By Valerie Strauss
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten sent a letter to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), asking him to apologize to a teacher whom he yelled at during a campaign event a few days before he won re-election this week.
[…]Dear Governor Christie:
To stand in front of the voters, ask for their support and win decisively, as you did yesterday in your re-election, deserves to be acknowledged and congratulated. But to stand in front of a public school teacher, as you did a few days before the election, and bully her in such a hostile and intimidating way for simply asking a question, was wrong and unbecoming of the governor of New Jersey.
Governor, you’re better than that. I saw that in your actions after Superstorm Sandy. And, while we have many differences, I have seen you pragmatically work through these differences to reach a contract that preserved public education in Newark.
Last night in your re-election speech, you declared that leadership is much less about talking than it is about listening. And that it’s about bringing people together around a table, listening and showing respect. I couldn’t agree more.
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