Statement of the New Jersey District, Communist Party USA

The New Jersey District of the Communist Party USA roundly condemns the Christie administration’s loss of $400 million in federal education money and his arrogant and ill-tempered efforts to blame the loss on the Obama administration. The loss of the $400 million added to the $800 million that this anti–pubic education  governor already cut from the state education budget means that New Jersey school children will suffer severe losses in their education.

The $400 million was to come from the “Race to the Top” federal funds. While we continue to oppose the “Race to the Top” program of the Federal Department of Education as seriously flawed, especially in its disregard of teacher and union rights, our criticisms have nothing to do with Governor Christopher Christie’s wanton assault of public education. He is out to privatize education in New Jersey. He campaigned for governor on that program, even calling the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the main teacher’s union in the state, the “National Extortion Association.”

Since becoming governor, he has waged an unrelenting attack on New Jersey teachers and the NJEA. He is out to break their wage structure, their pensions and their working conditions. The loss of $400 million resulted from “an error” in the application filed with the Federal Department of Education. Christie made national headlines when he accused Washington of not “having an ounce of brains,” saying they failed to contact New Jersey to correct the application. Facts showed that the “error” was made in the New Jersey Department of Education. Christie’s subsequent firing of his commissioner of education, Bret Schundler was a coverup for his slash and burn anti-people budget and his determination to privatize education. Schundler was simply his scapegoat.

We call upon the state legislature to launch an investigation of this event. which will severely impact New Jersey school districts in the coming year. We further call on the state legislature to act to restore both the $800 million Christie cut from the school budget and the $400 lost by the administration. This will help repair the damage the administration has done to public education.

Christie’s policies of massive cuts in state funding to public education, the loss of $400 million in federal aid to school districts, attacks on school teacher and unionized public employees on a level not seen in New Jersey for generations, can only sharply reduce the quality of New Jersey’s public schools, lead talented teachers to leave the system and reduce graduation and college admission rates. Over time such policies will inevitably reduce per capita income and living standards in New Jersey since both are connected to successful public education.

The state legislature can and must act and act now to restore funding to New Jersey’s schools and investigate the Christie administration’s education policies in order to prevent further assaults on our schools.

Originally issued September 1, 2010

New Jersey District CPUSA
PO Box 6356 Jersey City, NJ 07306            
nj@cpusa.org

Photo: tomcochrane // Creative Commons by-nc-sa 2.0

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