oh my wrote on Aug 16, 2008 7:33 PM:yeah ok ...with all the cuts to schools in regards to the student...don't even get me started on this !!

Bob wrote on Aug 16, 2008 8:51 PM:Don't even try to blame the unions for this one. This is 100% the fault of the district. They chose not to plan for this and are now having to suffer the consequences. Unfortunately it will be on the back of students and teachers. Poway was the only smart district and ironically they have some of the best schools...go figure.

In the end nothing is about the children wrote on Aug 16, 2008 9:11 PM:Come election time we get these PTA parents who start flapping their jaws blaming Sacramento for not giving teachers MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY...

Ron wrote on Aug 17, 2008 8:09 AM:Sucking the very life out of public schools....
Now do you see why kids are scoring only 51 & 48% on testing?
The money is not focused on children,
public schools have become an employment agency.

Temecula wrote on Aug 17, 2008 8:10 AM:I work in Temecula, and when we retire, we get nothing! We can "opt in" to the medical program for over $1,000 per month, but no free medical when we leave.

Rubbish wrote on Aug 17, 2008 9:09 AM:I fear that there are some misintrepreted statistics in this article.

I am a retired classroom teacher. I have worked in four different districts. I have relatives who retired form three other districts in the area as well. None of those districts GIVES medical benefits to retirees.

In VUSD a classroom teacher retiree can pay the full and total cost that VUSD is charged by the insurance company for the privilege of joining the VUSD insurance pool. VUSD is out NO MONEY for retired teacher coverage. The cost to the retiree is an exorbitant MONTHLY fee of many hundreds even thousands of dollars but it is certainly NOT FREE! When that retiree reaches sixty five, the retiree is cut loose. They are not allowed to remain in the pool no matter how much they offer to pay. At sixty five the VUSD classroom teacher retiree is left with no medical insurance and no options. However, I believe several of our former superintendents were given life time free medical coverage.

Second there is no way that the average classroom teacher salary in North County is $65000. 65K is the amount that the most experienced classroom teachers can get for a year or two at the END of their thirty year career just before retiring. Their pay before that time is far, far less.

Sometimes news reporters look at the average for certificated (credentialed) personnel and believe that it is the average for classroom teachers. It is not. Certificated salaries include the salaries for school principals and psychologists and the truly obscene salaries of district office staff members--superintendents and their yes men. It would be like averaging Bill Gates salary with the computer techs salary and calling that the average pay at Microsoft.

In addition most classroom teachers’ salaries are diminished even more by the amount they spend on buying supplies and supplementals for their students. I believe I saw a statistic by the NEA that indicated the average spending of the typical classroom teacher on her or his students approaches $1000 each and every year of his or her teaching career.

I spend a lot wrote on Aug 17, 2008 10:53 AM:I have taught for over 10 years and at the minimum have consistently spent $1,000 per year.

Sickofit wrote on Aug 17, 2008 10:53 AM:Way too much is given to public employees for salary and benefits. It is the fault of the unions and weak school boards who do not stand up to the unions. The taxpayers and children suffer while teacher's unions laugh all the way to the bank.

to rubbish wrote on Aug 17, 2008 11:38 AM:when did you and your relatives retire? did you have a clssroom or a tent?
have you seen the cost of insurance lately?

Joe wrote on Aug 17, 2008 12:07 PM:I work for MVUSD and I pay $191 a month for my HMO. If I wanted the PPO I would have to pay $441 a month. Also, we do not get any benefits from the district when we retire unless you pay into a pool. The rates are even higher. I payed less when I worked at the local Henrys. Don't blame the unions...it is the districts fault for not budgeting the money properly.

Horrifying wrote on Aug 17, 2008 12:33 PM:This whole issue of health insurance is simply horrifying. Every man, woman and child should have health care insurance. Period. The insurance companies are stealing high premiums from us, or won't write insurance policies for us at all, while they sit back and laugh and make billions. That's right. Billions. When will everyone see that universal health care will take this whole problem away and schools can focus again on educating kids?

Larry wrote on Aug 17, 2008 1:03 PM:I don't see too many teachers chiming in with their comments. It always seems when their inflated benefits are exposed to the public, they remain surprisingly quiet.

Ron wrote on Aug 17, 2008 1:13 PM:To "Rubbish" @9:09 AM,

In the supposed $1,000 a year per teacher they spend on buying supplies and supplementals...

Don't you get a tax deduction for that expense?

