Republicans suck.

Democrats suck.

I'm wondering if the unions don't have the teachers who they represent best interests at heart, then whose interests do they represent?



Carl did address your "voucher" argument. He is right, this voucher isn't a free pass, it only partially covers tuition. The rest, is up to the parents to come up with. A poor family isn't going to have the money to pay the rest. Thus, money is taken away from public schools, only making the quality of public schools that much worse. If this voucher was a "free pass" for any school, then I would agree with you.


Being a teacher is definitely rewarding. I think it is a shame that rewarding careers have low pay. I guess it being rewarding makes up for it being low paying. Is that the rationale? To me, it's a symbol of how little education is valued.

Since I also have a "rewarding" job with low pay, I plan on perusing my doctorate, after my masters so I don't hit that pay ceiling. Then, with a doctorate I can also teach if I choose to, and probably will as an adjunct faculty.

True...Both sides are guilty of bad behavior but I never see you critisizing liberals behaving badly Foob.

Doesn't make me wrong.

Nor you, conservatives.

So, who are you? Shawn Hannity or something? Since you like to insult people who disagree with you, you must work for Rupert Murdoch in some capacity. For the record, I'm not a liberal or conservative before you decide to judge me & lump me in with the rest of those people you obviously detest. Your hatred nullifies any sense you think you're making & instead exposes you as a rabid conservative worthy of his own Fox show.

If you want to BS the entire forum, go ahead. But, you're not going to BS me when it comes to Chris Christy. I'm from Jersey, so go waste your time trying to convert liberals with your slanted political views.

The "truth" is that Christy didn't offer teachers any compromise. Vouchers are not a viable alternative to public schools. NYC has a charter school program that conservatives hold up as a shining example of how privatizing schools can be profitable. Yes, but what about those kids who didn't get a voucher? They get cramped into an overcrowded classroom because school districts have had their funding slashed & teachers laid off. Some classes resemble sardine cans, while others will remain empty from a lack of teachers. NYC has started to turn empty classrooms into charter classrooms within a public school. A classic example of class warfare within the walls of the same building. Think 1st Class VS Coach on a plane.

I like how you try to simplify things with the way you say the "average" teacher makes 50k a year. This is in one of the most costly states to live. I pay $1000 per month for an apartment in NJ. A friend of mine rents a house in Ohio for $650 per month. A cousin of mine rents a house in Pennsylvania for $500 per month. Rent a house in Jersey & it's over $2000 per month. 50k don't get ya very far in NJ regardless of your Republican talking points.

Christy hasn't just slashed teacher's pay & benefits, but cops, firefighters, & EMT workers as well. It's been an assault on ALL public employees. Go ahead & tell me we should pay cops & firefighters a pittance to put their lives on the line. While you're at it, tell me how Republicans are tough on crime...

Christy decided to balance our State budget on the backs of lower public employees. Did he slash his own salary? The State Legislature? Mayors & Councilmen? Judges & Lawyers? No, just those he deemed not worthy of a decent paycheck & benefits like a pension & health care. I'll believe he's serious when he does what NYC Mayor Micheal Bloomberg did & pay himself $1 for an entire year & give up his pension with 100% health coverage for his entire family. He can stop making taxpayers pay for his trips down the shore in a State Helicopter too. Oh yeah & he can raise taxes on the top 1% commensurate with NY & Conn. Let them move to PA & commute every day.

I'm not even interested in your response, because it'll probably go something like, "You're a douchebag who doesn't understand your own State because as a Republican I am the Almighty Oracle of all things political & yadda-yadda...

What kind of horrific comeback is this, Carl? You've got to be kidding me. You obviously have absolutely NO debating skills whatsoever. That is the only reason I can think of for such a lame retort to the fair and thoughtful post that I made. I gave you a point-by-point comeback, with external links and supporting evidence, and THIS is your response. Perhaps the most laughable post at SP this year. And there have been a lot of them.

To address the vast expanse of your truly enlightening response:

A. I was simply adding up time off. Teachers do in fact get about a month off for winter and spring breaks combined. Why are your shorts in a knot over me pointing out that fact?

B. I never said a union fired a teacher. You're flat out making crap up because...you...don't...know...what...you're...talking...about!

If you care to try again, I'll give you another shot. I mean, you gotta have something more than that. Picking out one comment of mine that you twist around and then flat out lie about another comment, all the while casually claiming I'm lying about being a teacher, is absolutely pathetic. I'm sure you can do better. Like my students, I can see the potential in you Mr. Bruni! Just underneath the surface! Spread your wings and fly!

Then why even post it in the first place? Sounds like someone is afraid to get into a debate where he has to defend his beliefs...

I hate when people say things like this on this board, conservative or liberal, because it's, (a) assuming the retort (which is almost always wrong), and (b) dripping with a disrespectful cockiness that's basically saying "I've just given you the objective truth- don't you dare disagree with me."

If dbl has something to say back to you, I would hope everyone here would be all for him doing so, whether it would be to agree with his points or to point out where his beliefs are faulty.

Sounds like we agree then that the comment made by others earlier that "unions fired teachers" in New Jersey was ridiculous. That's very good news.

I'm sorry but there is no way that a public school teacher gets a month off "for winter and spring breaks combined" because there simply are no fall or spring breaks. There may be a Christmas break, but I doubt if it is two full week time off even then. Spring break? Aren't you thinking of college professors?