Gov Christie says Joe Biden won't take the "stranglehold" away from the teachers union

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie criticized President Biden's support for teachers unions, arguing it didn't help that the president is "sleeping with" a union member in reference to first lady Jill Biden, a longtime teacher, during the second Republican debate Wednesday night.Show more

"Let's tell the truth, everybody, about what this is," Christie remarked. "The public school system is no longer run by the public. It is run by the teachers unions in this country. [American Federation of Teachers President] Randi Weingarten and her crew are absolutely strangling — they are taking the worst of their members and defending them rather than advocating for our kids."

"And when you have the president of the United States sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you can take the stranglehold away from the teachers union every day. They have an advocate inside the White House every day for the worst of their teachers, not for our students to be the best they can be. A president of the United States has to take on the teacher's union."

Jill Biden, who has been a teacher for decades, has continued working since President Biden took office in 2021. She is an English and writing teacher at Northern Virginia Community College.