Can New Jersey Show the Way on Education?
On education, Christie said he planned to maintain funding to public schools and to increase aid to higher education over the next four years. He also said students in cities are entitled to a quality education.
“Those kids deserve the same sort of education you’re getting here in Hamilton,” Christie said. “If we don’t change that, it’s hurting us socially, it’s hurting us economically, and it’s just not fair.”
In his four public appearances since the Nov. 3 election, Christie has gone to schools twice, stressing the importance of education to his agenda. He has listed improving urban schools as his third priority, after cutting taxes and boosting the economy. Yesterday, he told reporters he would not cut aid for kindergarten-through-12th-grade education in the next budget, despite facing a deficit that could top $8 billion.
Christie also favors school vouchers and charter schools to give urban students more options. He said competition would force failing public schools to “change or perish.” Philadelphia Inquirer November 11, 2009
Governor Chris Christie has pledged accountability in public education to the voters of New Jersey. Illinois, enthralled to public policy crafted by lobbyists for public education and its tangent industries (buses, supplies, paper, textbooks, technologies, learning centers, food and janitorial supply concerns, landscapers, architects & etc.) that requires taxes, is in the top ten of States poised for bankruptcy.
Public Schools in Chicago are sad – mortally sad. Only this week on the campus of what was formerly Calumet High School (Perspectives Branch) a score –and – change of t’weens were cuffed and taken out to waiting squad cars following a cafeteria ‘food-fight’ that seemed headed toward a Fenger-esque end. This story did not see the light of day in Chicago News media, but made it in the New York Times and WGN & ABC TV News.
CHICAGO – Last Thursday, 25 Chicago Public School students were arrested and jailed for allegedly starting a food fight.
According to public officials, the students, who are between 11 and 15-years-old, are being charged with reckless conduct.
The parents said they are outraged by the incident and feel the police overreacted to the situation.
Police said, the students will most likely be facing community services charges. The school has suspended the students for two days. In a poll taken by WGNTV, 80% of viewers felt that being arrested was an inappropriate reaction.
WGN might have asked “do you believe there had been adequate supervision?” That might have added a little more ginger than the comestibles tossed by the kiddies and what seems to have been the reaction of the public salaried school officials. Three blocks north of the Calumet Campus and Perspectives Leo High School conducts a college preparatory high school education for young men from exact same socio-economic and racial demographic as the youngsters at Calumet. Ninety Three Percent of the Leo High School graduates go on to college. The parents of Leo students pay Catholic School tuition. They are working people and some belong to unions.
My entire family –sans me – belongs to Skilled Trades Unions. The American standard of living was built by trades unionism as well as free market capitalism. When American industry faded, labor turned to tax-salaried white collar, low skill and often no skill workers to swell the ranks of unions and build political muscle. Of the public salaries workers, teachers are the most politically powerful. I chose to be a teacher. I choose where I wish to teach. I taught at Bishop McNamara High School from 1975-1988; La Lumiere School 1988-1994; Bishop Noll Institute 1994-’95; Leo High School 1995-Present.
I do not believe that a teacher belongs in a union. A teacher used to be considered a professional – a Paladin- a mind for hire. If a teacher were a good one that teacher would work. If a teacher were a train wreck in the classroom . . .he/she went for her supervisors/superintendent’s license.
My teaching and coaching experiences were in Catholic and Independent high schools, but afforded me the honor of working with highly professional and brilliant public school teachers. In Catholic schools we had some lame-ass teachers and they generally disappeared before the yearbooks came out.
Many of those . . . persons who disappeared found a home and flourished in public schools as they became insulated by the Teachers Unions on their path to tenure. There is no tenure in any Catholic school that I know of – nothing as a point of policy. I believe that is pretty much the state in parochial schools of other faiths as well. Likewise, I have taught in an Independent School of the Central States – a college preparatory boarding school. Tenure is merely longevity based upon performance. Believe me there is no group of teachers who really earn their room, board and pennies more than teachers in Independent Schools.
I know many great teachers have gone on to teach in the public schools around Illinois and they universally believe that their time in Catholic schools was much better served; the pay and bennies are ten times more attractive, to be sure, but the quality of real teaching is just not there. One gentleman I respect and love down to his size 17s quit coaching tennis, due to non-sense from his union rep and his supervisor – equal parts stupid. This guy was nominated for the IHSA Coaches Hall of Fame and has a superior record of achievement.
If one were to belong to a union whose the strength is determined by the ability of its members to give haven and job security to the least competent, the least ambitious, the least ethical, the least intellectual curious and the least dangerous of its members, then it seems that one is a member of one of the Teachers Unions.
Leaders in Illinois like Senator James Meeks are now coming around to the dangers posed by the public school teachers unions. More leaders are needed in the fight for genuine School Choice – Vouchers and more Charter Schools.
New Jersey, one of the most politically corrupt States in the Union, has placed the Teachers Unions on notice. Illinois which has managed to nudge New Jersey and Louisiana out of the line of laughter on ethical issues in public life has a power Teachers Union Lobby.
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Pat Hickey is a regular columnist for the Chicago Daily Observer
image Mendel Prep, closed in 1987 in the Pullman Neighborhood, near Fenger High.
This is a very powerful piece, and as someone who comes from Jersey’s neighbor to the East, Philly, I can confirm that the author knows what he’s talking and writing about. Chris Christie is a man of great integrity, and because of that integrity, was forced to withstand some very dirty, very unwarranted attacks from his Democratic opponent. Corzine, the incumbent, even went so far as to accuse the Governor-elect of wanting women to die from breast cancer by promising to reduce their access to mammograms. Christie shamed Corzine by pointing out that his own mother had suffered from the disease. This is just an example of what Christie’s opponents will try to do to undermine his efforts, particularly when it comes to school vouchers. Teachers should not be in unions, they are learned professionals, and when they become members of a union where money is the bottom line, they frustrate attempts to truly advance and promote the best quality education for children. If we truly want to make sure our children are given the opportunity to succeed, we will support and defend vouchers, and people like Chris Christie who are willing to see beyond the partisan (and in most cases strangehold of a liberal) box. Great job with this piece, I hope Chicago takes notice of Jersey’s newest champ and his plans to improve the state of education in a state that sorely needs help.
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