And two.. as a parent of children myself, I have purchased supplies every year based on a list handed to me by my own child, from their classroom teachers. These items were needed by "all students" during the year, and included, but not limited to:
paper, pencils, pens, tissue, scissors, construction paper, glue, ink, paint, glitter, paste, erasers, trays, plastic boxes, handi-wipes, lysol, bleach, sponges, washcloths, towels: paper & cloth, toilet paper, poster board, x-acto knifes, etc...
Are ya getting the picture here?

wake up wrote on Aug 17, 2008 2:22 PM:the problems coming up with cash for the promised benefits are merely the symptom...
hmmm, isn't the city of san diego in the same mess with retiree's benefits ? hmmm, isn't the federal government in the same mess with medicaid, medicare and social security ???
you can't promise everyone everything to be popular (er...elected). at some point someone's got to foot the bill.

school districts wrote on Aug 17, 2008 3:02 PM:shouldn't make promises they cann't keep
its pathetic what their doing, public schools are crap and it starts with the administration

Rubbish to Ron wrote on Aug 17, 2008 3:11 PM:The key is that they are YOUR children. Before I retired I bought supplies for OTHER PEOPLE's children so OTHER PEOPLE's children could have better learning opportunities. When my children were in school, I was happy to spend whatever it took to get them a good education.

Also is your list a bit padded Ron? In my children's 12 years of public school education never once did my wife or I get a lengthy list even remotely like the one detailed in your comment of 1:13PM. I remember that my own children needed notebooks, paper, and writing utensils and in high school gym clothes. My wife and I gladly bought those but as to the rest of the items, I think that perhaps you may have exaggerated a bit. Is that possible, Ron?

Regarding tax deductible classroom expenses, it is true that in the last couple of years teacher’s now get a straight $250 dollar exemption for classroom purchases. In my time this exemption did not exist. I do not remember ever getting a deduction or exemption on my classroom spending. Even now any money spent above the $250 limit gives a teacher a deduction (no longer an exemption) on the amount of money spent that is over 3% of that teacher’s income. Effectively this means that a teacher gets NO tax relief of any kind on classroom spending above $250.

We teachers have a hard time denying our students a good educational experience just because we get no tax benefits. We spend OUR OWN money anyway. We spend the money even though we are spending it on OTHER PEOPLE’S children including yours, Ron.

To Ron wrote on Aug 17, 2008 3:37 PM:Teachers are allowed a $200 deduction only for federal taxes. Also, under state law schools can not require students to have any supplies. The list teachers provide are suggested supplies. The school must provide any supply needed for students; including paper, pencils, etc... You choose to buy these supplies for your kid and I am sure the teacher greatly appreciates your hospitality.

Are you getting the picture??

James wrote on Aug 17, 2008 3:40 PM:Teachers do pay into the retirement, STRS. The amount deducted varies based on the pay of the teacher. My wife has $390 deducted from each paycheck and the district matches that money. Just like the private sectors 401k's. If teaching is so great and they have the best benefits...then why do we have a teacher shortage in the state?? If you want what they have so bad then get a degree and apply.

Teacher wrote on Aug 17, 2008 6:05 PM:Teacher shortage? I am a teacher and am without a position due to the state budget cuts and declining enrollment. I am still left wondering why we are trying to balance the budget while we are in the midst of the biggest economic decline in 20 years. Oh yeah, let's go dump money into our jails, while education gets a cut...go figure.

Teachers are Professionals wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:18 PM:I don't know why it was added that teachers make a bit more than the median income. That's misleading. They should be compared to the median income of San Diegans who have college degrees. I bet teachers make much less.

To Rubbish wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:26 PM:Supplies that you buy for your classroom are to be submitted to the District for reimbursment. If the district then refuses to repay your expenses you can leagally deduct them from your taxable income.
Parents, however, who are required to purchase supplies have no right to deduct these supplies, even though it is their Public (taxpayer funded) school that is requresting/requiring those supplies be provided.

To James wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:28 PM:techer shortage???? I met no less than three fully cedentialled teachers working at Disneyland all of whom could NOT obtain a job in CA as a teacher, even though they were fully qualified and CA credential Teachers. There is NO TEACHER Shortage in CA. Just a shortage of GOOD TEACHERS!

teacher shortage wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:31 PM:my wife has been teaching part-time for 6 years trying to get a full-time position. I know many others in her shoes as well. In fact, a very large portion of these part-time teahers were given notice this year that they would not be returning next year because of the Budget cuts. There is NO TEACHER SHORTAGE in CA!

money into jails wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:34 PM:if we taught the kids to read at least by the sixth grade, and if they were to learn English as well, then we would not need to put so much money into our jails! over 80% of jail inmates are illiterate and more than half don't speak fluent English!!!! yet most are US Citizens! Go figure!!!!

