KUDOS to NJ Gov Chris Christie for partnering with Mark Zuckerberg * FACEBOOK founder * in an effort to turn around the Newark, NJ schools. The Associated press article outlines prior efforts by private benefactors, including Bill Gates, to provide financial assistance to failing or poor performing schools in Memphis and Tampa, Florida and several of the obstacles that they have had to overcome.
Unlike the Memphis and Tamps schools, the Newark schools system will have to work with the very strong teachers union which Christie had a run-in with early in his term as governor.
Although not mentioned in the AP article, one of the MAJOR problems with these failing schools is the deterioration of the school buildings themselves. There are local, state and national resources for determining if these buildings should be saved or are too far gone for effective repairs and renovation.
As a student who grew up in the Boomer "classroom-in-a-trailer" generation, addressing the school buildings should be the FIRST item on the agenda so that the learning atmosphere is improved for students, faculty and staff.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6iEn0B3gQlL6dXO9upCcyt1GyOQD9IFAJQ80
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM * GIBSON MANAGEMENT GROUP, Ltd.
Central Virginia
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"...to be a Virginian, either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God...." Anonymous
At least someone is willing to put money up to help out our school system. Although not all school systems are failing our kids. There are a lot of schools that are failing our kids.
Ron * agreed. The Newark schools are some of the BEST FUNDED already yet they are still failing their students....the oversight tied to the $100m may make the process finally work
Wallace given Facebook's core audience, this seems like a perfect fit. Two thumbs up for Zuckerberg.
Congratulations this post is now featured in the Silent Majority Group of Active Rain.
I think it is a terrific gesture, I just hope that the unions do not get in the way of fiduciary responsible spending of this money.
Kudo's to Zuckerberg and his efforts. Hopefully this will open the door and encourage other donations throughout the country for schools and scholarships. It is time to "Give Back"
I too believe this was a wonderful effort from Zuckerberg - glad NJ schools got the benefit of his success!
Wallace, thanks for this post. I think it's about time more agencies and businesses put some money into public education. I think everyone stands to benefit. With an educated public we pay it forward and pre-emptively take care of social ills "before" they develop out of control. There is a facebook documentary coming out soon, which will chronicle the history of facebook and how it came to be, and so on and so forth. I think a lot of these social institutions should be used for the greated good - in an ideal world of course. I heard that the NSA or one of the american intelligence agencies took it over, but I'm not sure how much truth there is to that. Cheers for now, Jark.
The first thing they need to do is introduce some efficiency into the system. They spend more money per student and get crap results... Money isn't the issue.