Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) had the following published in The Star-Ledger :
“Gov. Chris Christie has, as he’s discussed his plans for education, recently mentioned how he wouldn’t have become governor had he gone to school in the Newark school system, as if his life somehow would have been destroyed had he gone to public school in our great state’s largest city.
“This statement is symbolic of the governor’s lack of understanding of education. Everyone agrees that improvements are needed in our urban schools, but I’ve got news for the governor — people don’t fail simply by walking into a Newark school classroom…”