Instead, give cities what we do want, namely choice. Choice is popular in Jersey City among all groups. Polls taken before May's mayoral election showed 7 out of 10 voters favored the idea. Mr. Przystup, the principals' leader, says Jersey City teachers who usually live in the city itself support choice. The new head of Jersey City's Democratic Party is James Boylan, a public school teacher who backs choice.
Jersey City has a tradition of pluralistic education.
Until 1975, a majority of its students were in private schools. Overall, choice would save taxpayers money. All this explains why the national NEA wants to crush school choice in tiny Jersey City. They're afraid we'll succeed and show that empowering parents instead of bureaucrats is the key to improving schools and weeding out poor teachers. Mayor Schundler knows he faces a tough fight.