Easy for a man making $175,000 a year to say. Supporters keep pointing out that Christie is a great governor because he is combative. When did that become synonymous with being an effective governor?

This was awesome!!! Finally someone tells it like it is. It’s so refreshing.

Finish up in NJ Chris, we need you in Washington!

Yes bullying a teacher when he makes six figures is a courageous act.

Since MichelleF doesn’t have to work for a living, she has a deep understanding for those who do.

The country of Greece could use Christie.

That’s our Michelle! She always sides with the fat White man! The people be damned!

Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers says:
May 27, 2010 at 11:53 am
Since MichelleF doesn’t have to work for a living, she has a deep understanding for those who do.

Yeah, you know me. Let me assure you, as a single mother, who is a widow, I do indeed have to work for a living.

And king, like I was just saying on another thread, you libs have totally jumped the shark on the charges of racism. It means nothing anymore since you use it as an excuse tor EVERYTHING!!

The Real Royal King says:

When truth is divided, errors multiply. ~Eli Siegel, Damned Welcome

Do be careful Mr King , your ” characters ” are showing .

… and, Michelle, that means that you are particularly dependent upon public school teachers not only to educate but also to care for your children while you are working. Why would you, of all people, disparage these dedicated professionals and begrudge these hard-working Americans, who have to deal with some rewarding children but also some ill-behaved, improperly raised numbskulls, a decent living? It is a type of callousness which few seem to possess. Thankfully.

Moderate says:
May 27, 2010 at 11:53 am

The country of Greece could use Christie.

My first thought was that it was her misfortune to have been born in America rather than Greece.

Did this bring Reagan v Patco to mind to anyone else here?

All public unions should be shut down. We need to check RRK’s papers.

I think the jury is still out on Christie and his effectiveness in turning around New Jersey. His term is too young. However, berating an educator is the behavior of a bully and a coward.

I have no time for you today, Anne 1. When I see someone maliciously go after public school teachers, the very backbone of American democracy, I am filled with rage.

The country of Greece could use Christie.

My first thought was that it was her misfortune to have been born in America rather than Greece.

Did this bring Reagan v Patco to mind to anyone else here?

—

Who in the Sam Hill are you talking about, Janet? Everyone else is talking about Governor Christie of New Jersey. The Governor is a male.

Indeed, Pollyanna Blower Show, we need to abolish unions. I don’t understand where these hard-working men and women think they are entitled to living wages, fair treatment and respect. Do they think this is Kommunist Russia or somethin’?

The Real Royal King says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:01 pm
… and, Michelle, that means that you are particularly dependent upon public school teachers not only to educate but also to care for your children while you are working. Why would you, of all people, disparage these dedicated professionals and begrudge these hard-working Americans, who have to deal with some rewarding children but also some ill-behaved, improperly raised numbskulls, a decent living? It is a type of callousness which few seem to possess. Thankfully.

I didn’t disparage anyone. I’ve been very happy with the teachers my son has had to this point. But if you are telling me that $85,000 isn’t enough pay for 9 months of work, you will get an argument from me. I’d be more than willing to pay for good teachers as soon as they start weeding out the awful ones that couldn’t teach their way out of a paper bag, yet complain about how much they make. If they want to start testing teachers and paying them based on ability, giving the good ones more $$, I’m all for that. Unfortunately, the unions won’t let you do that.

The Real Royal King says

The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of myself. ~Jane Addams

Mr King . You are the weakest link , GOODBYE !

I wonder how much the head of the Teacher’s union makes?

Well, at least we all know how much you value your own children now. I would have thought it a higher sum.

The Real Royal King says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Well, at least we all know how much you value your own children now. I would have thought it a higher sum.

King,
You are nothing but a race-baiting, moron. I have no time for you twisting my words in an effort to have a genuine debate about something. You are a sad human being who is so consumed with your hatred of white people that you can’t even see straight anymore.

Have you ever taught Michelle? I have. I have taught in the Milwaukee and Philadelphia public school systems. Even with a Master’s degree, I never made even $40,000 a year. Also, teaching is a year-round job. I know because I have done it. To claim otherwise is simple untrue.

I have no time for you twisting my words in an effort to have a genuine debate about something.

That should be in an effort to avoid a genuine debate, of course.

The Real Royal King says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Well, at least we all know how much you value your own children now. I would have thought it a higher sum.

And now we know quickly and comfortably you climb into the gutter !

