Brody's Notes... New Jersey Governor Calls Teacher's Remarks "Disturbing"

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, (R)

By Brody Levesque | NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie, (R) appearing via phone on WABC Talk Radio's the Joe Crummey Show Wednesday morning- when asked by co-host Patty Steele about statements made by Viki Knox, the Union Township high school teacher whose anti-gay Facebook comments set off a national debate about free speech versus LGBTQ equality rights- said:

"I think that kind of example is not a positive one at all to be setting for folks who have such an important and influential position in our society. I'm really concerned about those kinds of statements being made."

The Governor added "I would like to see an examination of how that teacher conducts herself in the classroom because I think that's extraordinarily important too."

Christie told hosts Crummey and Steele that he found the comments Knox made disturbing and then he renewed his call to overhaul teacher evaluations along with the state 's current tenure system. Christie is advocating that a review process be implemented which would include in-classroom evaluations and standardised testing establishing a standard of re-certification for New Jersey's teachers every three years instead of the current life-time tenure system that is in place.
The New Jersey Star-Ledger has reported that the uproar over Knox began two weeks ago when she posted comments on her public Facebook page critical of a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History Month display at Union High School. 

The special-education teacher with more than 20 years of experience went on to describe homosexuality as “a perverted spirit” and “a sin that breeds like cancer.” 

The district launched an investigation last week to determine whether Knox’s conduct violated any school policies. The teacher retained an attorney Friday through her union, the New Jersey Education Association. 

In an earlier post, Knox had called on students in her Seekers Fellowship Bible study group to pray. “Well, the enemy is making it clear and plain as day what Seekers Fellowship needs to pray about/against,” Knox wrote beneath a photo of the display.