The majority of my readers are teachers and parents (and, I'm sure, the occasional NJDOE staffer). And I can imagine what many of you are thinking after you read one of my little rants: "OK, Jazzman, we agree that something has gone wrong with education policy. But what can we actually do about it?"
I think one of the most important responses we need to make is to get more parents and teachers into positions of influence. We need public school parents and teachers on school boards, in Congress, and in the statehouses. The last is especially critical, because that's where the actual policies are being written. This is a war of many fronts, and it needs warriors to fight its many battles.
So I'm asking all of you, no matter where you're reading this, to help out with a critical race here in Jersey: Marie Corfield's run for NJ Assembly.
Maire is a teacher, a mom, and absolutely fearless. When Chris Christie was making his name from yelling at his constituents on YouTube, Marie stood up to him, turning her into a national celebrity. Since then, she has been a passionate force for public education and real democracy.
Marie is running in one of the few truly contested districts left in New Jersey. That's one of the reasons she faces a tough primary challenge; everyone knows a Democrat can actually win back this district. Marie's got the backing of the NJEA, AFSCME, and NJ Senate Majority Leader Weinberg; they know a winner when they see one.
The unfortunate reality, however, is that Marie is a teacher. She doesn't have the personal fortune to write herself a check; she needs our help - and she needs it now. Donations follow donations; she needs to show to the powers that be in the Democratic party that she has a group of a supporters who are fed up with the politics of teacher bashing.
I'm asking all of you to consider donating whatever you can to Marie's campaign. If she wins, it will send a powerful message to Chris Christie and his acolytes: we parents and teachers are not going to stand still while our public schools are destroyed.
Donate to Marie Corfield today. ActBlue makes it really easy.
Go get 'em, Teach!