High-Paid NJ Union Chief Under Fire for 'Fair' Comments Regarding Poor

By Newsroom America Staff at 8 Feb 2012

(Newsroom America) -- The head of a New Jersey teacher's union whose annual salary tops $300,000 is under fire for saying in a recent interview that "life's not always fair" when arguing against voucher programs aimed at sending poor students to private schools.

New Jersey Education Association Executive Director Vincent Giordano made his comment during a local "New Jersey Capitol Report" over the weekend, Fox News reported.

During the interview the host challenged Giordano as to why poor kids should not be given the same opportunities to succeed as others if their kids are failing in school.

"Those parents should have exactly the same options and they do. We don't say that you can't take your kid out of the public school. We would argue not and we would say 'let's work more closely and more harmoniously,'" he said.

When the host said some families could not afford the shift to private school without government assistance, Giordano quipped, "Well, you know, life's not always fair and I'm sorry about that."

NJEA spokesman Steve Baker said reports in New Jersey media in 2012 that said Giordano's salary was more than a half-million dollars with pay and benefits was not correct. Rather, he told Fox News, his salary is "in the three-hundred thousands, and the low three-hundred thousands."

The organization issued a statement trying to clarify Giordano's remarks.

"While Mr. Giordano acknowledges that his choice of words may be open to misinterpretation, his intent was to make the point that providing vouchers to a select few students is not the way to address the challenges faced by urban school districts," said the NJEA statement.

The union boss went onto say the NJEA's "record of support for urban education and disadvantaged children is unimpeachable." He added that he does not support vouchers because "they will take resources from disadvantaged public schools and only exacerbate the challenges faced by students in those communities."

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