Times of Trenton--Has public school teaching become devalued in the public eye?
New Jersey's teachers are a bunch of whiners - grabby self-promoters with cushy jobs and carefree summers.
Or ...
Our state's teachers are dedicated professionals who endure long hours, unruly students and insufficient pay to educate the leaders of tomorrow.
Everything depends on which of the nearly 1,500 online responses to this week's hot-button editorial on the future of teaching you agree with.
The editorial, which ran under the headline "Sad state when few in NJ want to teach," reflected on a recent report that the number of high school student who want to become teachers is declining dramatically.
Times of Trenton Editorial Board| July 18, 2016 at 7:07 AM, updated July 18, 2016 at 7:08 AM
The Press of Atlantic City--Christie sees fairness in education plan; advocates disagree
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's school-funding formula is hailed by education advocates as a national model for providing resources to poorer districts.
But it's also led to backlash from residents around the state paying the country's highest property taxes, which fund education.
Republican Gov. Chris Christie launched a campaign this summer for a plan he says will fairly fund schools and provide property tax relief.
Christie's "Fairness Formula" would divide state funds on education equally to school districts based solely on district population. It would not take into account factors such as poverty and English language learners.
Besides tax relief, Christie says the plan would bring more accountability to districts overspending with poor academic results.
"We have a way to fix this and to lower your taxes at the same time," Christie said at an event to promote his plan. "It's going to mean making some people uncomfortable. ... I'd rather have people uncomfortable than to waste the potential of children."
Some mayors from towns that Christie says would see property tax relief have cheered the news. But many education advocates question the plan.
Associated Press| Posted: Saturday, July 16, 2016 11:40 am