Newark, New Jersey, was once a thriving hub of manufacturing for the state. Now like many large urban cities it is faced with violence, poverty and unemployment. The school system has been a wreck for years and it once again has made national news. Former Newark mayor now United States Senator Corey Booker tried to tackle the school problem when he was mayor with a plan called “One Newark.” The plan was an attempt to refocus attention on the student and address issues that confronted many parents. But the plan failed miserably at the start of its implementation when it was revealed that a disproportionate amount of funding was spent on contractors who did nothing.
This past week the US Department of Education announced that it was beginning an investigation of the Newark school system for racial discrimination because of its “One Newark” plan. Under the current plan, the school system, of which 51 percent are black students, has been labeled discriminatory. The plan allows for the relocation and consolidation of at least 25 percent of all city schools. The plan will allow for the closing of the worst performing schools and the establishment of charter schools in three city-owned school buildings. This restructuring will affect 85 percent of black students unfairly in the district. An Education Department spokesman said in a statement, “We can confirm that the Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether the Newark Public Schools’ enactment of the ‘One Newark’ plan at the end of the 2013-2014 school years discriminates against black students on the basis of race.”
At the heart of the matter is whether under-performing schools should be closed or fixed to serve the students in the community. As the plan is being implemented many feel it is an attempt to privatize schools using city, state and federal money.