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Have you ever taught Michelle? I have. I have taught in the Milwaukee and Philadelphia public school systems. Even with a Master’s degree, I never made even $40,000 a year. Also, teaching is a year-round job. I know because I have done it. To claim otherwise is simple untrue.

It depends on where you are. It’s not year round in my son’s school.

oooooops………

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/nj-teacher-who-complained-to-gov-chris-christie-that-she-wasnt-paid-83k-she-deserved-actually-makes-86k-94951164.html

$236K plus. nice. What a joke.

http://njleftbehind.blogspot.com/2010/03/modest-proposal.html

“A fat white man.” Michelle, where are you getting this. I have never detected the slightest animosity towards the white race in any of the King’s posts. After all, that would be racist.

(I know, King. Yoke of oppression, Christian Bale, etc., etc.)

How do you know? Have you asked his teachers if they work in the summer?

‘teachers do it because they love it.”

LOL

Yeah, $83,000 is what we should pay teachers. What a joke.

Ha! Puter beat me to it. I was about to post that same link. That poor teacher. She makes $86K a year, wants more money, and then claims she only does her job because of her love for the children. Please. Between the DoE and the teachers unions it’s no wonder our public schools suck.

I should clarify. There are many different ways a teacher works in the summer. Teaching summer school. Attending staff meetings and professional development seminars. Classroom and curriculum preparation. I did all of those during the summer, and every teacher I knew did as well. I also worked part-time while I taught, as did most teachers I knew.

Paul, when did you teach? What subject/s/? What degrees do you have? Where did you teach? What benefits? Paid by whom?

All of the above are factors that would have a direct bearing on the point you are trying to make. Even if you are speaking of the present you would be just slightly below the national median income nationally and above in some regions.

paulmdoro says:

Even with a Master’s degree, I never made even $40,000 a year.

In graduate school did you know the average salary of a teacher ? If you did then YOU chose it .
When they offered you a job and told you the salary , YOU chose it .
I / We didn’t make those choices for you .

I have taught English, Civics, and Health in Milwaukee and Philadelphia public schools. I started teaching in 2004 and taught until the end of 2009. I have a B.A. in English along with my teaching certification (secondary ed). My M.A. is in Media Studies. The benefits were good. I can’t complain about the benefits. The salary not so much. My starting salary in 2004 was $29,000 a year.

Paul, sorry but I overlooked your Masters degree.

Was your masters in the subject you taught?

I get that tws. I did choose it. I am attempting to provide factual information about how much teachers make and how much they work because many people have no idea and spread misinformation or outright lies.

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:17 pm
How do you know? Have you asked his teachers if they work in the summer?

In fact, my father-in-law has been teaching for 40 years. And one of my best friends is a teacher. So yes, I have. They get second jobs in the summer to supplement their income.

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I have taught English, Civics, and Health in Milwaukee and Philadelphia public schools. I started teaching in 2004 and taught until the end of 2009. I have a B.A. in English along with my teaching certification (secondary ed). My M.A. is in Media Studies. The benefits were good. I can’t complain about the benefits. The salary not so much. My starting salary in 2004 was $29,000 a year.

And Paul, I agree that alot of them are grossly underpaid. $30,000 is ridiculous. What I’m saying is give more pay based on merit, not as a result of strong armed union tactics.

Even with a Master’s degree, I never made even $40,000 a year.”

I don’t know where you worked but ya got screwed.

From the BLS:

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009
25-2031 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education

National estimates for this occupation

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment Mean Wage
1,091,710 $55,150

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile 10% 25% 50%(Median) 75% 90%
Annual Wage $34,600 $42,070 $52,200 $66,110 $82,000

I love Chris Christie! He is exactly right, if you don’t like what you are being paid, you are more than welcome to go find another job!

paulmdoro says:
get that tws. I did choose it. I am attempting to provide factual information about how much teachers make and how much they work because many people have no idea and spread misinformation or outright lies.

And what we see as taxpayers are often bloated bureaucracies and administrations with phenomenal amounts of waste, contracts that mean nothing ,as teachers are on strike seemingly every year. There is always the demand for more, with no promise or plan to improve results.

I agree wholeheartedly that it is way too difficult to fire bad teachers. And there is definitely a lot of waste. Those are totally legitimate concerns and changes are needed. I am leery of merit pay unless it is merely one of many factors used to determine a teacher’s salary. It is difficult to judge a teacher’s effectiveness and worth by test scores alone. Plus, you don’t want teachers just teaching to the test.

Also, I didn’t get screwed. To make $55,000 a year as a teacher in Milwaukee I would have had to work 15 years or so.

