Cerf tells skeptical audience he's all in for equal education

http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2012/09/cerf_tells_skeptical_audience.html

The nation has failed to provide every child with an equal public education that prepares them for college and the workforce, state Education Commissioner Chris Cerf said during a hearing last night at New Jersey CityUniversity.

Cerf said the achievement gap between students from wealthy families versus those from poorer households is "shameful," and continues to grow. And that's not the promise of "the American experiment," he said.

"There really are two worlds of public education in this state, and my interest and my commitment is to try to address that," he said.

State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham invited to Jersey City to discuss his vision for public education.

During the two-hour hearing, Cerf said he believes Jersey City's public school district is "poised for greatness" thanks to the current Board of Education and new Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles.

That comment was greeted with a murmur of disapproval from some of the roughly 100 audience members, many of whom blasted Cerf during the half-hour question-and-answer session that capped the hearing.

Audience members peppered Cerf with pointed comments and questions regarding privatization of public schools and state control of Jersey City's school district.

Jersey City resident Josephine Page said Cerf's strategy is to privatize schools for the sake of "venture capitalists," a comment that riled the state's education chief.

"The notion that there is some group of corporate, you know, kingpins out there who are lurking in an effort to conspire to take over is just nonsense," Cerf said. "It is palpable, ridiculous nonsense that someone has sold you."

Cerf also addressed a controversial private meeting he had in May 2011 with Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop. Details of the meeting surfaced this summer when an email from Fulop leaked to the press.

Asked about the meeting last night, Cerf said he attends "many, many, many meetings" with community members, both public and private. He said he did not initiate the meeting, which Fulop critics allege was proof he and Cerf colluded to interfere with the school board's selection of a new schools superintendent.