NEWARK — The cameras are focused, the comments rehearsed and the studio audience told to clap on cue. But when Newark Mayor Cory Booker walks off the set of the Oprah Winfrey show Friday with a $100 million gift to bolster Newark schools, there will be no raptured audience waiting for him back home. As news spread through Newark...
Newark Mayor Cory Booker, left, Oprah Winfrey, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.NEWARK — The cameras are focused, the comments rehearsed and the studio audience told to clap on cue.
But when Newark Mayor Cory Booker walks off the set of the Oprah Winfrey show Friday with a $100 million gift to bolster Newark schools, there will be no raptured audience waiting for him back home.
As news spread through Newark today that Gov. Chris Christie will give Booker oversight of the city’s schools, and that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will help set up a $100 million educational foundation to support school reforms, political and community leaders here reacted with a combination of cautious optimism and outrage.
Many in Newark say the arrangement could be the spark that ignites true reform in the chronically failing district. Others cast the announcement as a classic backroom deal that skirts the will of the voters.
Booker, who has been fighting since July to regain his footing in Newark politics, will have to sell the plan to residents and marshal support for the city’s next superintendent. If recent battles over city water, layoffs, and police practices are any indication, it will be a tough slog.
"The outrage seems to be not about the $100 million deal, but about this backroom deal," said Wilhemina Holder, a longtime education activist, grandmother, and mother of current and former Newark schoolchildren. She said her phone began ringing Wednesday evening when news of the deal first broke on NJ.com and it hasn’t stopped since. "People are just outraged that the governor has ignored the Newark voters. Over and over again every phone call I got was about this."
In order to get full mayoral control over Newark’s schools, Christie would have to get approval from the Legislature. Newark residents would then get a chance to vote on whether the mayor should run the operation that has been under state control since 1995.
The deal that will be announced today is seen by many in Newark as an end-run around the law. Christie needs no approval from voters to simply appoint Booker as his "special assistant" for Newark schools, thus transferring responsibility to the mayor while maintaining the ultimate right to veto any changes that Booker makes.
"In terms of the state’s perspective of how it wanted to proceed, there wasn’t any meaningful engagement," said school advisory board president Shavar Jeffries referring to today’s announcement as well Christie’s decision to not re-hire Superintendent Clifford Janey.
Jeffries has repeatedly warned that without the blessing of the community, reform will be very difficult. "We cannot sustain a robust education reform agenda if it’s not supported by the people and parents of Newark."
The deal also has political implications for Booker, who many speculated would run for governor in 2013. Substantial reform would require Booker to seek a third four-year term as mayor in 2014, according to educational and political leaders.
Becoming Christie’s assistant would also weaken Booker’s political position according to state senator and former Governor Richard Codey (D-Essex).
"Certainly, it would be a tough thing for Booker to run against the governor," Codey said. "The political reality is it would be very tough, if Chris decides to run for re-election, for Booker to oppose him."
Those familiar with the deal have said that Zuckerberg insisted that Booker run the schools in exchange for the gift, which comes in the form of a foundation funded by Facebook stock. Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) said she was concerned about other conditions that may apply to the grant.
"I’m happy about the philanthropy of course," Oliver said but added, "It’s dangerous water to tread on when a donor or philanthropist ties the hands of a community."
South Ward Councilman Ras Baraka, principal of Newark’s Central High School, said the deal threatened to overrule the will of residents. "What I’m more concerned about than anything is the democratic process"
"This is almost a coup. It circumvented the whole process," he said.
Others were optimistic. "I think it takes a bold move like this," said Michelle Adubato, who recently assumed the helm of the North Ward Center, an educational and political powerhouse built by her father, Stephen Adubato Sr.
She warned that the money in itself would not be enough.
"It’s wonderful that this type of money is brought into Newark, but this is not just about money, it’s about leadership."
Booker has assured local leaders that he will engage the community in finding a superintendent and in reforming the city’s schools.
"It takes political will, It can’t just be Chris Christie — the Republican who got six votes in Newark — forcing this on the city," Booker said in a recent interview. "It has to be local leaders. You can’t have a nice, happy trail to reform. You’re going to have to pick a tough fight."
Staff writer Julie O’Connor contributed to this report.
Related Newark schools coverage:
• Newark Public Schools cuts 194 positions due to budget concerns
• Newark superintendent Clifford Janey's contract is not renewed
• Ousted Newark superintendent to remain in post at start of school year
| Christie speaks in Washington DC, calling Newark schools 'absolutely disgraceful' |