Paul, I also looked for salary info as TRW did.

The current starting salary in Philly is 41,000 plus.for a bachelors with no experience. I would check this out if I were you.

What I’m saying is give more pay based on merit, not as a result of strong armed union tactics.

—

No, you’re not saying anything. You’re asking the question: How can we get by paying these people who spend more time than we do with our children is little as possible?

I don’t teach in Philly anymore. The reason I made less than that is because my teaching certification is from another state (not PA). Once I got my PA certification, it would have gone up.

Paul:

I do appreciate your witness before us and your service to us. I get so tired of all these extreme rightists who want to save a buck even if that means a deserving teacher is unable to support his or her own family and even if it means children end up with old books in inadequate facilities and under-staffed classrooms. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us, in largely similar terms, “For where your wealth is, there will your heart be.” Obviously, for far too many people, there hearts are not with their children nor with the sacrament of learning.

My sincerest thanks for your noble service to our children and to our nation.

Sorry for your loss Michelle. Comments like BFD’s are abhorrent.

“He killed himself, didn’t he?” More of that liberal sensitivity on display.

Thank you RRK. It was by far the hardest job I have ever had. It is incredibly difficult, which is why I am so eager to set the record straight when I see misinformation out there.

BTW, Michell. Were your kids present when the King made his comment?

Anne 1 says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:10 pm
The Real Royal King says

The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of myself. ~Jane Addams

Mr King . You are the weakest link , GOODBYE !

TRRK has no shame, it is a long ago forgotten emotion.

Michelle’s ‘sin’ is being white. Thus she can expect no sympathy from the King.

(I know, King. Y of A, Christian Slater, yadda, yadda)

What are the pay grades for parochial schools?
What are the outcomes for these schools as compared to public schools?

This teacher was such an idiot. First of all as Puter Boi pointed out, she lied when she said she “makes nowhere near that”; she actually makes MORE than that. Secondly she brought up the old idiocy that “teachers do it because they love it,” not because they make enough. Well if that’s the case, what is she complaining about??? Continue loving it and sit down already! Besides, teachers often say that as though it’s some sort of noble sacrifice that we all should bow down and thank them for. Hey, I program computers because I love it! My wife does what she does because she loves it! Cops and firefighters lay their lives on the line every day because they love it. GROW UP! Christie is 100% right. Nobody has a gun to her head forcing her to go teach kids every day. The minute you think it doesn’t work for you, you’re free to go find another job. If enough people do that, they won’t be able to find teachers and they’ll have to raise the salaries. Until then, quit whining.

That’s a good question Penguin. I have not taught in a parochial school and I’m not sure what the average salary is at such a school.

I know that in Milwaukee, students in the private school voucher program and students in Milwaukee Public Schools show no major differences in success.

Because he says what he means and is getting things done?

The country could use a few moere “Christies.”

Btw, the phony queen is just that, a phony. The ironic part is it’s probably fat and white! LOL!

I live in PA. My kids went to Parochial schools 1-12. 2 have graduated and received large scholarships to college, much greater than I had payed for 1-12. I don’t beyotch about paying school taxes because it was my choice to send them there. But I feel it was worth the investment.. I don’t know how much our teachers made compared to public, but I feel most were very good, and loved what they did.

Notice how the left works. I said public unions should be eliminated. Key word PUBLIC.
RRK then posts that I want get rid of UNIONS. Public is dropped from my words.
It is all above for the world to see. RRK leaned that from Chairman Mao and from reading Saul Alinsky.

I just skimmed the comment section and saw some complaints about the personal attacks. I haven’t read all the comments (we’re doing the presser live blog right now) but a reminder to everyone to try to keep this all above the belt.

Let me just add: I do find the comment about Michelle and her husband reprehensible.

So was that line about valuing her own children.

The Real Royal King says:
May 27, 2010 at 11:53 am
That’s our Michelle! She always sides with the fat White man! The people be damned!

trrk, you incredibly idiotic knee-jerker, in this case the Governor of the State of NJ is looking out for the tax payers and working people of NJ. You see, the NJEA, know in NJ as the NJ Extortion Association, has been part of a culture that has made NJ one of the highest taxed States and in that culture jobs run away from the state. So Michelle was caring for the people and you, trrk, as pandering to the fat union leaders. What a waste of skin you are.

By the way, there is a good chance that the teacher in question was also making 6 figures.

I’m sure the King was only standing up for the non-white teachers. All those evil white ones can go to hell. After all, they’ve never faced the ‘yoke of oppression’.

