While I love the NJEA anti-testing commercials, avreport of the Christie speech last night makes you want to smack yourself - or an NJEA official in the head.
NJ.Com
reports:
Gov. Chris Christie isn't done touting his newly established working relationship with New Jersey's largest teachers' union. Less than two weeks after declaring in the Garden State during his
annual budget address that the New Jersey Education Association "reached
an unprecedented accord" aimed at tackling the state's pension woes,
Christie touted the partnership - which the union criticized for being "overstated" - with a national audience. The governor, speaking tonight to about 600 Republicans in the
presidential battleground state of Florida, trumpeted his new
relationship with the NJEA. "If you can really believe it, we have been negotiating with the
teachers' union for months to solve our pension and health benefits
problem once and for all," Christie said.
Christie is dead to rights. Why even have a conversation with this slug? Some comments on
Bob Braun's Ledger:
THE SLEAZEBALL TOUTS HIS DEAL WITH THE NJEA TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE--Ok, we all know Chris Christie is a liar but how can an organization like the NJEA, with its alleged (and expensive) expertise in communications and government relations, allow itself to be trapped into such an embarrassing position? What's next--inviting Scott Walker to Atlantic City in November? Its people can talk all they want with the government about pensions, but hasn't one of their lawyers told them never to sign anything without knowing what they're signing? This has got to be one of the biggest mistakes the teachers' union leadership has made in my memory--even worse than endorsing pro-private school voucher Cory Booker for Senate, (but maybe not worse than canoodling with the same governor about tenure). And, no, I am not against teacher unions, but I am against dumb, especially when it helps a crypto-fascist like Christie claw his way closer to the presidency. Nice work, guys.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/03/christie_touts_teacher_union_partnership_on_pensio.html
Great point. I had a chat with Sean Spiller about this and he continued to blame this fiasco on Christie. Yes, I told him, we all get Christie is the nemesis, but why did NJEA allow themselves to be used. Rather than owning their mistake and rather than acknowledging that NJEA made a big mistake in bypassing members to cut this deal, they kept blaming Christie. I don't get it, but I know a lot of
NJEA PAC members are furious. Sadly, many have not yet gotten the word on the implications of all this. Another NJEA communication failure. I believe in our union but I believe that the system of governance that has been in place at the NJEA is out dated and has failed to keep up with the relentless attacks we have faced.
I already informed you, Bob, that the teachers union leadership has been co-opted. And paid off!! They are showing you, the teachers, and the public, right in front of our faces!! The point is , the teachers are remaining silent on this. All he'll should be breaking out throughout the state of New Jersey, demanding their leadership resign, if not, a total revolution in the teacher's union rank and file. What's really going on with this not happening? Is it teacher complacency, ignorance, or fear?? Something must change in the leadership of the teachers union in the.state of.New.Jersey.
If the NJEA is in bed with Christie they are going to find there is no room left for them in that bed. Only a few will be "rewarded" for their treachery unless there are more openings for the"friends of Christie". He can always find jobs for profiteer educators like Cerf and Anderson to help dismantle Public Education..
I totally agree with you. And I am a member if NJREA. FOOLISH to give him any ammunition
While everyone makes mistakes, if the union just said hello to him he'd say they are having an affair. He is the master at twisting a little germ of info into a mountain of misinformation.
....
I believe the NJEA forgets who they represent. I want my dues money back.
He's trying to divide you people... STAY STRONG!!'
Divide the lambs? Teachers need to start to toughen up instead of being so nice and accepting all the bs that is thrown our way.
They say they don't have the money to fund the pensions, but how much did the PARCC cost to implement? What about the new teacher tenure laws? I call bs.
6
The NJEA endorsed corporatist Cory Booker for Senate. Booker was responsible for bringing Cami Anderson to Newark. NJEA was complicit in the tenure amendment
ReplyDeletelaw sponsored by state Senator Democrat Teresa Ruiz. Fifty five Newark teachers were brought up on tenure charges. Forty retired. Fifteen cases won by the NTU are under appeal. NJEA is now assisting in royally screwing New Jersey teachers once again. Christie's plan is to transfer state pension responsibilities to the municipalities. Furthermore, Christie intends to preserve the current pension system for those teachers close to retirement. The other teachers will be placed in a 403b type plan. Who will then support those teachers who have retired? Christie has failed to make the pension payments he promised in return for hefty contributions made by New Jersey teachers. Christie is referring to the judge's ruling that he has to make the payments as "judicial activism." NJEA produced impressive television commercials. Common Core and PARCC march merrily along. The teachers of New Jersey are in sorry, sorry shape.
Abigail Shure