Correction; A Small Group of Teachers Trying to Stiff Taxpayers!
A respected colleague asked me to recheck my facts regarding the flap over the Elementary School position “cuts”. According to my colleague, the teachers have nothing to do with this and if I bothered to check I’d clearly see that only three teachers have signed the Warrant Article that seeks to restore the funds and the position.
Okay, fair enough. I set out this morning to find evidence that I’m wrong about this. Turns out that my rhetoric may be slightly too harsh but I emphasize the word “slightly”.
After some research I’ve concluded thus far that the only amendment needed on yesterday’s post was to change the title slightly. It now reads “A FEW Elementary School Teachers Trying to Stiff Taxpayers”.
Additionally, this small group of teachers is doing everything they can to stir up the parents into joining their cause.
To arrive at this conclusion I have done three things today.
1) I Re-read the messages I received from a credible source (someone advocating on behalf of the teachers) on this subject. During the email debate on this issue the writer clearly makes the case from the teacher’s point of view. Not once during this debate does the writer refer to any “concerned parents”. The concern is 100% on behalf of the teachers at that point in time. (before these teachers drafted some parents to their cause)
2) I re-read the paper articles and spoke with people that were at the public hearing. Clearly the “concerned” parents were surrounded by the small group of teachers in question. Teachers were clearly at the hearing and making noise. The most outspoken teachers were, Pam Hayes, Carol Podmore, Linda Wright, and Patty Madore. Plus Mark Wright who works for the district. Furthermore, one of the “concerned” parents is actually a volunteer for the district.
3) I re-read my notes from the Elementary School discussion with Sandy McGonagle. I specifically asked her who was making all the noise about the cuts and her response was “a small group of teachers”. The only concerned parent at the time was Joe Wernig and he is a teacher in another district. Sue Allen, Chairperson of the School Board did say to the Budget committee “keep in mind that this is confined group of teachers who are making all the noise”.
After looking into the situation a little deeper I’m still seeing this for what I think it is. A small group of teachers that have fired up a few parents into making a stink about a situation that ultimately has very little, if anything, to do with the outcome of the children’s education. I see the lack of teacher’s signatures on the warrant article as a convenient way to provide cover now that they’ve got an angry group of parents making all the noise.
So far that’s my “opinion” based on the facts as I’ve laid them out. In fact, claiming that the teachers have nothing to do with this is patently false. (sorry, the facts don’t support that)
I have a great deal of respect for my colleague and I completely admit that I am skeptical of issues surrounding teacher unions and budgets. I hear my colleague when he tells me this has nothing to do with the teacher’s union. Unfortunately you can’t separate the two. They are a union by definition that speaks with a unified voice. It puzzles me that I can’t find a teacher that likes the teacher’s union yet they all belong to one. How does the teacher’s union relate to the noise about the Elementary School?
The teachers union has no problem coming out to support all kinds of issues that suit their needs. They have done this in the past to help gain support of the community on issues they feel important. They also expect a certain amount of support from the community. This is why the teacher’s contract initially gained 100% support from the Budget Committee on their new contract. In return I would think that at a minimum the community, and the Budget committee, could expect a certain amount of support from the teachers union. This issue should be important to them and if they do support the School Board’s budget proposal, they sure have a funny way of showing it. In my opinion, their silence is a glowing endorsement for all the noise being made about the Elementary School issue.
You have to admit. If the teacher’s union would have come out in support of this solution for the elementary School then it would go a long way to comfort any concerned parents. The facts are just the opposite. The teachers union, as a whole, is totally silent throughout this debate.
This is a solid reason why there should be a re-vote from the Budget Committee on the Teacher’s Contract. We, as a community, deserve to know where the Teacher’s Union comes down on this issue.