This is my first Tea Party Konklave. I never knew you all so despised hard-working Americans.

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Have you ever taught Michelle? I have. I have taught in the Milwaukee and Philadelphia public school systems. Even with a Master’s degree, I never made even $40,000 a year. Also, teaching is a year-round job. I know because I have done it. To claim otherwise is simple untrue.

Really? Its a full time job? Then why did the teachers on my block have other jobs during the summer, except for the two that would get in their camper and drive around the country during July and August.

Now, try being honest. Do you know the situation in NJ with respect to teachers and others in the education field or are you attempting to generalize?

How touching, Royal King, the elitist, racist snob, is now all for hard working Americans. And he even spelled America with a ‘c’ this time instead of a ‘k’. Three cheers for the new and improved King!

Rich, I have not taught in NJ, so I am speaking about my experiences in Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Yes, for me it was a full-time job (in addition to the other part-time job I had). During the summer I had staff meetings, professional development seminars, and other training as well as classroom and curriculum planning done at home and at school. I worked all summer long.

Our state just passed a 1 cent increase in the sales tax for schools and public services. My neighbor is a teacher and had his front yard plastered with ‘support the increase’ signs. The day after the measure passed, the signs came down and he drove up in a new car. I can’t help feeling like I will be paying a little more so he can relax about his income and drive a new car. I’m not certain enough about the economy to buy a car. God bless teachers…but why is the one in the video offended by 84K a year…and after complaining about possible pay cuts…has the nerve to say teachers teach just be cause they care…paraphrased. I’m for banning public unions and doing away with the Department of Education. States can do it.

Alright, I’m back. I saw the comment in question and I’m going to delete it. I also passed it along to the powers that be and we will be contacting the user.
As much as we all disagree on different issues and argue all the time, I think we can at least agree that attacking the family of a fellow commenter is over the line. Come on, folks. There’s no topic that deserves that kind of vitriol.

“I think we can at least agree that attacking the family of a fellow commenter is over the line.”

No, I don’t agree. Why is someone bringing up a family member on this political blog anyway? Sympathy? To prove a point?
Ban me if you must, but I stand by my joke.

It’s nothing you don’t see on Family Guy 5 nights a week. lol

Kusos, Jon. We all joust with each other, and that’s to be expected. But bringing someone’s spouse or kids into the mix is just meanness.

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Rich, I have not taught in NJ, so I am speaking about my experiences in Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Yes, for me it was a full-time job (in addition to the other part-time job I had). During the summer I had staff meetings, professional development seminars, and other training as well as classroom and curriculum planning done at home and at school. I worked all summer long.

And we are discussing how NJ went from being a State that was a magnet for businesses and jobs into a State from which businesses and jobs flee. Your first presentation of facts was not above board. I don’t think that was deliberate, but saying that as a Philly teacher you made very little without immediately pointing out the special circumstances was intellectually dishonest. Not an attractive quality in a teacher.

For several years I ran a program called “Partners in Education.” I was with Bell Telephone Labs at the time. What the program did was recruited Labers to teach science and math to the 4th graders at the Red Bank Primary School and I got to know the teachers there pretty well. The teachers weren’t paid as much as the Members of Technical Staff at the Labs but the were paid on a par with the Senior Technical Associates and that was without taking into account that they had summers off. The seminars that I was aware of them attending were referred to them as “in-services” and they were compensated. Considering the medical, vacation, sick time, holiday, retirement and other benefits I think that teachers are very well paid. The NJEA is balking at reducing this year’s raise in benefits, not reducing benefits but reducing the amount that the benefit funding is increased, in order to save teachers jobs.

What is your answer? Should the taxpayers be expected to just keep getting shafted?

Actually, Righter, the entire time I was in school, Preschool through Post Graduate, I never had a teacher who was not White. I had some different ethnicities, to be sure. Numbers of Irish, English, French, German, Italian, a Pole, an Israeli, a Brazilian, some Pacific Islanders, an Egyptian, a South African. Having been so educated, if someone says “teacher” I assume a gray-haired White man in a crumpled suit with a non-descript tie and a body of knowledge which shames me.

Intellectually dishonest? Hardly. I was paid about $1,000 a year less for having a certification from a state other than PA. My presentation of facts has been and continues to be “above board.” Teachers do get excellent benefits. No argument here on that. Of course taxpayers should not “keep getting shafted.” That is a loaded question.

