Corzine, who wanted nothing to do with an educational reform agenda, portrayed himself as a champion of the urban poor. In truth, he was nothing but a sentinel for the NJEA and its status-quo policies. The NJEA, abetted by Corzine, has been the chief impediment to changes that could result in better teachers, better school environments and better educational options for disadvantaged children.Whether Christie is deserving of the Press’s annointment or not, he’s trying on the mantle with a twist. While other reform leaders have minced through the niceties of collaboration with union leadership – Duncan spoke respectfully at the NEA Convention even though he got booed – Christie seems to be hellbent on blowing them off. For example, yesterday Christie parked himself in front of Steinert High School in Hamilton, Mercer County, a middle-class (its District Factor Group is FG) district that just happens to be the 8th largest in the state (13,000 kids in 23 schools) and one of the cheapest (cost per pupil is $11,891; the state average is $14,359). Reports the Philadelphia Inquirer,
Christie promised tough negotiations with labor unions representing teachers and state workers. He said the New Jersey Education Association, which represents teachers and opposes many of the urban education ideas he has backed, "has been a strong advocate for the status quo."Bottom line: he’s being about as conciliatory as a Sherman Tank with a big, rich association that controls some of the state legislators whose cooperation he’ll need to get anything done. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Maybe it’s a good strategy. After all, all he needs to expand charter schools is to appoint a like-minded Commissioner of Education, since the vagaries of N.J.’s charter school legislation put all power to approve applications in that one seat. But other items in the reformers’ pantheon include merit pay and teacher/principal accountability, and progress on those fronts may require some collaboration.
"They need to get realistic about the fact that change is coming," Christie said
Labels: charter schools, Christie, NJEA