NJ Education Report

As many (if not all) of you know, NJEA leaders have made an ill-considered decision to throw their clout behind Fran Grenier, who is running against Senate President Steve Sweeney in this November’s election.  Grenier is a Conservative Republican who backs Trump, as well as Christie’s plan to flat-fund every student, regardless of need, at $6,599 per year.. Sweeney is a lifelong Democrat and an officer with the iron-worker’s union who boasts a long list of educational accomplishments. But the union’s front office is on what Politico calls a “crusade” to oust Sweeney. (Read this for background.) How do the teachers whose dues are paying for this vendetta feel about NJEA leaders’ strategy? Just look at NJEA’s Facebook page.

David Dempster NJEA just wants a mindless puppet who will do its bidding. Just remember that to the NJEA, nothing is as important as protecting its power. That includes the students.

Judith Miller I could never back a t-rump/ Christie supporter, and I am a teacher, and 45 year member of NJEA. They aren’t seeing the bigger picture. We need to keep a Democratically controlled state legislature in order to prevent Republican gerrymandering. NJEA is doing the devil’s arithmetic.

Gene Lopes As a teacher, I am extremely disappointed in NJEA’s position. To be clear, Sweeney stabbed us in the back, no question about it, however this endorsement reeks of political payback. Sweeney is a weasel, but he is our weasel. To back a Trump/Christie supporter is extremely short sighted on the part of NJEA.

Richard J. Brown This is why no one takes the NJEA leadership seriously anymore. Sweeney built schools for autistic students and an ACT school. Bankbridge is a model for special needs.I may not agree with him on several issues, but he is not anti-education. The issues on which I disagree with Sweeney are those shared by both parties.

Jackie Carroll Short-sighted and amazingly naive! Many, many members have the same issues with Sweeney, but we’re not about to vote for Grenier, or any other Republican. Not in today’s political climate. Take your blinders off and look at the big picture!

Vinnie Sallustio The New Jersey Extortion Association! Ignoring the underfunded district members for 9 years, then trying to smear the politician that corrected the problem! I hope the underfunded members break and start their own union. NJEA = evil!

Dave Aliquo Thanks NJEA for making my decision so much easier. If he aligns with you on funding, definitely will not vote for him. Teachers in this state deserve so much better than the leadership you have shown.

Joseph Bodnar Fran Griener, Another Pub wolf ? in sheep’s clothing. Don’t we have enough of them already. Real nice until they get in office & ?Lookout.They really screw you over way more than any Dems did.

Bob Morris So funny. Mr. Grenier seems like a good man. Let’s fill the legislature with people like him. Then watch our leaders squeal! Lol. Can we expect them to now wear Trump in 2020 buttons?

Bob Spalding Grenier is a Trump supporter and more importantly a DeVos supporter so the NJEA leadership is just running a vendetta against Sweeney at the expense of New Jersey’s kids. Then again the union itself never has cared about education.

Vince Giovannitti The NJEA, We Love to Cut Our Noses Off to Spite Our Faces. Only the NJEA could endorse a progressive Governor’s candidate in Phil Murphy and turn around and endorse a Christie republican. I’m embarrassed by my union.

Mary Cleary Grassie How much is the premier campaign paying Richardson. I have been retired from teaching 3 years now and can’t remember the last time I was proud of our union.

Karl Vonderheyde Never going to happen. How about if they used their membership’s dues money to improve teachers’ lives and conditions, rather than ham-fistedly playing at politics, and continually failing?