U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, right, met with Christie at the governor's mansion today
Gov. Chris Christie, left, today met with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to discuss school reform.PRINCETON — Gov. Chris Christie today called himself an ally of President Obama on education reform.
Christie gave a brief statement along with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who is visiting the state today in a series of appearances. They held a private meeting at Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, before giving remarks to the press. They did not take questions.
"Secretary Duncan and I have a lot of common views and interests on the school reform agenda," Christie said. "What he and the president are doing is making possible the kind of reforms that are happening in New Jersey, that are happening in other states."
"I agree wholeheartedly with the president's efforts in this regard," Christie said.
Duncan was in Newark this morning with Mayor Cory Booker, and is delivering remarks at Princeton this afternoon.
"The opportunity in Newark is staggering," Duncan said.
Duncan said there's "no reason" Newark can't become the best urban public school system in the country in five years.
He said he and Christie share a sense of urgency to enact reforms.
"I look at it as a civil rights issue, I look at it as an economic imperative, I look at it as an issue of national security," he said.
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• U.S. education secretary visits Newark to discuss program aimed at bringing teachers to urban areas