TRENTON — State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, after two days of public scolding from his boss Gov. Chris Christie, this afternoon admitted he struck a headline-grabbing compromise with the state's biggest teachers union without the governor's approval. He said he made a "mistake" and would not do it again. He has not considered resigning. In his first comments since...
Prior to testifying, Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, right, is visited by State Senator Tom Kean Jr. in Senate committee room 6.
TRENTON — State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, after two days of public scolding from his boss Gov. Chris Christie, this afternoon admitted he struck a headline-grabbing compromise with the state's biggest teachers union without the governor's approval. He said he made a "mistake" and would not do it again. He has not considered resigning.
In his first comments since the controversy exploded Tuesday, Schundler told the state Senate Education Committee that he deserves the blame and he will continue to support and promote Christie's agenda of reforming state education policy.
"It was my mistake," Schundler told reporters after testifying before the Senate Education Committee at the Statehouse.Schundler announced last Thursday that the Christie administration and the New Jersey Education Association reached a deal on terms of an application for up to $400 million in federal school funding. The deal was later termed a one-way compromise that gave NJEA everything and won nothing for the administration. The agreement called for the state to withdraw its push for merit-pay bonuses for teachers and for permission for districts to disregard seniority when deciding what teachers are to be laid off. With the deal, the NJEA offered its endorsement of the state's application.
When the application for Race to the Top funding was formally submitted Tuesday, the endorsement and agreement were both removed and the details were restored to the original terminology the NJEA opposed vocally. Christie scolded Schundler for stepping out of line and not informing him of the deal's terms. The governor also said he would never give in on the seniority and merit-pay issues that are critical planks of his education agenda.
Christie's announcement Tuesday shattered the fragile peace with the NJEA after only five days.
The governor and union have been feuding since last year's election in which the NJEA aggressively supported then-incumbent Jon Corzine.
Schundler confirmed the governor's explanation of what happened and blamed it on his own decision to give in to the NJEA on "make-or-break" points and announcing the deal before briefing the governor.
| Governor Christie on the NJEA |