The Governor Vs, The Union

Regardless of who you agree with in what’s become a battle between Governor Christie and the New Jersey Education Association the downside is that many are viewing teachers in a negative light and much of that is not deserved. As in most cases like this when you speak in generalities you often overlook a lot. Some are portraying teachers as only caring about themselves and not their students and in the overwhelming majority of cases I do not think that’s accurate. It’s ironic in that when teachers made paltry salaries the public seemed to have a higher opinion of the profession and understood that the big perk was a good benefits package. However as salaries increased, especially over the last decade or so the image of the teaching profession took a hit. Seems a bit confusing that you would think less of a job just because the salary finally came more in line with what it should have been.

As an outsider it would seem the problem rests more with the teachers union then the profession itself. I’m sorry to say but the NJEA does not come off as understanding that the financial crisis in New Jersey is real and they need to be part of the solution. The association does not seem willing to accept that change is needed and yes in some cases that change may hurt their members in the short term. However in the long run there is much to gain if they can find a way to work with a Governor whose election they opposed last fall. Christie himself needs to recognize that the current war of words with the NJEA will not result in any winners but rather just losers. He should make every attempt to listen and see if there are better options to tackle today’s issues and explore every one of them.

At the end of the day this is a major item here in New Jersey and one that will have implications for years to come. Teaching is a noble profession and as a parent my children have made many who went above and beyond when it came to doing all they could for their students from coming in early to staying late. These teachers deserve our support but at the same time they need to make sure their union does a better job of understanding the crisis we all face.