The Jersey City Independent "

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This evening, local and statewide school-choice advocacy groups as well as local pols are inviting the public to “raise awareness [and a glass] on the state of schools in Jersey City.”

Jersey City Families for Better Schools (JCFBS), Ward E councilman Steven Fulop and Newark-based advocacy group Excellent Education for Everyone (E3) will be joined by former Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler — who was confirmed yesterday as the state’s new Commissioner of Education — as they hold an education and information session on what they call the “dire … education situation for Jersey City’s young residents.”

JCFBS was founded by local charter school advocate Shelley Skinner, who is the communications director for Learning Community Charter School; last year Skinner was appointed by then Governor-Elect Christie to his Transition Team subcommittee on education. Derrell Bradford is the executive director of E3, the state’s largest school-choice advocacy group. Bradford also sits on the board of St. Anthony High School in Hamilton Park.

Schundler has been a vocal advocate for charter schools since he served as mayor of Jersey City from 1992 to 2001. Since his nomination to the education commissioner post, he has stated that he intends to increase the number of approved applications for charter schools, a promise that Gov. Christie also made during his campaign.

In an email statement released today, JCFBS and the other sponsors state their hope that the event will “kick off a new movement … to make Jersey City public schools great, and to ensure families have options when and where they are not.”

The cocktail party will take place tonight from 6 to 8 pm at the Westin Hotel’s swank Fire & Oak restaurant on Washington Boulevard.