NJEA Offers Reform, A.K.A. Fox Guards The Hen House

If Gov. Christie weren't so popular and so determined to reform education in New Jersey would the state's largest teacher's union be offering anything? Nonetheless, here is the reform plan offered by the NJEA.  It is slickly worded, well packaged, and before the smoke gets in your eye and has you looking at the wrong mirror, keep something in mind.  When they talk about adding one extra year before new, young teachers are granted tenure, ask yourself is the deadwood problem teacher usually the young one?

Dare I suggest it's often the older, veteran teacher safely blanketed in tenure, the senior teacher that is supposed to mentor the rookie under their proposal, who more than likely is the one who got too comfortable, lost the fire in the belly, is just putting in the years, and who no longer cares.  I believe young teachers have the ambition, the drive, the hope they need.  I believe it is the very system of tenure and job-for-life style security that it brings which can erode this ambition over the years. For them to be offering ANY changes whatsoever is indicative of the writing on the wall.  The NJEA must feel it's in the final rounds and behind on points.  I'd say it's time for the governor to stick to his guns and go for the knockout.