The Trenton Times published the follow editorial on October 18, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Editorial: Dear Sen. Booker – Stop by Trenton Central High School on the way to D.C.

By Times of Trenton Editorial Board 
on October 18, 2013 at 5:50 AM, updated October 18, 2013 at 7:55 AM

On the path from Newark to Washington, D.C. to take his place as New Jersey’s newest U.S. Senator, we’d like to invite Cory Booker to make a short detour to view the deteriorating conditions at Trenton Central High School.

It’s an invitation Gov. Chris Christie has rejected, even though TCHS is less than two miles from the Statehouse.

Perhaps Booker could lend his voice and his newfound political clout to the growing need for expedited repairs to the dilapidated building. We have little doubt Booker would be staggered by the safety and health concerns, and reach the same conclusion as everyone who walks the halls — it’s an unfit place for education.

The leaking roof has caused mold and warped floors. The rusting pipes spew brown water from fountains. Crumbling walls clutter spaces meant for learning with chunks of plaster.

While the state’s School Development Authority has finally put forth a plan to fix the most pressing issues at a cost of up to $27 million, the project is expected to take years. The exterior work won’t begin until next summer and interior renovations are set for summer 2015. Maybe the class of 2016 will have a school fit for learning – at least for senior year.

In reality, the plans to fix TCHS have been in the works for more than a decade. And some critics say the latest project does not go far enough to address the broader problems.