Honest Guy wrote on Aug 17, 2008 7:42 PM:Teaching = part-time work.

Teacher Shortage wrote on Aug 17, 2008 8:14 PM:Go to edjoin and you will find hundred of teaching jobs in the state. Just because you chose not to move to an area that needs teachers does not mean the shortage does not exist.

Hey Honest Guy wrote on Aug 17, 2008 9:55 PM:So why don't you teach if you think teaching is full time pay for part time work? No one ever answers that. So many out there complain about how easy teachers have it, how little they work, how much they get paid, and yet none of them will do what is necessary to make it happen. They just complain. Newsflash: we are all taxpayers - even public employees.

As far as a shortage of teachers goes... yes, it depends on the area. But it has been well documented that in another 5 years there will be a serious shortage because of all the retiring baby boomers who are teachers. Good news!!! Those of you who wish you could get in on this great gig have the perfect amount of time to get there and be ready when the jobs open up. It takes 5 years of full time education to become a teacher. Perfect timing!!

I wonder if the anti-teacher sentiment that is rampant on these blogs is communicated to their children? Maybe that's why discipline has become so challenging. They carry the same prejudices as their parents?

lioneltrains wrote on Aug 17, 2008 10:54 PM:I can't believe what I'm reading here. Why do so many of you belittle teachers and criticize what benefits they do get in relation to their pay? If you want to whine and complain about overcompensated and "over-benefited" public employees, what about other city, county, and state employees, and especially city management people? They're all compensated out of the public trough too, and if their pay scales were more in line with where they should be, then school districts would be in much better shape to compensate their employees. How many California city managers make more than the state's governor? Quite a few do and that would be a good place to start trimming salaries and cutting benefits, rather then try to beat up teachers. So, get a brain and figure it out, California taxpayers.

Want to be a teacher wrote on Aug 17, 2008 11:01 PM:Find a teacher, ask to spend a day in their life. But don't just expect to show up with the kids and leave at the last bell. Really live the full day's life. For me (High School English) it means 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. with another hour at home. The pace is fast and furious, and I've had plenty of other jobs to compare it to.

Over the years, I've invited over 100 of my "teacher hater" friends in to experience a day, 11 have taken me up on it, and none have come back for a second day. Each of the 11 have apologized and never said another word!

to to rubbish wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:45 AM:Reimbursement from any district for teacher expenses in classroom is slow and difficult. Few teachers even try. Teachers are given many subtle and overt messages that attempts for reimbursement should be very rare. Any teacher who brings receipts in for substantial amounts of money over $50 is subject to lengthy interrogation and lectures about how tight the school site budget is, and demands that any spending for classrooms is approved on a case by case basis.

There is no right for automatic approval for any receipt. The teacher must have already spent his or her money and have a receipt. If the request is denied the teacher has no reimbursement.

Check school site records and school site budgets. You will find that few if any teachers turn in receipts. Those that do must do so in amounts for less than $50 a year.

If every teacher turned in just the expenses for the start of the school year which run to several hundred dollars, the pitifully small school site budgets would go belly up the first month of the year.

As to your fantasy about the wonderful teacher tax deductions, see the above post Rubbish to Ron.

Your points on parents are wrong. First NO PARENT can BE REQUIRED to provide any supply for their child. You know that. Second any donations that parents do make to schools can be deducted as a charitable deduction.

Teacher shortage wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:54 AM:There is a teacher shortage, but only specific positions. We have plenty of multiple subject elementary teachers who need jobs. I have met at least 5 multiple subject teachers without jobs in my area. There is a shortage of secondary math, science (especially physics) and special education teachers for secondary schools. Because of No Child Left Behind, a teacher must be hold a credential in the subject they teach and have majored in that subject in college. They can also take and pass a state test ( at their own expense) and qualify to teach these subjects. So people who say we have a teacher shortage and people who say we do not are both correct. We have too many multiple subject elementary teachers and not enough highly qualified math and science teachers in the high schools.

