The show will be aired in New Jersey at 4 p.m.
Gov. Chris Christie, right, spent Thursday in New Mexico and today is in Chicago for a taping of the Oprah show. CHICAGO — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker are scheduled to head to Oprah Winfrey's production studios in a little while for the announcement of a $100 million grant and a restructuring of the management of the city's troubled school district.
Christie and Booker are to be in the building by 8:30 a.m. EDT for a 10 a.m taping. The show will be aired in New Jersey at 4 p.m. today.
The two New Jersey politicians are to be joined with Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is pledging the $100 million contribution in return for the Newark schools to undergo a shift in their focus toward education reforms like school choice and teacher accountability.
Christie arrived by charter jet last night after making the first two stops on a month-long political tour around the country. He is stumping for Republican gubernatorial candidates and Thursday spent the afternoon doing a series of events for New Mexico candidate Susan Martinez.
Christie is to be joined for the Oprah show today by his wife, Mary Pat. He is returning to New Jersey for the weekend before heading back out on the stump Monday on behalf of Ohio gubernatorial candidate John Kasich.
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.
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.
As news spread throughout Newark of the announcement Thursday, residents reacted with skepticism.
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."
Today's announcement is to be followed over the next three days by a series of events in New Jersey promoting the Newark project. Full details of those arrangements have not been announced.
David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger contributed to this report.