Christie, Schundler on different pages?
June 1, 2010 2 Comments
They may be.
Last week, a so-called compromise between the NJEA and the state education department resulted in the union signing on to support the state’s application for $400 million under the federal Race to the Top program. That was noteworthy, given the fact that the union had not supported the application the first go around. The NJEA issued a statement saying it had worked out a compromise during lengthy negotiations with the state education department.
Not so fast. Today, Gov. Christie overruled education commissioner Bret Schundler; so much for the compromise changes that had to do with merit pay and tenure.
In a letter accompanying the state’s application, the governor praised merit pay as something that will reward excellent teachers and give incentives to sub-par teachers.
Christie’s educational reforms are in-step with the Obama Administration; whether they’re still in step with the teachers’ union remains to be seen.
About fsnowflack
Morris County Politics 
Great move by Christie. Schundler had given away the store (i.e., same-old, same-old union adherence to tenure and seniority as the paramount issues when deciding who to retain, and a watered down merit pay system) and would have led to another rejection from the DOE.
The legislature needs to get behind Christie and vote for real reform in the public education system, not just blithely follow the NJEA’s demands to support the status quo (which, BTW, everyone agrees is a disaster).
Yeah that worked out real well. Christie’s proposal did not contain the data needed by the Dept of Education. (The proposal put together by Schundler and the NJEA did, however.)
So Chris Christie just lost us our RTTT money.
Nice job, gov.