Yesterday, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had a little dust-up with teacher Rita Wilson. Upset over Christie’s education budget, Wilson complained that she wasn’t paid enough and got sharp rebuke from the governor:
But borough teacher Rita Wilson, a Kearny resident, argued that 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.
“You’re getting more than that if you include the cost of your benefits,” Christie interrupted.
When Wilson, who has a master’s degree, said she was not being compensated for her education and experience, Christie said:
“Well, you know then that you don’t have to do it.” Some in the audience applauded.
Christie said he would not have had to impose cuts to education if the teachers union had agreed to his call for a one-year salary freeze and a 1.5 percent increase in employee benefit contributions.
“Your union said that is the greatest assault on public education in the history of the state,” Christie said. “That’s why the union has no credibility, stupid statements like that.”
Surrounded by reporters after she spoke, Wilson said she was shaking from the encounter, and worried she might get in trouble for speaking out.
Hmm. Well, based on this PDF from the Rutherford, New Jersey Board of Education — it looks like Ms. Wilson makes a salary of $86,389.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Pay me more!
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Typical. They always parade the teachers up to complain that the evil taxpayer is hurting the children. But education is not the only thing in state budgets. There are plenty of other things that pull funding. Why are the education advocates not hammering other state agencies for drawing public funding that would be better spent on schools? "Our children are our number one priority.", or are they? Whenever there is a budget shortfall why is education always the area where the politicians cut first? We should fully fund the schools. Then whatever funding is left goes to public pensions, green initiatives, welfare, etc. If tax revenues aren't enough to fund those programs, let those advocates get in front of the public hearing to ask for more taxes. It should be the lowest priority government programs that should have to make the case for taxes. If they can't convince the public they add value for the taxes charged then they should be cut. Stop using the children as tax hostages.
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