[[wysiwyg_imageupload:276:]]If there was ever a poltician doing the right thing, it would be governor Christie from New Jersey. CBS New York is reporting that Christie actually wants to hold government school teachers accountable and have them pass basic reading and math tests to be certified, and then to be paid on performance and not seniority. Is there an chance that this guy might run for president?The first thing that needs to go is the teachers union. The second thing? The department of education. To the article:
Determined to turn New Jersey’s education system on its head, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday unveiled a tough-love reform package that will make classroom achievement — not seniority or tenure — the basis for pay hikes and career advancement in Garden State public schools.
Christie is turning his take-no-prisoner’s style to the classroom, demanding a top to bottom overhaul of how New Jersey students learn and teachers teach. And that means undoing tenure, seniority and other union work rules.
“We cannot wait. Your children are sitting in these classrooms today. We cannot wait to make it better,” Christie told CBS 2’s Marcia Kramer.
Finally, a man for the people. Tenure SHOULD be undone. Someone, anyone, needs to take on the unions, especially the teachers union. Teachers should have to worry about their jobs just as those that work in the private sector. If you suck at your job, you get fired or you are out of business.
Unqualified teachers will feel the lash. The governor is demanding that teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade actually pass tests in reading and math in order to be certified.
“It might lead to the firing of teachers and principals who hurt our children,” Christie said.
The governor wants to turn the old seniority system inside out and put quality teaching ahead of lack-luster performance. He will:
* Prohibit salary scales based on seniority
* Grant raises based on classroom performance
* Give tenure based on classroom performance
“We are paying a fortune for something that is not giving our children the hope and the feeling that their tomorrow can be better than their future,” Christie said.
The governor said he would appoint a task force to come up with standards to measure teacher achievement.
Educational experts applauded the governor’s actions.
It's about freaking time! Unqualified teachers SHOULD be fired. That is what happens in a freemarket, capitalistic system. Too bad we have not had such a system in place in education. If we did, we wouldn't have near the problems both educationally and financially that we are currently going through.
A spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association attacked the governor’s plan saying that once again he was “trying to implement education reform without any input from educators.”
Duh! Of course they are going to attack the plan. They HAVE NEVER BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE! But who is listening to them.