Teachers Union Leader Says Nothing Good Came From Facebook Gift

When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg decided to give $100 million to Newark schools in 2010, his primary goal was to revolutionize how teachers are paid. He believed if pay was tied to performance, like it is in the corporate world, then there would be better teaching.

The largest portion of the $200 million donated by private donors was spent on labor contracts in Newark, but merit pay did not bring about the transformation that Zuckerberg envisioned.

"I think that Zuckerberg got snookered," said John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union. "Our compelling evidence was that Zuckerberg never came to speak to us."

In an interview with WNYC host Jami Floyd, Abeigon says the performance evaluation system in Newark became a weapon used against teachers.

"If the reformers knew how to run a district, which they do not, they wouldn't need to go out looking for philanthropic dollars," Abeigon said. "They know how to manage money out of the taxpayers' pockets and into their own."

Abeigon pointed to his union's toxic relationship with former state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson as another roadblock to progress.

Now, with former state Education Commissioner Chris Cerf recently named as Anderson's replacement, and a new round of contract negotiations looming, Abeigon says that while he finds Cerf easier to work with, he's not anticipating any breakthroughs between the teachers union and the district's central administration.

"We're not fools," Abeigon said. "We believe, with all our heart, that Christopher Cerf has come in to finish the job that Cami Anderson...began."

Related stories:

How Booker, Christie Spent the $100 Million Facebook Donation

The Deal That Brought Mark Zuckerberg's $100 Million Gift to Newark's Schools