NJ Teachers' Union Head Vince Giordano Made $550,123 in 2009, Paid to Him thru Property Taxpayers

As Governor Chris Christie goes to war with the NJ teachers union, let's review what he's up against.

The head of the New Jersey Education Association Vince Giordano received $421,615 in salary and $128,508 in deferred compensation last year, according to tax filings released last Spring.

NJEA president Barbara Keshishian earned $256,450 last year. VP Wendell Steinhauer and Secretary-Treasurer Marie Blistan were paid $170,974 each.

Meanwhile, the governor earned a measly $175,000.

Christie Seeks to Shut Failing New Jersey Schools, Expand Charter Program

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he'll seek to shut failing schools and intends to release a plan as soon as next week to create more charter institutions.

The state should let charter operators take over the buildings of schools that have been shuttered, Christie, a first-term Republican, said at a town-hall meeting in Paramus. There are 104,000 students in the state who attend public schools deemed chronically failing, Christie said.

The governor has said New Jersey's public-education system is too costly and failing many children. In September, he proposed linking teacher pay and tenure to student performance, and making it easier for districts to fire the worst educators. On Jan. 11, he said the time to end tenure "is now."

"Teaching can no longer be the only profession where you have no rewards for excellence and no consequences for failure to perform," Christie said.

"NJ Teachers' Union Head Vince Giordano Made $550,123 in 2009, Paid to Him thru Property Taxpayers"

I'll be the first lib to say it, that is simply indefensible. We do have some greedy leaders in teachers unions, here in Florida too. Christie isn't necessarily wrong on education. I would prefer that a large portion of that huge salary Mr. Giordano gets be spent on hiring teachers who can teach and yes school districts do need to be able to fire bad teachers.

#3 | Posted by danni

This may be the first time I have ever agreed with you. You're not being a good Dem., remember it's union all the way.

I admire the guys brass.

But he didn't mean it That way. He's misunderstood--taken out of context.

Geez Giordano makes more than the POTUS!

Geez I bet the guy at Burger King makes more than Asshouse!

"yes school districts do need to be able to fire bad teachers."

In the majority of cases, they are able to do exactly that. They just have to prove just cause. It's sort of like the legal system--you can't just send someone to jail 'cause you THINK they did a crime. You have to prove it.

Addendum to my #9: It should be a bit easier than it is. It takes a great deal of time, and in large districts, this is pretty tough. There should be no rubber rooms (not that the practice is widespread, and I read here last week that there were no more in NYC).

Geez Giordano makes more than the POTUS!
#7 | Posted by MURPHY

10 | Posted by pragmatist

Aug 23, 2010 Fmr. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, (R-NJ), on the strength of unions in New Jersey to protect teacher jobs.

"If I was a teacher in NJ at the average salary of $58,156 I'd have a big damn problem with Giordano's compensation. "

Me too.

I have at least as big a problem with the fact that the super in my tiny district makes (including bennies) three times what I make and twice what the person at the top of the grid makes.

Thanks for the link, PA. This is all mostly the same stuff. No one has yet made an effort counter the point I'm making: If admin take the time to prove a teacher is bad, said teacher can be gotten rid of. Just cause says "prove it!" I am also on record, on multiple occasions, as saying it could be made easier. But made easier not easy. I'm willing to bet that, proportionately, there are just as many lazy, "deadwood" administrators who are "no longer being creative" as there are teachers of that ilk. Both need to go. But I've seen it, man: administrators who don't and won't take the time (sometimes can't because of restrictions of the job, not union restrictions but other realities) to build a case but just thunder "Mr. Johnson has to go!!!" If Mr. Johnson is shitty, I want him gone, every teacher I know wants him gone (except Mr. Johnson), every union leader I know wants him gone. Bad teachers in our midst help no one, and only hurt the students. I have made it pretty clear to my principal (just yesterday) that I hope he takes a good look at a certain person, and fast. That person has been damaging our kids for a while, and NO ADMINISTRATOR IN NINE YEARS has taken a look at said teacher. They simply believe the teacher is good 'cause the teacher talks a good game. That's NOTHING to do with the union but with administrative ineptitude. No one has looked; the union action only happens when the look happens and subsequent action happens. Yes, that's a tiny anecdote. But think about it. It's not as simple as "Unions protect bad teachers."

11--Btw, if I WERE a teacher... Subjunctive. : )

#14 | Posted by pragmatist

Now you know why I wanted that sentence diagramming book. :-)

On the outside looking in I also will suggest that the ratio of administrators to teachers has gotten out of hand. The earliest records for our school district that I can find has 14 teachers per administrator and now we are at 5 to 6 teachers per administrator.

I want better, more motivated people to look to teaching as a desirable career. I know that excellence deserves reward but I will personally never agree to increased spending on education in my school district. We have to get rid of the dead wood to reward the desirable.

#15 | Posted by paneocon
Financial Genius
Real Estate Wizard
Foreign Policy Expert
Domestic Policy Font of Wisdom
Education Specialist
Cook
Bottle-washer

#16 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis

Financial Genius, I wish, but I'm working on it.
Real Estate Wizard, obviously not see Financial Genius
Foreign Policy Expert, no more that most on the DR
Domestic Policy Font of Wisdom, I try to contribute do you?
Education Specialist, I have one and I use it and I fear having you and your ilk educating our future leaders is a death sentence for America so I'm getting involved.
Cook, Yes frankly I'm a damn good cook
Bottle-washer, I do my fair share

I'm sure you will point out when I post up something that is in error.

Vince Giordano Made $550,123 in 2009, Paid to Him thru Property Taxpayers

......??.....union officials are paid through deductions from union members pay......

......whether a union official works for 1 dollar, or a million dollars, the amount paid to the teachers by the "taxpayers" remains the same.......

........misleading headline slanted to smear unions........