Some of my fellow conservatives at the Conservative LiveJournal community like Chris Christie’s reply to a question about where he sends his kids to school.
Hey, Gail, you know what? First off, it’s none of your business. I don’t ask you where you send your kids to school, don’t bother me about where I send mine. Secondly, I pay $38,000 a year in property taxes for a public school system, predominantly in Mendham, that my wife and I don’t choose to utilize because we believe – we’ve decided as parents – that we believe a religious education should be part of our children’s everyday education so we send our children to parochial school. Third, I as Governor, am responsible for every child in this state, not just my own, and the decisions I make are to try to improve educational opportunities of every child in this state. So, with all due respect, it’s none of your business.
I think Christie could have done better. And by that I mean Christie is just the person who could have done better. My response:
I dunno. I wish he’d save the “none of your business” reply for a question he’s not going to answer.
Is it the business of citizens to ask politicians why they are comfortable with high taxes to support public schools that they themselves choose not to inflict on their own children, when those taxes deprive thousands of other families of the ability to make that same choice? Yes, it is our business to know that. So I don’t think “none of your business” is a good reply for a turnabout-is-fair-play question.
But the part about improving the educational opportunities of every child in the state is excellent. He could also point out that by giving people economic choices, he will do more than most other politicians to help public schools become better, and to become places where teachers will be prouder than ever to work, and where parents will be glad to send their children instead of being compelled to send them. It will result in increased public support for education, and restore public school teachers to a place of honor in our society.