My very short involvement occurred when I was a civilian

A story in The Star-Ledger Wednesday revealed that Newark Mayor Cory Booker hired a consulting company founded by acting Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf to help overhaul Newark public schools. The company, Global Education Advisors, used Cerf's home address as its New Jersey address. Cerf gave an extended e-mail interview yesterday to Star-Ledger columnist Bob Braun.

 

Q. Given today's story, do you believe you can provide unbiased judgment as to the best needs of public school children in New Jersey?

 

A. Yes.

 

Q. If disputes arise over the Newark school reorganization plan, can you be objective?

 

A. Not sure what you mean by the Newark reorganization plan. If you mean the document that was leaked last week, I had no role in developing it. So far as I am aware, the work it reflected was done after I no longer had any association with GEA. From the look of it, it also appears that much of it was also done before GEA was created.
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You should understand that GEA was created to offer general education consulting services. I believe it currently has one employee, although my understanding is that others have been retained as independent contractors, e.g. analysts. Its efforts, with respect to Newark, if I recall, did not begin until around Thanksgiving, and even then, not in earnest until December. I resigned a matter of weeks later, when I was asked to be commissioner. I can't date that specifically, but I think it was around Christmas. It was a very part-time involvement that took place while I was CEO of an unrelated organization. I did it in the spirit of being of service to the Newark public schools, and never asked for or received payment, not even reimbursement for expenses. I do not believe I ever saw the contract and do not know its final economic terms.

 

During that very brief period, GEA's work was limited to doing a "diagnostic" that would serve as a fact base for others, including the new superintendent, to use as a basis for decisions. I had no role as part of GEA in any recommendations involving co-locations, charter placements, new schools, school consolidations or the like. None. I do not believe those issues were even in contemplation during my very brief tenure.

 

Others have made much of the firm's mailing address. I worked out of my home during my last job, as the company's headquarters were in Brazil. When my colleague filed the required papers, I gave him permission to use my home address. It's that simple — entirely ministerial.

 

Q. You also exercise a judicial function in rendering decisions in disputes involving school law. Can you be objective if you must render a decision on a conflict arising out of the Newark plan?

 

A. Yes, for the above reasons. But I will consider each matter that comes before me in light of applicable rules related to recusal, etc. Respectfully, I have some difficulty envisioning what kind of disputes you are referencing related to a judicial function. But certainly, should such a matter arise, I would evaluate my obligations in light of applicable rules and regulations.

 

Q. Do you view your connection to GEA as a conflict with your present post? Do you see where it might create a perception of a conflict? If not, why not?

 

A. I do not see it as a conflict. My very short involvement occurred when I was a civilian and ended when I was a civilian. The only work I did in that capacity involved generating a fact base on which others might make decisions. I have no current interest of any sort in the organization.
I believe the perception of a conflict, if there is one, is traceable in large part to a misunderstanding of the underlying facts and the manner in which the story was reported.
I might note that I have been entirely open and transparent about my work on the diagnostic. I met with the leadership of the School Advisory Board to brief them and had numerous public conversations about the work and my role in it.

 

Q. Do you or members of your immediate family have an interest in any private entity that has in the past, now does or plans to do business with any public entity in New Jersey?

 

A. No. My wife is a Ph.D. clinical psychologist, but to the best of my knowledge, 100 percent of the folks she works with are private individuals.

 

Q. What other clients does GEA have?

 

A. There are many, but I do not know them and had no involvement with them. My colleague had a pre-existing consulting practice working with school districts and educational foundations. I believe that, as a convenience, he folded them all into GEA for purposes of administrative convenience. Perhaps it would be helpful to point out that this is not "McKinsey" or a significant enterprise, but essentially one guy who, on a very part-time basis, provides consulting services.

 

Q. Did you not consider that if your connection to GEA was revealed, it might appear to be a conflict?

 

A. No. I have been transparent about my involvement with the School Advisory Board and others. More important, that involvement was fleeting and "diagnostic" in nature and did not include the recommendations in the document that The Star-Ledger reported. I have a long, long commitment to reform in the Newark public schools. I considered the volunteer service I offered to be a part of that effort.

 

Q. Also, has the New Jersey Department of Education, any public entity within the jurisdiction of the department, the New Jersey Charter School Association, any individual charter school, or any group seeking to establish a charter school ever hired Global Education Advisors or any other private entity with connections to the commissioner?

 

A. No. As has been reported in the press, I served on the board of trustees of Team Academy in my personal capacity (nothing to do with GEA), but resigned prior to assuming my post. I will recuse myself from matters related to it.