More than 200 public school employees protested state school funding cuts Friday with a noisy picket line outside the Mays Landing Country Club where Gov. Chris Christie attended a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo.
Chanting “Save Our Schools” and holding signs saying “Support Our Schools” and “We are the solution, not the problem,” teachers from districts throughout Atlantic County, some of whom have received layoff notices, said they want to make the public aware that a $820 million shortfall in state school aid will affect teachers, programs, and children.
“The message to voters is ‘Please vote for the (local school) budgets and support our schools,’” said John Carlson, an Egg Harbor Township teacher and vice president of the Atlantic County Council of Education Associations, which organized the event.
A small group of teachers stood on the corner of Route 40 to get the attention of afternoon rush-hour traffic.
The rest lined up outside the country club, chanting at arriving guests, most of whom were surprised to see them. The only minor disturbance came when one woman opened her car window and made a comment about hoping teachers did lose their jobs.
The teachers booed loudly but remained outside the parking lot. There was no police presence at the event until just before Christie arrived, and parking lot attendant George Terry, a retired teacher and principal from Pennsylvania, said he was sympathetic to the teachers even if it was causing him an unexpectedly hectic evening.
Darlene Beasley, a speech therapy teacher in Egg Harbor Township, sported a sign saying “Tax the wealthy, not the workers.” Both Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton Township, where she lives, are making cuts to school programs and staff.
“And we still have to wait to see if the budgets pass,” she said. “(The cuts) could go even deeper.”
The NJEA has called on the governor and Legislature to reinstate an extra tax on residents making more than $400,000 per year, which could raise at least $600 million and restore some school aid.
Janet Siano, an English as a Second Language teacher in Galloway Township said she was there because the funding cuts will hurt the students.
“I’ll still have a job,” she said, carrying a sign that said, “Tax break for the rich at the expense of our kids.”
Charles Brandt, president of the small K-8 Estell Manor Education Association, said cuts will affect almost half the staff of 21, including art and music teachers.
“We’re small, but we’ve always have great test results,” he said.
Meg Markkanen, who gave up a casino career to become a Spanish teacher in Egg Harbor City, said she has been told she won’t be rehired next year, and the district will use a video series instead of a live teacher.
“I’ll never find a job around here,” she said. “I’m already looking in South Carolina and North Carolina, and I’ve lived here for 30 years.”
Other teachers who received layoff notices said they too many be looking out of state because there are not expected to be any jobs in New Jersey.
As the sun set and the wind kicked up, some of the protestors began to leave. Christie was behind schedule, and at about 7 p.m., Brian Currie, president of the Buena Regional Supportive Staff Association, moved his union banner closer to the country club entrance.
Currie said he wants the governor to realize that many of those losing jobs are lower-wage workers. His union represents cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, security and aides, and about a third could lose their jobs in the new budget, which also includes the possibility of privatizing the cafeteria.
“We’re taking the biggest hit,” he said. “The average salary of our members if less than $19,000 a year.”
He said asking those employees to take a wage freeze, while not asking those making over $400,000 to pay a little more, is just unfair.
Mary McCarty, a second-grade teacher from Galloway Township, sported a large homemade sign asking the governor if he would also freeze her electric bill, gas bill, water bill and gasoline prices.
A few posters were more personal, calling Christie a liar and saying he had reneged on promises to support education. Relations between Christie and the NJEA have been tense, and the NJEA on Friday apologized for a memo from the Bergen County Education Association to its locals that read, in part: “Dear Lord this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett, my favorite singer, Michael Jackson, and my favorite salesman, Billy Mays. I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor.”
Association president Joe Coppola said the “prayer” was a joke and was never meant to be made public. But he apologized, saying he had made an error in judgment.
The New Jersey Education Association also issued an apology Friday, saying the attack wasn’t funny and that it takes away from the more serious discussion the group would like to have with the governor.
At an appearance in New Brunswick on Friday, Christie did not see any humor in the memo.
“They said they didn’t intend it to be public,” the governor said. “So private prayer for my death would have been OK?”
Christie had no public contact with local teachers Friday.
At 7:20 p.m., the governor’s dark SUV quickly drove past the chanting crowd and around the back of the country club, where Christie quickly exited. Media and the public were not allowed into the club.
The protestors chanted outside for a few more minutes then gave into the cold and headed back to their cars.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Moderator's Note:
THE ARTICLE POSTED HERE IS ABOUT PROTESTING THE STATE SCHOOL FUNDING CUTS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE. ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT MS. RHEAULT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED OR POSTED, END OF STORY. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING NEGATIVE THAT YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT HER, SENDING IT IN WILL ONLY RESULT IN IT BEING REJECTED, SO PLEASE IF YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME GO AHEAD, BUT DON'T WASTE OURS. THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT CUTS THAT ARE DEVASTATING OUR DISTRICT.
