Hero Darcie Cimarust Parent Advocate

Cerf must not be allowed to award a “cluster” of charters in Paterson to his Edison Learning buddy, just as the good people of Paterson and their elected officials struggle to get out from under 21 years of unsuccessful state control. Why should they be subjected to more failed state policies, and why should they have no say in the future of their district? If Wilson gets a foothold in Paterson now, much needed funds will be drained from the Paterson budget just as the district is trying to reestablish local control.

Darcie Cimarust turned investigative journalist.

Cerf Invites Edison Learning Crony To Open “Cluster” Of Charters In Paterson With No Public Input

The Paterson public school district has been under state control for 21 years, and elected officials are saying enough is enough.  But state control suits NJ Education Commissioner Chris Cerf just fine.

Darcie Cimarust aka Mother Crusader mastered the Open Public Records Act and dug into  information that connect the  New Jersey State Education Department emails between State Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf and an old friend from Edison days who now runs charter schools.
This post is a good example
She learns how the state decided to award the friend a grant of $150,000 to plan a charter or cluster of charters in Paterson.
She notes that the state feels no obligation to solicit comment from anyone who lives in Paterson.
Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and regularly submit OPRA requests which reveal all kinds of interesting information. So the thought occurred to me to OPRA emails between Wilson and Cerf or any other employee of the NJDOE.
Wilson came out of Edison Learning, just like Christie, Cerf and Evo Popoff (Cerf’s new Chief Innovation Officer overseeing the Office of Charter Schools)