JERSEY CITY AND BEYOND – Gov. Christopher Christie issued a statement Friday that he has fired the state’s Commissioner of Education Bret Schundler, the former Jersey City mayor.
A NJ.com report said Christie fired Schundler Friday morning after Schundler “refused to resign” in the aftermath of the state losing out on $400 million in federal funds after a mistake was made on the application for the funds. In particular, Schundler was seen on a video showing him unable to give an answer to correct the mistake on the application.
Christie issued the following statement about Schundler’s dismissal:
“I was extremely disappointed to learn that the videotape of the Race to the Top presentation was not consistent with the information provided to me by the New Jersey Department of Education and which I then conveyed to the people of New Jersey. As a result, I ordered an end to Bret Schundler’s service as New Jersey’s Education Commissioner and as a member of my administration.”
Schundler, 51, was appointed to the state’s education’s commissioner post in March. He had previously served as Jersey City mayor from 1992-2001. Before he took over the education commissioner post, Schundler was the COO of Kings College, a private Christian college in Manhattan.
Schundler could not be reached for comment on the report. – RK