Gov. Christie, Sharp Elbows and Our New Sheriff

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie can be a compelling ally of education reform when he uses, as a teacher might say, his indoors voice.

I expect that will happen when he speaks Monday afternoon at Gov. Terry Branstad's big education summit. Christie's message is worth hearing.

Here's an excerpt from a well-received speech he gave at Harvard earlier this year:

We have a situation in our country now where we have an educational system which is set up for the ease, comfort, and security of those who operate it. Not for the challenge and effectiveness and efficiency of those who are supposed to be benefitting from it. We have a system where we are unwilling to speak the truth about what we know because we are afraid to offend special interests in this country who have heretofore been untouchable. Until we come to grips with that very basic truth all the rest of the things that I will talk about today are simply in my view pie in the sky, wishes and dreams. It will not be able to be accomplished on the ground to get them done. So in my view this is the biggest fight that we can have.

He will be a star attraction here in Iowa, or a villain, depending on your politics.

A lot of Republicans love the guy, and not for his indoors voice. They love the in-your-face Christie, throwing sharp elbows and shutting up people and going to war with the teachers' union. Some begged him to run for president. That might come up while he's here. Just a guess.

I've seen bumper stickers asking “How's that hope and change working out for you?” In New Jersey, on education reform, a sticker could ask “How's that in-your-face working out for you?” The answer, so far, is not so well.

Christie made 2011 the year of education reform. In April, he outlined ambitious reforms fundamentally changing how teachers are evaluated and paid, with ratings based in large part on student performance.

Christie did get major public pension changes through the Democratic Legislature, ironically, with the help of Democratic Party bosses. On the heels of that win, Christie thanked Democrats by using line-item vetoes to ax their budget priorities. Senate President Steve Sweeney dubbed him a “rotten (rhymes with trick),” as heartless as old man Potter. Sweeney told the Newark Star-Ledger that he'll now block many of Christie's school reforms.

To get them through, Christie may need the bosses again. You gotta love Jersey.

Meanwhile, Christie's approval ratings have tanked. The Disrupter loses to The Boss in a theoretical matchup.

Behind all the bluster, Christie's passion is admirable. Many New Jersey schools are in deep trouble, despite high per-pupil spending. It's the right fight to pick. And maybe in Trenton, hardball is a way of life.

But Iowa is very different. And I hope our “new sheriff in town” governor doesn't swagger down the Christie path to winning friends and influencing people. Iowa's schools need a transformation. I'd like to see it happen. Confrontation won't get us there.

Branstad may get only one shot at this. Before he opts to go to war, he needs to ask himself if he's got a better chance fixing public schools with shared Statehouse control in January, or with a possible Tea-partying, slash-and-burn Legislature in 2013.

A lame duck bearing school reforms, maybe pricey ones, might not get much help there. That's what happened to Branstad's last reform drive in 1998. A GOP Legislature sliced it up. His fourth term ended in a hail of vetoes and hard feelings.

So far, Branstad's fifth term has been all my-way-or-the-turnpike on an array of important issues. He needs to recalibrate his leadership style for a heavy lift like this. If he doesn't, fuggedaboutit.