Monday our kids had a scheduled late start. They have those once in a while, instead of half-days. They are kind of annoying, but I'm used to them by now...and it's been on the schedule since the beginning of the school year, so parents can work around it. I imagine for parents who work outside of the home, it can be a bugger...not so much for me...
Then, yesterday school started two hours late because of incliment weather...fog... Sigh. Whatever...
Well, if you've heard in the news our governor is trying to pass a bill that is giving unions less clout. That would include the teacher's union. Apparently, yesterday the high school teachers in our town told the students that they would like them to participate in a walk-out today...because if 50% of the school isn't present, then they can't hold classes. I wasn't very happy to hear that. Some of the kids were "afraid they might chicken out and make it to the doors of the building and not go through with it" according to some of the students. In my opinion, the teachers can do what they want - but don't involve my kids in your propoganda, folks!
We got a call at 10:15pm from the automated CallAlert Messaging System in the school district that informed us that there would be no school today because more than 50% of the teachers called in sick for Friday and there were not enough subs to cover. They were sorry for any inconvenience. Really??? Was this supposed to make us oppose the governor's support of this bill? Think again. It just got me really mad. And, I don't get steamed up about much...not enough to keep me awake all night...but, don't mess with my kids!!! We pay you to be there for them and teach - and you get paid well!!! With good benefits!!
I realize not all of you may agree with my point of view. I am not against teachers. I have many friends who are teachers. I have great relationships with many of the teachers in the Middle School. Most of the teachers in this district have been wonderful and I have great respect for the many talented and dedicated teachers out there who give our kids their education. So, don't think this is a bash on ALL TEACHERS, I just feel like my kids were being dragged into the teachers' issue yesterday at the high school. And, even one of the Middle School teachers was posing a "hypothetical" situation about students having a walkout in a different district because they believed in something strongly and saying how noble that was. Bridgette didn't understand why they were being taught that in that particular class until today. Her whole class disagreed, and stood corrected by the teacher. That steams me. Don't mess with my kids!
Thanks for letting me vent. I've stopped to take a deep breath. And write a letter to the editor. We'll see if they print it. :)
7 comments:
I am so totally on your side!
How dare they make the kids their unsuspecting spokes people!
My sister lives in Wisconsin and she's disgusted with the whole calling in sick thing too.
Pennie,
you said it so well. I don't know exactly what I think of the proposed bill yet. I think drastic tmes call for drastic measures. Not everyone has a union on their side, yet they seem to be able to function just fine.
When Todd got made into a patrol sgt, he lost his union support. Only regular deputies can have union support. He also lost his ability to take on overtime until everyone had turned it down.
The very minimal pay raise he got actually made him earn LESS than he did as a regular deputy.
He sacrificed his union status, and wages, to help make the department a better place, by teaching the deputies, helping them make the right decisions and being a sounding board. The deputies, if they had a gripe, got the union and often times, the gripe was against their supervisors. Nobody was there to protect the Sgt's and like I said, somehow they manage to be ok.
Teachers, yes, have a great union. BUT...giving up a minimal amount of "support" and having to make decisions yourself without the help of a group of people to strike with you, I mean...really??? You can't stand up for yourself? Also, giving some wages, as hard as it is, back to the state is not great for them, but like I said, Todd took a paycut and somehow we managed. People manage with paycuts EVERY SINGLE DAY.
What I really disagree with is the fact that teachers WALKED OUT on our students to "strike".
You can't tell me that someone that values education, and being good role models and LOVES our kids, would just up and walk out on them for however many days.
That shows a complete lack of respect for our kids, and for us as parents.
Fight for your cause, have an opinion, but why is it ok for you to disrupt hundreds of children and parent's lives to make your point?
See what I'm saying? I agree with you 100% and I hope it all gets resolved soon.
Take Care,
Shelly
Catching up on all your blogs, teachers don't realise the influence they have on our children, they need to fight there own battles, i like the idea of a snow day though....... at 38 degrees celcius I don't think i have much chance of that maybe we can have a Hot day.......
Not exactly what I'd call teacher like behavior.
I don't agree with how your teachers handled the "sick out." That's not the way to get people to support your cause. I would be upset just like you were.
However, being in a public employee's union myself, I don't agree with what your govenor is doing. I've paid into my pension for 15 years. If my govenor ever decided to take the step yours is, I would lose all the money I have put toward my pension. It's my money and the state has no business deciding to touch that pot, even if they think it will help balance their budgets that they ran up. Just my thoughts...
That was a pretty crummy thing to do.
I totally get why the teachers were fighting against what the governor is doing, btw. I know it's a heated issue and my beef isn't at all with the issue itself...seriously, it's not.
It was just that my kids were dragged into it. I believe what they did to the students was an abuse of power. That's all. :)
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