Schundler Urges Quick Action On Whitman's School Choice Proposal
Unveils Informational Video Sent To Trenton's Lawmakers
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Save Our Schoolchildren
A Twelve Minute Video Outlining School Choice
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Trenton-
Mayor Bret Schundler stepped up his efforts today to initiate a school choice pilot program
in Jersey City. Speaking at a State House press conference called just one day after the general
election, Schundler urged state lawmakers to support the pilot choice proposal put forth by
the Whitman Administration.
"The pilot program advocated by Governor Whitman takes a positive step toward meeting the
goal of improving the quality of education in Jersey City," said Schundler, "It will help make
our children the focus of the education debate by empowering parents and encouraging our
public schools to strip away needless bureaucracy. "
"The elections are over and now we must return to the task at hand. We must respond to the
needs of the parents and children of New Jersey, who are crying out for fundamental
education reform," the mayor said. "Our children only get one chance to receive a quality
education, so I urge the New Jersey Legislature to act on Governor Whitman's proposal as
quickly as possible."
During the press conference Schundler also unveiled an informational video that was recently
sent to state lawmakers to help educate them about the benefits of parental choice in education.
The fifteen minute video, which was produced by Schundler's school choice advocacy group,
Save Our Schoolchildren, features comments from Governor Whitman's inaugural address,
and interviews with Education Commissioner Klagholz, school teachers, and Jersey City
parents.
"Critics of school choice have attacked our efforts with unfounded assertions, ranging from
increased segregation, to distorted claims of unconstitutionality," Schundler said. "Its our
hope that this video will help the debate focus on the facts, and not irresponsible sound bites."
Drawing an analogy to two popular federal programs, the GI Bill and Pell Grants, Schundler
and pro-choice advocates argue that school vouchers are constitutional because they do not
give tax dollars directly to private or religious schools, but rather place vouchers in the hands
of parents, who then decide where their children will be educated.
And while school choice opponents, including the powerful New Jersey Education Association,
claim that school choice will drain essential funds from public schools, the mayor was quick
to point out that Jersey City's experience shows that spending more money will not increase
the quality of education in Jersey City's classrooms.
Schundler said that, despite being under state control for the past five years and receiving over
$70 million more in state aid each year, the Jersey City public school system still suffers from
low graduation rates and anemic standardized test scores. In addition to strengthening
parental accountability and student achievement, Schundler also argues that a school choice
proposal for Jersey City will save state and local taxpayers $116 million in construction and
operating costs over the next five years by accessing underutilized private school capacity.
"Government has had a monopoly on education for too long. Our parents are unhappy with
the education their children are receiving but, because of financial constraints, have no
alternative. This is simply unacceptable. Good schools are not a "luxury," they are a right
that every child in New Jersey, rich or poor, deserves." Schundler said. "We must be bold and
innovative if we are going to fix our schools. We can't afford to wait any longer -- it is time for
us to stand up for the rights of our children and pass a school choice plan now!"
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Hudson County, New Jersey is a place of many firsts - including genocide and slavery.
Political corruption is a tradition here.
First in a series by Anthony Olszewski – Click HERE to find out more.
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