Ch. 7 Hi, I'm Cami.

In 2011, Cammie Anderson became Newark's Superintendent of District Schools, breaking the mold as a white, blonde, and younger woman. Her dedication to equity stemmed from her diverse adoptive family and her own experiences with teachers' different treatment. Anderson challenged the norm by introducing herself informally and prioritizing classroom inspections. She encountered toxic mindsets among teachers, but also witnessed the passion of a dedicated geometry teacher. Recognizing the neglect of public district schools, Anderson valued credentials aligned with the reform movement. She disagreed with her superiors on the role of charter schools, highlighting their limited service to disadvantaged students. Despite efforts to improve public schools, students continued to leave for charters, leading to school closures and staff dismissals. Anderson implemented a new staffing system called Talent Match, allowing principals and teachers to choose each other. This policy change had a positiv Although superintendents back then were all white and male, in 2011, Cammie Anderson, a white, blonde, and much younger figure than the rest, was hired as Newark's Superintendent of District Schools. Growing up in a multiracial and otherwise diverse adoptive family of 14, focused on embracing collective responsibility, recognizing privilege, and pursuing justice, a singular experience that fueled her dedication to equity to this day. Her passion first began as a child when she noticed different behaviors from teachers towards her and her adoptive siblings. Even when she was a new member of a superintendent, being a woman, she also broke boundaries such as formalities when it came to being introduced to others. For example, she, instead of introducing herself as Miss or Mrs., she would only say, and I quote, Hi, I'm Cammie. She would say this to her co-workers, principals, and even to students, displaying a lack of deference to local customs. During the summer, the first tab on her to-do list was to inspect classrooms throughout the day. She stumbled upon the science class doing an experiment on wetlands. When she noticed the boys in the back talking and uninterested, she sparked up a conversation only to be replied with disrespect. She then went to the teacher and told him that they don't understand what this experiment is about. He goes on to give excuses like they are special ed and it's hard to teach students in urban districts. She realized how toxic this mentality was as it creates a negative learning environment for the teacher and students. However, in an eighth grade geometry class, the teacher with six years of experience radiated purpose and passion, such as moving around the room and engaging with students. Teachers are put into the stereotype that teaching the best students means you're a great teacher, which neglects their true purpose of teaching, teaching to all students no matter how able they are. So knowing that this issue was progressing, people were ignoring public district schools other than charter schools, she went ahead and had all the credentials valued by the reform movement. She differed with her bosses on the role of charter schools in urban districts. She pointed out that charters in Newark served a smaller proportion than the district schools of children who lived in extreme poverty, had learning disabilities, or even struggled to speak English. And while Anderson pointed out that she was expected to turn Newark's public schools into a national model, her students left for charter schools and state funds followed them. She would be continually closing schools and dismissing teachers, social workers, and guidance counselors, which led to her selecting the highest quality applicants and best teachers for their school teams, an approach most common in workplaces. Although unfamiliar in Newark public schools and many other urban districts, this policy change had an immediate impact. Anderson, with the help of Christie and Zuckerberg, hired consultants to create a staffing system called Talent Match, in which principals would post all vacancies online for any interested teacher that could apply. Many reformers saw the system as mutual consent, meaning teachers and principals chose each other as essential to education reform.