Better

According to NJ Left Behind, the wingnut-welfare queens at the American Enterprise Institute thought they had a tip that Andy Smarick was going to replace Bret Schundler as the new Commissioner at the NJ Department of Education.

Smarick used to dip his pen into the Fordham Institute inkwell; you know how those Randian playpens disguising themselves as "think-tanks" love to gossip.

Fortunately for us, he didn't get the gig; Rochelle Hendricks is a much better choice to lead the NJDOE than Smarick:

Hendricks has more than 20 years of experience working on education issues in New Jersey. She joined Gov. Thomas Kean's Department of Education in 1987 and has previously served in various capacities within the department, including work as the director of the Office of Vocational-Technical, Career and Innovative Programs, director of the Office of Innovative Programs and Schools, and managing the Charter School Unit within the Office of Innovative Programs and Schools.

Prior to joining the department, she worked for over 15 years at Princeton University in numerous capacities including, assistant dean of Students and director of Educational Opportunities Program and interim director of the Women's Program. Hendricks began her career as a teacher at the Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School District, where she taught for three years.

I'm sure I'll disagree with her about many, many things - she's a big charter proponent and is oversaw conversion of a Catholic high school in Patterson to a charter - but at least she's had a serious career in education policy. And she was a teacher!


The only question is whether she will be allowed to do her job, or if Christie's embarrassment will make him go after teachers with even more venom than before.


I realized that I already knew the answer as I was writing the question...