Politics and Town Meetings

To the Editor:
Chris Christie was in town. Wow! I remember the days when I would be proud to have our governor visit us. It didn’t matter, Democrat or Republican. We might not always agree on issues but mutual respect was standard protocol.
It appears this has all changed. Discredit your opposition, the dirtier the better is the way to go. So it seems. Now is the time to bash teachers and other public employees. Blame them for all our ills. Jump on the bandwagon.
I wouldn’t walk across the street to attend a Christie town meeting. In my opinion he is using these town meetings to promote his political agenda.
I am appalled and shocked that he would characterize the NJEA and its 200,000 Members as “bullies and thugs.” He would like you to believe that NJEA and its members are unrelated. Nothing is further from the truth. NJEA is a democratic organization whose leadership is elected by teachers and school employees from all of New Jersey. The executive committee and the larger delegate assembly make policy. The staff carries out the policy. It’s an old political tactic called “divide and conquer.”
I had the privilege of serving on the Executive Committee for seven years. No staff member would dare tell us how to vote on any of the issues.
Christie’s so-called educational “reforms” would push public education back to the Stone Age. His educational agenda is based on pure politics instead of valid research and common sense. It appears his real intention is to bust the teachers’ union and remove their hard-earned rights. The voters of New Jersey cannot and should not allow this to happen. Christie should apologize for unjustly chastising our teachers. However, I’m sure he sees no wrong in what he says or does. He refuses to negotiate with the teachers’ union. Instead, he meets with a few hand picked supporters. Christie is his name. Intimidation is his game.
Your teachers are not “bullies or thugs.” The vast majority are fine people, trying to educate your children many times under difficult circumstances. Let them do their job without undue interference from Trenton. With some exceptions, The overwhelming majority
GEORGE LOPER
Rio Grande
(ED NOTE: Loper is a retired teacher.)