New Jerseyans Give Christie a "B-" on Education

That’s the result of a new Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll, says Patrick Murray.

“A pretty good grade considering that is one of the most contentious issues that he has dealt with, basically dealing with the teachers union. And his initial cuts in education funding were met with disapproval by most New Jerseyans. They understand that something needed to be cut, but they weren’t happy it was education,” Murray said. “But he’s really weathered the storm with the teacher’s unions. When push comes to shove, he is on top of that issue.”

The write-up from APP notes that

NJEA has invested millions of dollars over the years resisting Christie’s proposals in Trenton and through television ads. It currently is running two ads that are not direct calls of support for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, state Sen. Barbara Buono, but are unmistakenly intended to steer the election-year discourse.
Murray said the NJEA’s efforts have not succeeded in part because schools coped with the cuts in aid and jobs from 2010.
“The dire predictions about what would happen to our schools aren’t evident to most residents in the state and did not come to fruition,” Murray said. “I think also that the NJEA misplayed their hand in countering him, didn’t have a good counter.”