Chris Christie Pushes School Choice at Education Summit

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is renewing his push for school choice legislation and criticizing
those who oppose him.

Christie gave an opening keynote speech Thursday at a policy summit of the American Federation for Children, a leading school-choice advocacy group.

The governor told a ballroom of several hundred people in Jersey City that his proposed legislation to help parents get their kids out of failing schools could be the difference between many of them
going to college or going to jail.

He also castigated the state's teachers union and state legislators who oppose him. He made a veiled reference to the teachers union as a schoolyard bully that must "be punched first."

Democratic lawmakers have contended that improving public schools should be a higher priority.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)