Thread:Comments:New Jersey students protest proposed budget cuts/Comments from feedback form - "Students walked out to protest..."

Students walked out to protest the serious cuts made by Governor Christie, who cut 10 million dollars in state aid this year to the public schools and will not deliver 14 million in state aid next year. This action penalized frugal school districts by forcing them to drain their surpluses to meet 2010 district goals. Also, he called for teachers to take a voluntary pay-freeze and to contribute higher rates to their medical plans. He is also going after their pension funds and the lowering the way they will pay out to 20 and 30 year teachers. He wants them to also pay a 1.5% increase into their medical plans. Before the school board elections he asked all voters to fail the budgets of those districts whose teachers did not take a volutary pay freeze. Meanwhile, he will not sign back into law a tax on those who earn over $400,000 a year. He believes the highest earners in New Jersey need a tax break because too many are leaving New Jersey. He is calling this sharing the sacrifice. Meanwhile, he is singlehandedly dismantling public education in New Jersey as we know it. Unless teachers retire in droves ( perhaps, his goal) art, phys ed. and extra curricular activities will not be funded and parents will be asked to pay as they go for these extras!