I say, put school choice, teacher merit pay and the expansion of charter schools up for a healthy and honest debate between Corzine and Christie. Further, while we are talking about improving urban education, let’s also be honest with ourselves about the myriad of problems and challenges facing urban schools that no wealthy suburban communities have to deal with. (Does your kid have to pass through a metal detector every day when they enter their school?) I’m not talking about lowering expectations or standards, but rather being honest with ourselves about how incredibly difficult it is to both teach and learn in a city school. That’s the debate New Jersey needs.

Steve Adubato on how education is the defining issue in the N.J.’s governor’s race and what we should be talking about.