When I saw the headline at Hot Air, I almost fell out of my chair. Could someone actually stand up to a teacher and tell them that they don’t automatically deserve to be rich just because they’re a teacher? Yes, yes someone could. Chris Christie, my friends.

Governor Christie on Tuesday told a borough teacher to find another job if she did not feel she was compensated enough as he defended his state budget cuts and promoted a plan to cap annual growth in property tax collections.

He also told an 89-year-old former mayor she’d have to wait until next spring for a rebate she’d been getting for more than a decade in the late summer. And he told a parent that cuts to services, including the local library, are needed because “we are out of money.”

A largely friendly crowd of about 150 people turned out in a church gymnasium to hear Christie deliver a half-hour talk that trashed greedy public employee unions and state laws that handcuff local officials trying to control spending.

He then opened the floor to questions. A few were softballs, including the declaration by Clara Nebot of Bergenfield that Christie is “a god” to her relatives in Florida.

But borough teacher Rita Wilson, a Kearny resident, argued that if she were paid $3 an hour for the 30 children in her class, she’d be earning $83,000, and she makes nothing near that.

“You’re getting more than that if you include the cost of your benefits,” Christie interrupted.

When Wilson, who has a master’s degree, said she was not being compensated for her education and experience, Christie said:

“Well, you know then that you don’t have to do it.” Some in the audience applauded.

Christie said he would not have had to impose cuts to education if the teachers union had agreed to his call for a one-year salary freeze and a 1.5 percent increase in employee benefit contributions.

“Your union said that is the greatest assault on public education in the history of the state,” Christie said. “That’s why the union has no credibility, stupid statements like that.”

Surrounded by reporters after she spoke, Wilson said she was shaking from the encounter, and worried she might get in trouble for speaking out.

It’s about time someone calls out the teachers unions. Christie is right, they are the single greatest assault on public education. They’re the single greatest assault on the free market in general, actually.

As for teachers, I’ve never been able to sympathize when they complain about not getting paid enough. So you have a master’s degree? So what? You aren’t happy with your salary? There are thousands upon thousands of people who can’t find a job at all and would be happy for any salary. I seem to remember that once upon a time, you weren’t guaranteed to make what you wanted to make. It’s up to the employer. You can choose to work for the salary they’re offering, or you can find a job elsewhere. That isn’t any different for teachers. Why is it that public school teachers feel like they automatically deserve a ridiculous salary, just by virtue of being teachers — like this teacher’s $83,000? Christie spoke nothing but the truth. If she wants to make $83,000, then she can feel free to quit teaching and try to find a job that pays that. Shockingly, teachers never do this, despite their caterwauling about how horribly they get paid (which is actually higher on average than other white collar workers).

I always wonder about Christie. He frankly seems too good to be true. Is it just an act to pander to the tea partiers? I guess only time will tell. In the meantime, if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s got a good shot at running for president one day.

Cross-posted at Stop the ACLU.