King, your efforts to impress all of us with your education and world travels reminds me of Fredo in The Godfather. “I’m smart! I can do things!” LOL

BFD,
It’s a context thing. No, we’re not going to set the site to delete any comments that include the phrases “wife,” “son,” or “yo mamma,” but there was a meanness to your comment that was unnecessary. Politics and media are ugly. We don’t need to meet them to discuss them.
You should have gotten an email from me. I’d prefer if any other discussion of the matter happens there.

Well, Jon was very nice in his correspondence with me. So in deference to that, and out of respect for him and this site, I would sincerely like to apologize to michelle.

Michelle, I’m sorry. I just meant it as a sorta “Mom” joke. You know, like ” Your Mom’s so fat, when she rolls over in bed she burns her ass on the light bulb”. That kind of thing.

BFD: You’re a mensch. Thanks.

A for the second joke, it was so bad I laughed my own derriere off.

Let’s see some of NJ’s teachers’ union in action:

Christie blasts teachers union for ‘perverse’ memo
Friday, April 9, 2010
Last updated: Monday April 19, 2010, 5:14 PM
BY LESLIE BRODY AND PATRICIA ALEX
The Record

Governor Christie on Friday blasted a teachers union memo as “perverse” and “beyond the pale” for alluding to his death, while union leaders apologized but contended the controversy had been overblown.

The memo, sent by the Bergen County affiliate of the New Jersey Education Association to its locals, details a series of actions to protest Christie’s $820 million cuts in school aid, and his calls for teachers to agree to a one- year pay freeze. The note ends with a “prayer” in which the punch line is a thinly veiled appeal to God for Christie’s death.

“I’m sure there are teachers all across New Jersey who … are going to be ashamed,” Christie said at a New Brunswick hospital event. “I wonder what the children of New Jersey will think when the leadership of the teachers union is praying for the governor to die?”

By evening, a Christie spokesman would not say whether the governor had accepted the union’s apology.

The memo, obtained by The Record on Thursday, brought national attention to the acidic rapport between the union and the governor, who has said deep spending cuts are crucial to plug the state’s budget hole.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Demarest, called for the resignation of Joe Coppola, president of the Bergen County Education Association, who signed the memo.

“His comments are an absolute disgrace to the hard-working rank-and-file teachers of Bergen County and New Jersey,” Cardinale said in a release.

Coppola said he would not step down from his union job, which tax filings show paid him $154,000 in 2008. Coppola said he realized the memo “was in bad taste” and tried to apologize personally to the governor, but hadn’t gotten through yet.

His 89-year-old mother, however, did reach Coppola early Friday morning.

“My mother said you’re lucky your father is not alive,” he said.

Coppola added that he believes the governor “is a very bright man and a man of sound character. … I exercised an error of poor judgment and want to sincerely apologize.”

NJEA President Barbara Keshishian issued a statement Friday morning with a public apology for the “inappropriate ‘prayer’” and said her staff was trying to arrange a phone call with the governor so she could apologize directly.

Well of course that was despicable. So was Christie’s comment about using students as drug mules. There has been a lot of overheated rhetoric recently.

RichS says:
May 27, 2010 at 1:48 pm

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Have you ever taught Michelle?

No, I haven’t. The last person who tried to teach Michelle anything has been institutionalized.

I think we can disagree without insults. It takes all the fun out of spirited debates when cheap shots are taken.

Oh, and Rita Wilson, the teacher is a union liar. She already makes over $86, 000.

Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)

Wednesday, May 26th at 3:55PM EDT
25 Comments

RealClearPolitics has a video circulating of an exchange between Governor Chris Christie and Rita Wilson, a school teacher in the Rutherford School District.

The teacher demands more salary, telling Christie, “if she were paid $3 an hour for the 30 children in her class, she’d be earning $83,000, and she makes nothing near that.”

There’s just one problem. There is one Rita Wilson working for the Rutherford School District. Assuming the teacher confronting Governor Christie is the same lady, she has no freaking clue what she makes.

Public records from the school district show her making $86,000+.

FACULTY SALARIES 24. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION to approve the
following faculty salaries and locations effective 9/1/09 through 6/30/10:

Name Location Step Level Salary
Elaine O’Neill U 16 5 95,100
Rita O’Neill-Wilson HS 16 4 86,389

I think we have established that Rita Wilson is paid well.

paulmdoro says:
May 27, 2010 at 3:41 pm

I think we have established that Rita Wilson is paid well.”

VERY WELL and we have established she is a liar when she says she makes ” no where near” $83, 000.

From BLS- 12/2009

She is paid above the 90th percentile.

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile 10% . 25% . 50% . 75%. 90%.