Sam wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:02 AM:I have seen all this going on for years. I paid for raising my three kids, schools, medical,supplies, etc.. I made my own retirement. I have watched all these corrupt school districts, unions, politicians, etc., feed off hard working people at the excuse of," It Is For The Children". Nothing is owed to anyone. Everyone wants everything. It is called GREED.

to Rubish wrote on Aug 18, 2008 12:15 PM:Ron is not exaggerating, get off your old rump and show up on the 1st day of any of the schools near you and you will see such lists handed to every parent in the school from every teacher.

Your fat retirement package that you still defend is the cause. You sit and watch TV all day on your Laztboy with your feet on the coffee table taking in a check each month off our kids backs!

its one thing to take the check but another to rub it in everybody's face!

to lioneltrains wrote on Aug 18, 2008 12:32 PM:most assistant principals and principals make as much or more than most city managers and don't even get me started on what the assistant superintendents and superintendents make. It’s a gravy train all the way! This is a classic response, it always comes back to ant-teachers against teachers. Really it’s a about anti-union against the union. Most teacher are great, love their jobs, care about the kids, etc. I personally like teachers and realize the unions are the problem. call me anti-union please.

to to to Rubish wrote on Aug 18, 2008 12:36 PM:please explain to us all why the school site budget is so small? I know, its because of the money gets sucked out the district every year by your union leaders.

I love the censorship wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:11 PM:I have posted the same comments 3 times and even though they meet the requirements have not been posted. The news is supposed to be unbiased right?

SMPTP wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:30 PM:This is a perfect example of how San Marcos and Vista Unified tax payers have been getting shafted over the years. If it wasn't for the changes in accounting rules these boards that have been dominated by union shill board members would have bankrupted these two districts without any consideration for your tax dollars or your kids. These dollars are “unfunded” and therefore not actually in the budget and that’s why year after year these district deficit spend and year after year the unions squeeze out more and more. these dollars amount to millions and millions of tax payer funded dollars each year that no matter what anybody says are straight off the back of the kids and at the hands of the unions!

It is unfortunate that so much money is sucked out of the tax payers that the teachers have to spend $1000 of their own money to buy classroom supplies. It’s even more unfortunate when you consider the average parent spends (on top of the taxes) $2k-$4k per student on classroom supplies and school fundraisers (PTO) to augment day to day operation of the School site and it’s still not enough!

curious wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:40 PM:Why is San Macros so much higher than anybody else's?

Censorship wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:43 PM:Yeah, I have had the same problem. Its a shame that only certain opinions are welcome?

to rubbish wrote on Aug 18, 2008 2:50 PM:It is unfortunate that so much money is sucked out of the tax payers that the teachers have to spend $1000 of their own money to buy classroom supplies. It’s even more unfortunate when you consider the average parent spends (on top of the taxes) $2k-$4k per student on classroom supplies and school fundraisers (PTO) to augment day to day operation of the School site and it’s still not enough!

Lovely wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:23 PM:Any and all lists of suggested supplies for students are just that suggested. Nothing is required. There is no money in the budget any more for field trips, so parents who want their children to have this experience are asked to pay for it--usually less than $20 a year. No parent is required to pay for anything in California not even textbooks--state law and state ed code forbid requiring parents to be forced to pay for their children’s FREE education. Besides any parents without means to pay is not required to and their child still gets to go on all field trips and participate in all activities. The school or the individual teachers picks up the expense for low income children.

You parents that are so angry about being required to spend some of your own money for YOUR child’s education are either wrong about the amount or you have your child at a private school. Private school rules are very different than our FREE K-12 education provided by the great state of California.

As to paying 2 to 4 K a year for each child in a public school, come on get serious. There is no way any parent outside a high school band parent could even begin to have expenses like that and then only if there is a trip overseas in the summer. Band is voluntary. If you do not want to pay, tell your kid to quit band, and hire your own music teacher.

As to the real statistic from the NEA about the average teacher’s spending about 1000 dollars a year on their students, I saw verification today. I went by my former public school here in Vista. Almost every classroom teacher was there working without pay. There were bags of school supplies from various local stores. I saw bags from Staples, Target, Wal Mart and Big Lots. Inside those bags were piles of spiral bond notebooks, folders, pencils eraser tops, white glue, boxes of crayons and marker--all purchased at the teacher’s own expense. Those same selfish teachers were working gratis, days before their first paid district day. Many were there last week working for free as well. Darn greedy teachers what nerve they have working days and days for no pay and then spending their own money on other people’s children. Those teachers sure do deserve the rude and hurtful comments of Ron et. al.


