A Strike Cut Short
The teachers in the Detroit school system went on strike over a 5.5% paycut. The school needs to cut expenses and the cuts need to come from just about everywhere. It is unfortunate but it also a fact of life. Reality trumps politics (or at least it should) and sadly it also trumps human needs.
Yesterday (Friday) Circuit Judge Susan D. Borman ordered the teachers back to the classroom. She based the ruling on a 1994 law that limited the rights of teachers to strike when doing so would harm the students.
The union says it will follow the injunction but I think we need to wait and see on what will happen.
What bugs me though is that the teachers know that the school district has serious financial problems, and neither the city nor state can afford to bail them out, yet they strike anyway. They are not striking against the school board; they are striking against reality. Somehow reality always wins.
They say their chief concern is for the children, yet when it comes down to it, they talk only about themselves.
Yesterday (Friday) Circuit Judge Susan D. Borman ordered the teachers back to the classroom. She based the ruling on a 1994 law that limited the rights of teachers to strike when doing so would harm the students.
The union says it will follow the injunction but I think we need to wait and see on what will happen.
What bugs me though is that the teachers know that the school district has serious financial problems, and neither the city nor state can afford to bail them out, yet they strike anyway. They are not striking against the school board; they are striking against reality. Somehow reality always wins.
They say their chief concern is for the children, yet when it comes down to it, they talk only about themselves.
posted by shoprat at 8:36 PM
6 Comments:
I used to install and service the ID badge systems for several DPS high schools. I think that it is possible to get a decent education there if you can stay out of trouble, but there are many things working against the kids there. First, there is no toilet paper in the bathroom. Second, the text books are old and outdated. Third, I think a lot of the teachers are just hacks who can't get into a better district. Fourth, the looting department heads and cleptocracy that permeates the city govt. at every level.
I think the pay cut is a little harsh, but I still a smaller pay cut (2-3%) is in order. Face it, prices are going up, not down. For them to demand 5% a year for the next two years is just asinine.
Hell, I only got a 2% raise this year and was happy to get it. I do get some of my income from bonuses and commisions, so I just worked harder to get more commision income. The result was I had my best year ever, but worked a lot harder (and smarter) to get that money.
If they want job security, they have to take what is given since their strike is illegal in the first place.
It's a terrible fact that no matter who's fault anything is, the kids are the ones who suffer.
I don't agree with teachers striking. They signed a contract and they should fulfill their obligations for the year. If they hate the place so much, they need to find a different place to work the next year.
I used to work in a place like this, but now I'm in a very good district. The biggest difference I see is the amount of involvement from parents.
It's interesting these teachers are voicing concern for their students as one of the reasons for the strike:
"And our students are entitled to clean classrooms with supplies and books, so we're going to fight for those things."
There is much more to this story.
Tim A lot of people in this state are hurting right now. I will probably get a very small raise which will be just about wiped out by an increased contribution to my medical.
lone pony. That "concern for the students" is sincere in some and just fluff for others. For far too many of these teachers it's concern only for their wallets.
Shoprat,
Signs of the times, ain't it? Big
local wood products place out here
negotiated a big pay cut a couple years back. Executives bonuses went through the roof. Congress and execs get the raises, sure glad we cut their taxes!
unfortunately if you trace it all backwards you can most likely put about 99% of the problem at the feet of a union....i know you all are in union proud states - sorry bout that - but unions (especially the NEA) are not what they were intended to be 100 years or so ago when they were formed. i could go for pages about how the NEA is the root cause of the collapse of this country's educational system...
dm I am not particularly proud of the UAW, which I would much rather have nothing to do with.
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