Annual Wage $34,600 $42,070 $52,200 $66,110 $82,000

New Jersey has the highest paid teachers in the US. This particular teacher makes $86k plus benefits including summer break and the many other numerous breaks in the school year. If that’s not enough for her to live off of, she has a personal problem.

The knee jerk reaction of the left is to paint people who oppose teacher’s unions as not caring about children, which shows how ignorant they are on the subject. King trying to use scripture is pathetic. I guarantee that teacher makes more than a majority of the parents whose children she teaches. Furthermore, in many instances when teacher unions lobby for money for “education” and “the children” they pocket most of it by raising their salaries. How’s that help students or improve education? Attracting better teachers with the higher salaries? Sure, but when the next budget crunch hits (as they tend to do) those “better teachers” are the first to be fired because they aren’t tenured.

Absolutely brilliant!!!!!!! Christie is not a fraid to speak the truth. We need more like him.

king said: “and, Michelle, that means that you are particularly dependent upon public school teachers not only to educate but also to care for your children while you are working.”

Assumptions make for strong arguments. dont they?

It is the truth. Work is completely optional. I don’t see it as callous at all. Times are changing and the days of bloated public sector finance are over. They money isn’t in there. The money that these unions think is in their pensions are not there. They are insolvent. Trust me pensions are yesterdays news. Employee contributions to their own accounts are the only way to go going forward.

I’m kidding you people at all you think you’re sitting on a goldmine and when you retire you will some how walk out to your mailbox and get a check. Think again. You’ve been lied to about your money please look into it. The sustainability of a few paying for the masses is not realistic. They can and do move away. They can take it out and stick it under their beds and in jars and keep cash if they must and wont have to spend anything other than what they need to live and you cannot tax it. It’s not sustainable. Please stop being so naïve we’re supposed to be educated people.

Bottem line folks…..if you make only $30,000 a year…you are in the top 7% of income earners in the entire world.

a lot of unemployed people out there right now…licking their chops to have a job…that 86K a year job sounds super nice right about now I bet. I think that if I were running things I would start replacing the 86K people with out of work people for 54K and I think I would make the same amount of people unhappy as I would very happy that happened :o) DO IT

@ paulmdoro says: “Easy for a man making $175,000 a year to say. Supporters keep pointing out that Christie is a great governor because he is combative. When did that become synonymous with being an effective governor?”

Spoken like a true communist! Any person with an IQ greater than a turnip knows that the qualifications for being governor are somewhat greater than that of being a teacher. Yet, the teachers union would have us believe they are so noble. There are a very few good teachers but the vast majority of them just aren’t cutting it. This is why so many kids are (barely) functional illiterates by the time they get a worthless piece of paper telling the world they’ve been to high school. Then, they go on to college, where they receive degrees that are most often just as worthless. (Again, bad teachers who are tenured–meaning their worthless asses cannot be fired–and therefore really don’t give a crap about the student.)

So, I guess the addage is true: Those who cannot “do” become teachers.

Just like the firefighter who retired at age 45 with a full pension, $112K/year PLUS opulent benefits and claimed he was not “fully appreciated,” you have teachers whining because they work 9 months a year and earn some $90K per year for just showing up! That’s $10K per month! And this is precisely why states,’ cities’ and our country’s economy is headed down the tubes and into the sewer of third worldism. Hell, take a look around at what’s happening in the rest of the world. Greece, for instance, has found out that this same kind of socialism just cannot be made to work–not EVER!

Here, we’ve got a bunch of liberal idiots who have been selling out our childrens’ and grandchildrens’ future to support a failed policy. Prolonging the eventuality has caught up to us and those with an ounce of pragmatism know it’s now time to pay the fiddler.

I am very happy to learn there is one governor in this country who is not afraid to tell it like it is. It’s a damned shame that the rest of the politicians in this country do not have the spine to face the facts.

But if you are telling me that $85,000 isn’t enough pay for 9 months of work, you will get an argument from me.

And if you think that any teacher makes $85,000, you will get an arguement from me. They make far less: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/All_K-12_Teachers/Salary

And they wouldn’t be getting that much if it were not for the unions.

It really confuses me why conservatives are so down on unions. Conservatives say they are for the working people but who does more for working people than unions. Conservatives are all for the free market system but what is more free market than workers uniting together to negotiate for better pay, benefits and working conditions.

I’ll try to tell you why I am down on unions–I cannot speak for anyone else.

