Newark, NJ - Community forces here, led by the United Front to Defend Public Education (UFDPE) are opposing funding cutbacks and the privatization of public schools. There have been marches and rallies, speakers at public forums and literature distribution to oppose the cutbacks.
Incoming Governor Christopher Christie announced in March, as his first action in office, a program of budget cuts that sacrifice the people’s needs to the capitalists’ economic crisis. In particular, state aid to local schools is planned to be cut by $820million.
A rally on the theme of “Save Our Schools” was held at a busy intersection on April 14. It was attended by students, teachers and community activists. The crowd chanted “No education, no peace,” “Christie says cut back, we say fight back.” Motorists blew their horns and raised clenched fists in support. Neighborhood residents and passersby were in complete support. The Newark community is aware and angry about threats of charter schools, vouchers and budget cutbacks.
In Newark there are plans to bust the Cafeteria Workers’ Union and completely privatize school food services. As many as 200 teachers, 60 school aides and the bulk of substance abuse coordinators are meant to be cut. As distractions, the New Jersey Department of Education is offering Special Instructional Grants to a few selected schools and projecting a ‘plan’ to raise high school graduation requirements from 110 to 130 credits over four years. How the schools are to do more with less money is not explained.
UFDPE organizer Leah Owens calls the Special Instructional Grants money, “peanuts compared to what is due this district through the state’s school funding formula.” She adds, “The purpose of these [community] actions is to bring attention to the problems and allow us to see we really are in the same boat.”
Newark Teachers’ Association President Annette Alston says, “Millionaires are getting bonuses and breaks and teachers are getting pay cuts. Stop saying freeze. If teachers now have to pay 1.5% of their salary into the health benefit pot and they are asking us to take a freeze on top of that it amounts to a pay cut, not a freeze. We’ve got a big bully holding the position of governor. Bullies must be stood up to or they will continue to bully you.”
Email this Article
People of Newark Defend Public Schools
David and the Newark Math Teacher both speak to the need for real change, not status quo. Nothing was ever given in politics without asking for it, and then demanding it if there is stone walling. I grew up in Newark when the answer to the homeless problem created by President Kennedy was "solved" by Mayor Gibson by giving the homeless a token so they could get to NYC.
Now it your fault, teachers and other workers of Newark, you have to pay for the sins of the financial industry and their gov't stooges. Stand up. Fight back. We will support you. Unions, Veterans, peace groups, workers rights groups, and reigious groups. Please organize well.
Need to go deeper, NMT
Newark Math Teacher says some righteous things. It is a mistake, however, to say the rich "profited before, during and after the financial crisis." They lost a lot. They never intended any such thing! But that's not the main point.
The point is capitalism is chaotic, crisis-prone, uncontrollable. It blows itself up. There is nothing the capitalists can do about it. OK, capitalists cause problems, but the most important thing is that capitalism itself is the source of crises.
Revolutionaries have to have more than a grasp of current events, we have to have a theory. We need to explain current events to the people in light of Marxist political economy, not just what happened but why it happened due to the inner character of capitalism. If we do that correctly the masses will follow us.
It is clear to me that the
It is clear to me that the rich. who profited before, during and after the financial crisis, should be made to pay. The rich get richer on the backs of the rest of society.
Teachers did not cause the financial crisis, the Goldman Sachs (who were bailed out by each and every teacher along with every other American individual) of the world and their kind did. Goldman just paid out $4 billion in bonuses, and are creating a 'new bubble' as they fight regulations on their 'Ponzi scheme' derivatives market.
Newark kids and the people that support them did not create this problem. The ones that did should be made to pay. If you don't think Newark teachers deserve the pay they receive, please come to a Newark school and see for yourself. Warning: that may be a scary experience for you.
What, it isn't worth it for you to do that? I didn't think so. Then leave our pay and benefits alone.
Add your comment