Christie Helps Charter Schools, Enraging NJ Teachers Union
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) - Chris Christie and the New Jersey Education Association have rarely seen eye to eye on anything.
Things were no different Thursday as the Governor unveiled a series of changes aimed at making things easier for charter schools to flourish in the Garden State.
Addressing the New Jersey Charter School Association meeting in Atlantic City, Christie announced his plan to respond to the needs of teachers, administrators and parents alike:
"We're going to have reforms in several key areas. Single purpose charters, certification flexibility, administrative flexibility and facilities. These things are all going to offer you more flexibility in your operations and provide regulatory relief."
That's been labeled a "double down" on a failed policy in the view of the New Jersey Education Association.
They issued a statement insisting Christie's support of charters "has further drained funds from the very schools he loves to criticize."
But Christie is unapologetic:
"You exist because you are providing an alternative to the broken and unaffordable educational structures that we're actually trying to reform, and you are providing a blueprint on how to reform those."
Christie vows to continue his expansion of what are now 89 charters in New Jersey and the NJEA vows to fight him every step of the way.