7 comments:
The NJEA is really making a mess of things. The last 2 weeks Governor Christie has toned down his attacks and made some offers. The NJEA not only refuses to budge but they make comments wishing Christie drops dead. On some talk radio shows its being reported that younger teaching staff who pay the same dues to the same union are angry that they are going to "be thrown under the bus" , The union would rather have its senior members get their raises and medical than try to save their jobs.
RE: 1:58 PM comment
The NJEA makes its money by collecting dues from members. Why would they want to stand by and watch lesser tenured teachers lose their jobs? Less members equals less money. The NJEA may be acting bull-headed in how they approach the governor's offer, but they definitely want to keep dues-paying members on the rolls.
Local units, like the MTEA, are another story. At the local level, longer term members would rather cut off newer teachers with little seniority in order to take care of themselves. Then they lie to us about how it's all about the kids. Uh-huh.
A quality education has to do with the classroom experience, and smaller class sizes can be a catalyst for a better classroom experience. A quality education has NOTHING TO DO with how much of a pay increase that teachers receive. Please MTEA members, refrain from nauseating anyone who will listen with requests to settle now, for the good of the kids. You may not have a new contract, but you ARE GETTING PAID. If you want to do a good job for the kids, YOU CAN DO IT regardless of your contract. Show some good faith now, before you lose the last shreds of the public's support that still exist.
In the last salary negotiations, she waved a cow bell round and now she is a rat. I understand that she will head negotiations for the teachers in Mullica. I wonder if this is the image of the teaching professional that the teachers want to rally around. I guess they do since this is who they elected to represent their interest. I have to ponder, how smart are the teachers teaching our kids?
Cuts I believe are needed to control an out of control teachers union. The tax increases that result from trying to meet teacher demands are devastating our communities. Unless the tax increases are stopped, bankruptcies are going to increase, jobs are going to decrease and this economic slowdown will continue in a downward trend that will hit everyone.
For teachers laid off, there will be no local jobs available so they will have to move or leave the profession or go on unemployment.The increased unemployment helps no one.
Would it hurt MTEA to agree to no raises inclusive of step increases until the next negotiations and also to increase contributions toward health benefit premiums. This will allow the funds currently in the budget for anticipated teacher salary increases to be used to retain staff. That will show that teachers support their own;
other teachers and support staff.
It will also model to the students what we try to teach them, to share with others. Even more important to the kids, their parents will have jobs and will be able to afford to provide food, clothing and shelter, the basics of life. It will show that teachers understand that we are all in this together and that it isn't just about teachers getting what they want, when they want it irregardless of the cost to the community.
Some of the local police departments have been models in this regard. They made salary concessions to keep their fellow officers employed and that is rare and commendable. This kind of caring is desperately needed from the teachers.
"At the local level, longer term members would rather cut off newer teachers with little seniority in order to take care of themselves."
This is why the members of the MTEA appointed Barbara Rheault to represent them at the negotiations table. Don't expect any concessions from the union. Its no longer a question of being rational but one of defeating the school board to show who's in charge. They would cut off their noses to spite their faces first.
Reinstating a tax on folks who make $400,000 is not the solution. They already fund about 43% of the tax base now. Most have second homes and will leave the state. The problem is an addiction to spending in this state. When the fed stimulus package was awarded to N.J last year it was supposed to cover TWO years. The state and the Education Department spent it all in just one year and NO ONE put any of the money away for the next. I doubt that the State Education Department cares about where and how funds are spent since they dont want the aggravation or more work. They'd rather go on their all expenses paid seminars to Las Vegas, Florida, San Diego etc.This is nothing but greed and it has to stop. It was also an embarrassment to see Mullica and the MTEA represented as a rat in the AC Press.
I am sick of the teachers saying "its about the children." It hasn't been about the kids for years. As every contract they act like animals, ie.the rat she should have worn a pig suit as it's more accurate. They wear special shirts, bang on lockers to try and scare the people into giving in. They have the best of everything money can buy, while the rest of us pay and pay. When is it enough? I'm glad that they went to college got a job however I never signed on for pay for ever. Maybe they should take time out and look around the US everybody passes, everyone stays. Kids fail, teachers get fired, doesn't matter new teachers are coming out of college every year. If you're not happy move on. retire, whatever its shameful how you bleed the very same community you claim to love. Not feeling the Love for the children.
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