Teachers should be highly respected in society. We used to be. It is not our fault that the right wing found that vilifying teachers could raise money and energize their base. We did nothing to encourage that hate. Like Jews in pre-WWII Germany or blacks in the south all we did wrong was to exist. It is your fault for hating us not ours for existing. Those of you listen and believe the anti-teacher, anti-union, hateful and inaccurate right wing propaganda are the ones who threaten the fabric of American society not teachers.

For your information, union leaders get the same salary as teachers and the same benefits except I believe the president of the VTA gets a small extra stipend that as I recall was a few hundred dollars a month. All VTA leadership except the president also is a full time classroom teacher with all the duties and responsibilities of a classroom teacher. Those classroom duties are in addition to the long unpaid hours they donate for the good of the membership.

The president stipend does not even pay minimum wage for the long hours the VTA president puts in. She or he generally works from 8am to 7pm on most weekdays (and many weekends) but on board nights they work past midnight. During negotiations their hours are even longer. A few thousand dollars (well under ten) a year for the president of the association hardly compares to the millions that district officials skim off for favored programs and all expense paid educational conferences for themselves.

The rule in any large organization is that most of the money goes to those at the top. It works the same for school districts. First the state monies for classroom have to first get by the salaries, perks and vainglorious programs of district administration staff members, then what's left has to make it passed the individual school site administrators, if there is anything left a few dollars are sprinkled into the classrooms of a few favored teachers. The rest of the classrooms get bupkis.

To Lovely wrote on Aug 19, 2008 11:02 AM:Well stated. I have never read a more detailed and accurate explanation of what it is to be a teacher. I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was 7 years old, but it didn't happen for me until I was 40. I've been teaching for over 10 years and I can't believe how much I love it. Every single day I look forward to going to school and teaching - as well as learning from my students. I've had lots of jobs in the public and private sectors, having worked almost 35 years. Nothing has been harder, and nothing has been more rewarding than teaching.

It absolutely breaks my heart to read the kinds of comments made on these posts. People who bash teachers TRULY have no idea what they're talking about.

Thank you, Lovely.

Bottom Line wrote on Aug 19, 2008 3:54 PM:Bottom line is that the reason teachers "have" to purchase out of pocket is because the unions have taken every last dollar they can, even after being refutted from taking more than they got. If they could get every last dime, they would.

And it is the districts' fault for not budgeting the dollars? Haha! Yeah, if they had tried before the change in accounting rules there would have been teacher strikes if the insisted on setting aside the money.

The union reps do not represent every teacher. There are a lot of good teachers. They are the minority and have to put up with the antics of the union. Though, they don't necessarily pass up the raises the union gets them. If more of the good teachers spoke up instead of listening to the hateful lies regarding conspiracies of hiding money, and funny math, etc they wouldn't have to spend so much out of pocket.

To Lovely, right...the union boss is a full time teacher. With one exception, none that I have ever met were full time teachers. They were full time paid, but full time doing union work. The exception, the very very small districts with a total of maybe 10 teachers. Not to say that all union bosses are not full time teachers, but please don't paint with such a wide brush. Doing so belittles your argument and gives those that do not agree with you the excuse to disregard all your arguments.

Also, Lovely, how nice to immediately attack any disagreement with your view point as right wing hatred with some big conspiracy. I have noticed that "left" wing people almost immediately jump to this type of argument. And always try to suppress dissent by labeling it as nazism or racist.

History check for you regarding the different sides of the political equation. Nazism was a socialist type of government, in other words "left" wing. Southern racism was the strong hold of Southern Democrats; again "left" wing. Yet, somehow they have been able to obscure this fact of history. Of course, it is always easy to fool the uneducated. Oooooh! Maybe we are on to something with that. Conspiracy? Well, you decide, I won't jump to the conspiracy accusations like Lovely did. Personally I don't think it is a conspiracy, more like convenient.

to Bottom Line wrote on Aug 20, 2008 9:13 AM:I will say it again. No member of any union leadership team gets exorbitant pay or benefits. All union leadership gets the same pay as before they were elected to their leadership position. It is the same teacher salary as all other members of their association.

In Vista, the president, in addition to her or his teacher's salary, gets a pitifully small stipend that hardly covers the extra hours of work.

It should also be emphasized that all union leaders are elected from among a slate of candidates who self select to run for office. They are elected by a secret ballot of the entire membership.

The elected union leadership of the Vista Teacher’s Association changes greatly every two years at election time. It is difficult for full time teachers to make room in their busy full time teaching day for any extra duties let alone the huge commitment of time a leadership position requires. VTA leaders seldom stay in leadership positions for more than a very few years. In Vista all union leadership, except the president, teaches full time.

