TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie took his fight with the state's largest teachers union directly to the kids today, telling a room full of Trenton students their schools were short on supplies because of greedy teachers union officials — not state aid cuts.

"There’s a lot of really great teachers in the state," said Christie. "But their union cares more about how much they get paid than they care about how well you learn."

A spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association said the remark was ironic considering the governor’s April statement that teachers were using students as "drug mules" by discussing state aid cuts with them.

"The governor apparently has a double standard, because he claimed that teachers were using kids as drug mules," said NJEA spokesman Steve Wollmer. "Now he’s speaking directly to children about matters political."

Christie spoke to about 100 teens at a Trenton Boys & Girls Club, which he visited in 2009 and promised to return to after the election. The kids asked pointed questions, most often about the state of their schools and cuts in state aid to Trenton, which lost $43 million.

NJEA president Barbara Keshishian talks about Gov Christie and Education Commissioner

Christie responded that the state cut a smaller proportion of Trenton’s school aid than most of the state’s districts.

"Too much of that money is not getting to all of you to get the best teachers, to get the materials and the technology that’s necessary to get you the best education," he said. "The money is going to places it shouldn’t go to. At times like this, nobody can be greedy. Everyone has to be willing to share with each other."

The remarks came just two hours after the NJEA wrapped up its convention in Atlantic City. Acting Commissioner of Education Rochelle Hendricks declined to attend, snubbing the union and breaking a long-standing tradition.

In her keynote speech, NJEA President Barbara Keshishian did not mention the conflict with Christie. Instead, she recognized teachers who make a difference in New Jerseys classrooms. The ceremony honored Teacher of the Year Danielle Kovach, classroom innovation grant recipients, and two public school graduates who are standouts in their respective fields.

"Teachers are givers in a world dominated by takers, and they're also sharers," said Keshishian. "This collaborative instinct makes our profession unlike any other."

Some of the honorees criticized Christie’s educational reform agenda for focusing too much on standardized testing, which they said would stifle students’ creativity.

"I’m not saying basic skills learning is not important, I’m saying when we have an education system based solely on achievement scores, we’re pushing students away from the kinds of innovation that have made our state great," said Honoree Joseph Renzulli, director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education. "Look at Menlo Park and Thomas Edison. One little idea created an entire company and thousands of jobs."

Editor's Note: Honoree Joseph Renzulli's profession was misstated. He is director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education.

By Jessica Calefati/Star-Ledger Staff and Matt Friedman/Statehouse Bureau

Previous coverage:

• NJEA president praises teachers during address, ignores Christie administration snub

• NJEA president to address N.J. teacher's convention about Christie administration snub

• Editorial: Snubbing teachers: Gov. Christie seems to like feud with teachers

• N.J. education head's absence at NJEA conference sparks speculation about pressure from Gov. Christie

• A first for NJEA: Acting N.J. education commissioner declines to speak at convention

• Gov. Christie appoints task force to revamp N.J. teacher evaluations

• Hidden video by conservative activist James O'Keefe renews NJEA, Gov. Christie dispute