“Collective bargaining” means that every worker is reduced to the lowest common denominator–a superlative worker on an assembly line, for instance, receives no more pay than the laziest lout who shows up to collect his/her paycheck.

To add to the problem, the ties between unions and organized crime is a fact known to everyone.

As for the teachers, those who try to actually prepare students for the real world by teaching them marketable skills are overwhelmed by the tenured faculty who are just showing up for their paychecks. This is NOT the way I believe it should be, but thanks to the unions, it is the way it is. (Check out the “rubber rooms” for teachers in the NYC school system–you will be shocked!)

Now, ask yourself why our schools are failing their students and this country. I believe there are many answers but all the answers go back to one fundamental thing: The teachers are failing in their mission. I would therefore contend that in a non-union workplace, those employees who fail in their mission would be discharged but since the teachers are unionized and many of them have tenure, it is impossible to rid ourselves of the non-performers.

As for unions in general, it has long been known that they have direct ties with organized crime. You can launch a query for that, too, if you want to know the truth. Although unions were a necessary thing at their inception, the necessity of unions has now been eliminated by the passage of workplace safety and health regulations and minimum wage standards. The only role unions play now are to enrich the criminals who run them and to ensure employment for those who couldn’t otherwise keep a job.

All of this banter back and forth is amusing. Some of you seem to lose track of the fact that we do not have as much money to spend on teachers or anybody else right now. Seventeen % of us are unemployed and not earning money to pay taxes to pay you. My wife, an actuary for the government is on wage freeze for the past two years and for this next year as well. My unemployment ins runs out in four weeks.
Governor Christie is right to speak out the truth. What all do we cut? I believe a little bit of everything.
But, we certainly need police, courts, jails, prisons and parole officers to handle our public school students who can’t read, write or handle basic arithmetic.

Hey Jon,

A few points:

1) The teacher who taught you basics of journalism should be kicking him or herself right about now. For you to assume that Christie’s teacher was male is either sexist or lazy on your part. I’ll go with the latter.

2) As for Christie’s speaking skills, I don’t see what’s wrong from a presentation perspective. Content has nothing to do with style when it comes to public speaking performance. But since you obviously disagree with his position, you make the jump to Christie simply not being an effective speaker.

3) You don’t need to point out that the town hall meeting happened in “Rutherford, New Jersey”. You already stated to your national readers that Christie is Governor of NJ, and had mentioned New Jersey three times until that point. Rest assured, readers will understand that Christie’s town hall is taking place somewhere within the borders of the state by that time.

Hope the rest of your internship goes well.

-JC

pyrope, spoken like somebody who has never set foot in a classroom as a teacher. (Also, resorting to name-calling is juvenile.) Teaching is like parenthood: sure people can tell you what it’s like, but you really have no idea until you do it for yourself. I concede that there are plenty of problems, chiefly protecting bad teachers and bloated bureaucracy. I had a very mixed experience teaching and have plenty of complaints. I get that Christie has plenty of fans for being combative, as if there is no greater virtue for a governor. I don’t think it’s productive or an attractive leadership quality to berate teachers (or anyone for that matter). Are there bad teachers? of course, just like any other profession. But the lack of respect for the profession from those who have never done it and no nothing about it is disappointing and unfortunate.

@paulmdoro: WRONG! I have served as adjunct faculty in a community college where I taught remedial English (my second language), and mathematics. Remedial English: think about that. Why is remedial English necessary IF the high school teachers have done their job to prepare students for college courses?

Name calling? No sir, just stating facts. When I first came to the US, I worked in a union shop and have seen with my own eyes how incentive is destroyed by unions–the superlative workers get no more pay than do the lazy bums who are riding the union gravy train.

That unions and organized crime is such a well known fact that even ostriches should know the two entities are joined at the hip.

Being combative has nothing to do with my evaluation of Mr. Christie; what does matter is that he has taken the pragmatic and rational approach to solve a horrible problem which is probably the only way to bring the state of New Jersey back from the brink of economic destruction.

While it may not be productive to berate a group of people for the sake of being mean, it cuts to the chase to call a thing what it is. You will find that “A” is “A,” if you take time to indulge yourself in a bit of Aristotle’s writings.

One final thought on my experience as an adjunct faculty member: I got the job because the college could find no one else who was more qualified than myself–and if you heard my spoken accent, you would think that is a pity. I have worked very hard to reduce the impact of my accent when trying to communicate with others who speak English, but can you imagine a person with a foreign accent teaching the native language of another country?