When the Vista Teachers Association president's term is over, the president goes back to a regular classroom as a regular teacher. That classroom may be anywhere in the district and likely will not be the same position she or he left to take the job as president. The extra hours of work, the incredible stress of the job, and her or his probable inability to return to her or his former classroom and school site mean very few members run for president. It is a hellish job with few rewards. Additionally the president virtually has to give up on her or his personal and family life for the full term of office.

Public school teachers are by far the most caring and giving people I have ever known. Teachers do not deserve the disrespect and out right hostility that they are getting. The only fault of public school teachers is to exist. As with all unfairly denigrated groups in history, all we did wrong was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when demagogues needed a scapegoat. Those of you who listen to those demagogues and repeat their baseless accusations should be ashamed.

to to bottom line wrote on Aug 20, 2008 1:16 PM:nice try. As usual if anybody doesn’t agree with your one sided point of view on the union and its leaders they are anti-Teacher. This is simply not true. If you actually look at what’s being said it’s the union and the leaders that we and most of the teachers dont agree with.

Why would someone want to be a Union President if the job was so hard. The reason is simple, somebody (usually hand picked) needs to keep pressure on the district so that all the money goes to them and not the precious kids. If the kids where so important, then why not leave some money aside every year for them rather than taking it all and more? In most district the financial obligation to the unions exceed by millions$$ of dollars every year what the district takes in (causing deficit spending). If the kids and their educations is really so important to you then why don’t you ask your leaders to negotiate a portion of that money for the kids?

The teachers themselves are great and clearly care about the kids and there education. The reality is that they don’t know that the pay raise and benifits they get every year puts a huge financial burden on the district and in the end leaves no money for our children. They trust that the unions are doing "the right thing" and respecting the children of each district and using what money is left to negotiate the raises and benefits. Unfortunately this is not the case, in fact the union leaders threaten strikes and long drawn out negotiation battles and the negative affect on the district of bad relations between the union and the district and then districts cave in.

I would think that only a union leader them self would defend such appalling behavior and then try to make concerned citizens that do not agree with them out to be un caring and ant-teacher. I for one love the teachers of my district and have the greatest respect for what they do. You (union leaders) are the ones that take advantage of and abuse there and the communities trust.

to to bottom line wrote on Aug 20, 2008 1:31 PM:You are the one that should be ashamed!

QuestionS wrote on Aug 20, 2008 2:12 PM:IS THERE ANYBODY WIHTIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS NEGOTIATING ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS?

IF NOT SHOULDN'T WE FORM A STUDENT/PARENT UNION OR AT LEAST HAVE A REPRESENTATIVES AT THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE SO ALL GROUPS ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED?

DO ANY OF YOU UNION FRIENDLY "FOR THE KIDS" FOLKS THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA?

Bottom Line to Lovely wrote on Aug 21, 2008 3:50 PM:My apologies. I misread your comment about union bosses. You did say all union leaders (district employed I assume and not the professional union leaders) EXCEPT the union bosses are full time teachers. So, my comments about union bosses were unnecessary since they only repeated what you stated. Again, my apologies for my miss-reading.

I stand by everything else I said though. In fact to add, the union line now is, "You are not required to fund that liability, you are only required to disclose the liability." And so, they are still pushing that districts should not fund this liability and should give them a raise instead. Threatning of strikes etc if the district tries to hold the line by funding this liability instead of giving them raises.

Questions wrote on Aug 21, 2008 3:59 PM:I didn't think so, its all about the kids until the rubber meets the road and then the real truth comes out.

These loud mouth union lovers can only ask questions not answer them!

to all wrote on Aug 21, 2008 4:21 PM:DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE THAT IS ENDORSED BY THE UNIONS. THE UNIONS HAVE HAD THEIR TIME NOW ITS TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY OT TAKE BACK THIER SCHOOLS!

To To all wrote on Aug 21, 2008 6:48 PM:Your 2 comments contradict each other. In one you say that parents and students should have a union, and in the next you tell people not to vote for a school board candidate endorsed by unions. So, which is it?

to to to all wrote on Aug 27, 2008 3:10 PM:Stupid question but I will answer it anyway. if there is going to be a union for the teachers and they are so great there should be one for the kids, don't you agree, if not why? Naturally we all know such a union does not exist. So in that case we should not support any candidate that is endorsed by the unions. If you are not for the teachers your very likely for the kids, makes sense right?