Bill: NJEA is doing a MAJOR disservice to West Orange teachers

So the West Orange Teachers Union kept the teachers from attending parent-teacher night because they're embroiled in a contract negotiation. How absurd and hurtful.

Tactics like this only serve to create a divide in the community between teachers and parents...not to mention students. They've been working without a contract for the past two years just like many teachers often do across the Garden State. They're still working and getting paid though! And parent teacher conferences are as much a part of the job as leading a classroom discussion.

The bigger issue is the bully tactics employed by Union leaders to intimidate teachers into doing their bidding. Governor Christie was right to take on the NJEA. Where the discussion went wrong was when individual teachers felt under attack. Teachers are critical members of our state and our local communities. Union leaders should stop using teachers as pawns in their battle to secure taxpayer money for their political bidding. It's time for teachers to stand up and opt out of the political union contributions which is their right. I know from the many teachers we're friends with that most teachers just want to do their jobs. The certainly don't want to do union bidding. They want to teach.

How 'bout we let 'em?