Mashea Ashton discusses the “core principles” that Newark families embrace, including  Mayor-Elect Ras Baraka:

Baraka met with leaders in the charter school community in recent months, acknowledging that charters are part of the overall solution for public-school students in Newark. In fact, most Newarkers support charter schools; a Newark Charter School Fund poll found that 71 percent of residents support expanding the charter sector.

It is critical that all of us, including the incoming Baraka administration, as well as Newark Public Schools, engage the community around decision-making that impacts the city’s schoolchildren. This effort is already under way, as leaders across the board have worked hard to foster a spirit of cooperation between the district and public charters. Though it’s not always easy or pretty, that spirit is guiding us through some difficult decisions as we try to get the system back on track.