Names educator, Prof. Frank Esposito, as running-mate
Independent candidate Chris Daggett named a veteran educator as his running mate. Daggett is tapping Frank J. Esposito, a professor and former administrator at Kean University in Union, as his lieutenant governor nominee.
Esposito said earlier in the week that reinvesting in education is key to pulling New Jersey out of the economic downturn.
Whatever works best--public, private, religious, charter
Education is critical to the future prosperity of New Jersey. For more than 35 years, in response to numerous NJ Supreme Court cases, we have spent billions on improving urban education, with very little to show for it. Despite spending more than $20,000
per student, high school graduation rates remain abysmally low in Newark, Camden and numerous other urban school districts. Even worse, in some cases as many as 90% of the graduates need remedial help in basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics
before being able to attend or succeed in college.
This is not just a financial and educational issue, it is a moral issue. Whatever works best for each student should be utilized--public, private, religious, charter, vocational or home-based schools.
We must set rigorous standards, improve teaching, and cultivate greater parental involvement, and we must coordinate with social service agencies. We cannot accept excuses, we cannot fail, and we cannot just continue to throw more money at the problem.
