On March 15, Governor Christie held a townhall meeting in Middlesex county where much of the focus was on education reform. The bold reform rewards quality teachers while pruning out and removing tax paying support for teachers/educational systems that do not produce results. Rewarding success and discouraging mediocrity or failure is a biblical principle found at minimum in the parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, in context with the overlying theme throughout the Bible of hard work that produces results. Those who produce little will have little. Those who produce much will have much. Private property and personal success is God’s reward for godly and faithful labor.
Conservatives within the state strongly support legislation that cuts taxes and only rewards or subsidizes success. The argument among teacher supporters is the difficulty of testing and judging teachers based on student performance. To some, this might seem like lame union speech to protect the least of their own. However, a good teacher and a good educational environment can not undo habits and generational curses students might be accustomed to at home. Failure and dependency can be generational if not dealt with. Inspiration and motivation is spiritual. Neither of which a teacher can overcome during school hours in a secular “intelligent only fact learning” environment. If there is no discipline at home, then discipline in the classroom is disregarded. Parents who protect and justify their teenager’s rebellious backtalk and lack of focus highlights the frustration held by teachers. The state is in jeopardy in condemning the innocent person (teacher) when the failure to educate is parental.
Homeschooling and private school students attain much better grades and test scores than the average public school student. The teachers are underpaid in the private schools with some being uncertified and there is no teacher present in homeschooling, yet because of parent involvement in these situations the students succeed.
Liberalism’s idea of more money, more government, more programs does not answer the dilemma. Conservative reforms do not answer the dilemma. The Church holds the answer to the dilemma where the foundation of family is primary, the changing of a student’s heart and the renewing of their mind is required if personal success is to be obtained whether with a great teacher, a not so great teacher, or no teacher at all.
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