The entire world is sick and tired of hearing from the over paid PUBLIC sector and worse, Their UNIONS… It turns out the teacher makes over 100k when you consider her health package. THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A TEACHER.. and those days are O V E R… UNION = LEACH these days. EVERY teacher knows going into it the pay scale is not high, (Or is it?), and that is the choice you make. AND I am sick and tired of hearing some HOLIER THAN THOU elitist attitude when it comes to school teachers. You teach a classroom full of kids. period. 10 months a year. WIth every possible vacation day, sick day, and summer off. The same lesson plan every year, and the results aren’t there many times. Get another job. There are cops in my town making over $110k/year driving around. You’re a cop.. that’s it. A Public servant. Same with the teachers. Accept it. Stop sucking off the tax payer. those wages are
O V E R. And god knows there nothing Holier than Thou about a cop. or a Teacher. Go Christie! I want you to be President, rather than the amateur, know-nothing shill we have now. GO CHRISTIE!

Gee. I wish all this negative stuff about those overpaid teachers was directed at the people who have really ripped off our country. Did any of you angry ones protest the invasion of Iraq? Have any of you ever worked for candidates who want to improve our government instead of supporting people who believe that government is the problem? Do any of you support the very few politicians working for peace and justice instead of the warmongers and war profiteers who have actually stolen and wasted trillions of dollars and been responsible for the millions of deaths in Iraq, Vietnam, the Middle east and elsewhere? Would any of you have walked with Martin Luther King? Have any of you lovely people in the Gulf states done anything to protect the environment instead of joining the “Drill, Baby Drill” brigade? Have any of you ‘pro-lifers’ really done anything to protect and support real life people instead of picketing abortion clinics? Do many of you care that we have a tenth rate health care system that’s causing tens of thousands of preventable deaths each year. Do any of you really care? Would Jesus rail on about the unions while ignoring the true causes of human suffering, namely the greed, anger and ignorance of so many of you angry ones.

“Collective bargaining” means that every worker is reduced to the lowest common denominator–a superlative worker on an assembly line, for instance, receives no more pay than the laziest lout who shows up to collect his/her paycheck.

First, the lazy lout as you put is a very small percentage of the actual work force. And second, those type of workers typically don’t last long in a unioin shop because the other workers won’t stand for it.

To add to the problem, the ties between unions and organized crime is a fact known to everyone.

Well for those of us who live in the real world and not a Godfather movie, the influence of organized crime was only in a small number of unions. And most of the influence was diminsihed greatly back in the 80s thanks to people like Rudy Guliani.

It turns out the teacher makes over 100k when you consider her health package.

Must be one hell of a health package. Do you have any proof of this?

There are cops in my town making over $110k/year driving around.

So a cop who puts his life on the line every day to protect you and your children shouldn’t make too much but it is OK for Wall Street traders to make millions while tanking the economy or for athletes and actors to make millions or politicians to make almost that much for speaking at a dinner. What a bizarro world.

@JamesA1102 You may wish to better inform yourself regarding the influence of organized crime on labor unions. Try this link: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/orgcrime/lcnindex.htm

If you query “unions and organized crime” you will find many more cites…if you want to know the truth, that is.

I do not depend on the police to protect me. If you dial 911, the response time is up to 20 minutes–or more. If you have something stolen, you generally never recover it and the cops never find the perp.

This link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/ems-day2-cover.htm confirms the above claim. The average response time to a 911 call is stated at up to 22 minutes. The average response time of a 9mm is about 1800 feet per second. I’ll depend on my 9mm, thank you very much!

You may wish to better inform yourself regarding the influence of organized crime on labor unions. Try this link: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/orgcrime/lcnindex.htm

Wow! Convincing stuff, too bad all of the references are over 20 years old. Come in to the 21st century with the rest of us.

I do not depend on the police to protect me. If you dial 911, the response time is up to 20 minutes–or more. If you have something stolen, you generally never recover it and the cops never find the perp.

This link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/ems-day2-cover.htm confirms the above claim. The average response time to a 911 call is stated at up to 22 minutes. The average response time of a 9mm is about 1800 feet per second. I’ll depend on my 9mm, thank you very much!

Really? Do you have to use your 9mm on a regular basis? Every day? Once a week? Once a month? 3 or 4 times a year? How many times on average are you forced to defend yourself from criminals with your 9mm? Do your kids all have 9mms too? Have often do they have to use them? But consider this, everyday that you don’t have to use that 9mm to defend yourself it is because there are cops on the job, putting their lives on the line to keep your ungrateful ass safe.

It seems pretty obvious that that this teacher only “loves” teaching because of the pay.