For twelve years, I have been writing these articles for the County Line. In this, my final year as MCCEA president, I realize that there are so many things that I have learned, and so many things that I have yet to say. After all, the learning curve for this particular job is immense, and the experiences that I have had have taught me so much. However, there is one lesson that to this day eludes me, and that is the lesson of patience. I am sure that this is a genetic deficit because the first sentence my youngest son uttered was, “Patience is a virtue, Mommy.” Even at age 2 he was so used to me saying, “Patience is a virtue,” that he got it.
What confounds me – what I just can’t get – is the reluctance of people in our profession to listen to their association leaders when it comes to voting and elections. It makes me impatient – indeed frustrated and almost crazy - when I realize that we as association members have the strength in numbers to vote out, or never vote in, those candidates who are sworn enemies of public education. How can people not see the direct connection between what is happening in state government, and the Republican goal to create for-profit schools all over this country and do away with public education? Make no mistake as that is the ultimate goal of Chris Christie and his allies. The state workers in Wisconsin have learned this lesson all too well, and when I volunteered in Wisconsin last March, I heard over and over – “If I had only known, if I had listened to my association and not voted for Scott Walker…..” What happened in Wisconsin took place because the governor and legislature were all Republican, and they could do as they wished. Now Wisconsin is preparing to initiate a recall for Walker as governor. If voters had only listened to their association from the beginning……
On November 8 every seat in the New Jersey Legislature is up for election. The days following the November election are called the lame-duck session in the legislature, and this time frame lasts until the newly- elected candidates take office in January. It is believed that the NJ legislature will use the lame-duck session to make sweeping changes to tenure and seniority, create a system of merit pay and make teacher evaluation changes based on student performance. And if you think that the legislators would not do any of this – just remember what they did to you and all state workers this past spring.
WE can change things in this coming election on November 8. I grew up in a very Republican family, but the Republican Party today is not the party that it used to be. Check out the Koch Bothers, Americans for Prosperity, American Crossroads, and ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) to see what kind of greed exists. I know my values and concerns for social justice and the right of every child to have a free and public education will guide me as I vote on November 8. Because when it comes to our current Morris County leaders in the legislature and my wish that they would do the right thing for public education – I have run out of patience. I hope you have too.