By

Ray Pinney

Like many of you, I anxiously awaited the New Jersey Supreme Court’s latest ruling on the school funding formula. I was a bit worried when it did not occur last week since I was afraid the world was going to end on Saturday and I would never know how the Supreme Court was going to rule. Perhaps they delayed their decision to this week, just in case the world did end on May 21 and their ruling would become immaterial. As we all found out, the world did not end, and on Tuesday the Supreme Court rendered a 3-2 decision in the latest Abbott court case. 

Usually court decisions are used as the final step in a process.  TV shows like The People’s Court and Judge Judy are great because the court rules and that is that.  That’s not how it works when it comes to education funding cases in New Jersey.  I look at this ruling not as a final decision but the beginning of a new discussion. Over the next year or so it will lead to discussion and debate on how we fund education in New Jersey and who decides how we fund education.  It will no doubt involve more court rulings. I for one am glad that they began using Roman numerals to designate the Abbott rulings (this latest one is Abbott XXI) like they do with the Super Bowl. If you think about it, it has been a series of decisions that lead to further discussion but never to a conclusion.

What will be discussed?  Obviously there are political ramifications of this decision.  (more…)

By

Ray Pinney

An open letter to parents of public school children. [School Board Members and Administrators, feel free to forward this message to parents in your school community.]

Dear Parent,  

Just about a year ago I was not in a good place as a parent.  My wife and I were in a near panic over my son’s life.  His school life seemed to be spiraling out of control.  There is no need to go into all the details as I wrote about it in the blog Sometimes it is all about the kids – When love is not enoughlast year.  As a parent, I was forced to go beyond the normal routine to advocate for my child.  Luckily, it seems that I am on my way to a happy ending.

However, there was a lesson in my experience.  First, a family was struggling and the public school played an essential role in helping a child stay on track.  Second, and more to the essence of this letter, I found out that advocating for a child is a collaborative effort.  As a parent, I could not help my child by myself. I needed others in the public schools to help, which they thankfully did.  As parents, my wife and I helped spearhead the advocacy effort.  The school wanted to help, but was somewhat unsure of how to proceed.  Only when we all came together did we really head in the right direct.  I could not help my child on my own; it took the collaborative effort.

Public education in New Jersey is at a turning point.  It seems that every issue is on the table-whether it is school choice, teacher tenure, teacher evaluations, employee benefits and pension or school funding.  Education organizations, as well as politicians of both parties, are voicing their opinions.  But just as helping my son it took the voice of the parent, moving New Jersey in the right direction will require the voices of many parents.  More of us need to move from just advocating for our own children to acting on behalf of all the children.

This will not be easy.  As a public school parent, I know about limits on spare time. (For parents, spare time is a theoretical concept, not anything you have actually experienced.)  You try to attend as many school events as possible.  You plan your social life (social life is another theoretical concept) around your kid’s schedule.   And your child’s teacher is much more important to you than your legislator.  That is because, for ten months out of the year, that teacher will have a direct impact on your child’s future.  So finding time to advocate on issues that don’t seem to have an immediate impact on your child’s education may take a low priority. Don’t let it.  If you care about your kid’s education, as well as that of other students, becoming involved in the current debate is a necessary part of parenthood.

While I completely agree that your child’s teacher (or teachers) is of the utmost importance, other factors are very significant in your child’s education, and they are affected by decisions made in Trenton. (more…)

By

Ray Pinney

“The local school board, especially the elected kind, is an anachronism and an outrage. We can no longer pretend it’s working well or hide behind the mantra of ‘local control of education.’

Chester Finn and Amber Winkler, Thomas Fordham Institute

Most of you who know me, I hope, would agree that I am a fair person not quick to anger or hatred.  I am always willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt.  But when someone sent me Chester Finn and Amber Winkler’s article The Anachronism of School Boards, it made me angry. Chester Finn is a noted scholar and author, but in this case I find his logic not only flawed and a bit foolish, but actually dangerous.  Dangerous because it is becoming part of the education reform agenda. 

It’s also dangerous because some state political leaders may think that this concept has some merit. In fact the NY Times recently reported that Gov. Chris Christie has hinted he would like to change the system of school boards in New Jersey.  (Although, to be fair,  we have no idea what changes the governor favors, let alone if he agrees with Finn and Winkler.)

Mr. Finn and Ms. Winkler are upset that a recent survey of school board members nationwide found that members were lukewarm to many of the education reforms being espoused today. They also found that board members regarded their role more as policy makers and less as reformers. They are also concerned that many board members come from the education field itself and so they are not inclined to take the tough stance against the education establishment that needs to be taken. This last criticism is one that I have heard before.

Their logic, as far as I can determine, goes like this: (more…)

By

Ray Pinney 

Everybody’s talkin’ ’bout the new sound
Funny, but it’s still rock and roll to me

            Billy Joel, Its Still Rockin Roll to Me

It was a cold damp day and I was driving on one of the main roads out of my town when I spotted her on the side of the road.  She was holding two poster signs that said “Vote yes on the budget.” One was held above her head, and one she balanced on the ground.  It was like one of those people you see at busy intersection who just stands there holding a sign announcing a furniture store’s liquidation sale. Wow, I thought. What a turn of events.  Just two years ago almost at that very spot was a hand painted piece of plywood saying “Vote NO” and announcing the teacher’s salary increases.

After dropping my son off at school, I was heading back to the polls to vote and I decided to give her a little encouragement so, as I drove by, I beeped my horn and yelled “I’m on my way now to vote yes!”  I could tell by the look on her face she had no idea what I said and she was questioning the sanity of the driver yelling to her.  For all I know, she was now reaching for her cell phone to call the police, so I kept on moving rather quickly. 

Despite my failed attempt at showing encouragement, I went to the polls and voted yes on my school budget. As it turns out, the vast majority of New Jersey voters did the same thing this year – 80 percent of the school budgets passed.  In my home county of Morris, 100 percent of the budgets passed, as they did in Essex and Somerset counties.

I have to say public education lately seems to be in funk and despite the fact that New Jersey has many great schools and an impressive record of student academic achievement, the focus seems to be on its faults.  So I found this year’s election results uplifting.  It is rather amazing that in back-to-back school elections, one of the years with the smallest-ever number of budgets passed is immediately followed by a year when an overwhelming majority of the budgets passed.

The governor has stated often that the state’s economy has created a new normal. (more…)