named to a top position in a department already overloaded with ideological partisans  of charter and voucher schools who flocked to New Jersey during the eight years of former Gov. Chris Christie’s  misrule.

by Bob Braun -

A cruel afternoon at the Motor Vehicle Commission

I’ve had root canals. I’ve had gum surgery. But, when I went to get my driver’s license renewed recently, I knew real pain.

I had no choice but to appear in person. The letter I received from the state Motor Vehicle Commission contained a number of “skip the trip” urgings but they were countermanded by a contradictory warning superimposed on the renewal form: If you want your license, you had to do this thing live.

by Bob Braun -

A different kind of American–a real one–looks at Haiti and sees love

Megan Coffee

Eight years ago today, an earthquake struck Haiti and killed more than 200,000 people. I was sent there twice by The Star-Ledger to write about what happened. While there, I renewed my acquaintance with Dr. Megan Coffee from Maplewood, who, 12 years earlier, had been named a Star-Ledger Scholar, a program I helped run to recognize the brightest New Jersey high school graduates. Instead of pursuing a career that would make her wealthy, she became a healer in the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere. It seems especially appropriate now, on this anniversary, with this national leadership, with the sickening language we’ve heard and read in the last 24 hours, to recall there are Americans who look at Haiti and see love. Here is an article I wrote about Dr. Coffee for The Star-Ledger in the summer of 2010:

by Bob Braun -

Newark’s Cerf expected to quit, may stay on as consultant–Gregory new schools chief

Newark Superintendent Cerf and Christie

Newark’s state-appointed school superintendent Christopher Cerf,  Gov. Chris Christie’s long-term enforcer of the plan to turn Newark into the “charter school capital of the state,” is expected to resign–perhaps as soon as today–and turn  temporary control of New Jersey’s largest school district over to his hand-picked choice, Robert Gregory, a deputy superintendent.

by Bob Braun -

FINALLY, REAL GOOD NEWS FOR NEWARK’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS: A RHODES SCHOLAR

Jordan Thomas, Rhodes Scholar

Jordan Thomas made his way to his parents’ car parked outside Gate 4 of Yankee Stadium in The Bronx Saturday. In a stadium suite, the Rhodes Trust had just completed the final interviews of the students vying for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships. Jordan carried with him life-changing news–a good sort of life-changing news–that he could barely contain.

by Bob Braun -

Newark schools chief to teacher union head: Don’t need you.

An email exchange between Christopher Cerf, the state-appointed Newark schools chief, and John Abeigon, the president of the Newark Teachers Union. Abeigon’s email is at the bottom–it was sent to city officials, local  school board members, state school board members, the mayor’s office and others. Abeigon offers his congratulations on the return of local control and asks for a role in the transition.