By Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger
NEWARK — Marcia Howard waited four hours for her turn to speak at a recent Newark school board meeting because the veteran teacher was determined to tell the public how proud she is to work at Peshine Avenue School.
When she stepped to the microphone, Howard described a revolution in the school culture at Peshine, known as one of the city’s worst schools.
“We have gotten together to see change, a positive change,” said Howard, who has been teaching in the district for 29 years and attributed the unlikely improvements to policies implemented by Superintendent Cami Anderson.
Some members of the audience that night didn’t want to hear it, including brash-talking city activist Donna Jackson who loudly interrupted, forcing a school board member to slam a gavel to restore order at the meeting.
“Cami called your school and told you to come up here and say it’s doing good when it ain’t,” Jackson declared. “Last year, your school was doing bad, and now she brought in (someone new) and we’re supposed to believe it’s doing well? Bull crap.”
Anderson’s contract was renewed by the state several weeks ago but she continues to face a torrent of criticism, including a recent no-confidence vote from the city’s advisory school board and a city council resolution halting all new school changes.
Among a dozen educators interviewed, as well as parents, city school officials and members of Anderson’s senior staff, there is strong belief that her plan to remake the district is working. But she is still opposed by a stubborn, vocal group of officials and parents who think she fails to seek enough input from the community and sometimes does not consider the impact of her changes on surrounding neighborhoods.
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