UPDATE: Strike will continue into Monday.
A week ago today I was taking pictures of protesting Tea Partiers in Lake Forest and Mission Viejo. Those people were mad at their government, but overall were pretty happy to be there. Different story today.
Today I went out and did a couple of "drive-by shootings" of CUSD Teachers protesting at a couple of schools I'm familiar with. First, Newhart Middle School, which is located about 1/4 mile from the location of the Mission Viejo Tea Party. Most of the protest activity was away from the school itself. These folks were headed away from the school toward the La Paz/Marguerite intersection.
In front of the school itself was a smaller group. Because of the trees and plants the school itself is almost invisible from the street.
This quartet apparently wanted to be heard. They were standing on tip-toes, peering over the bushes, and yelling stuff at the school.
Most of the group had decided to go down to the corner where the Mission Viejo Tea Party was held and march around that busy intersection.
I also ran down to Laguna Niguel Elementary School where my niece attends to check out the scene there. I noticed a security guard posted in the school's parking lot, and all the protest activity was confined to the corner away from the parking lot entrances.
From what I'm hearing from various sources the activities planned for the kids who did show up at school today ranged from learning how to buy a new or used car, personality tests, and watching "The Office". Not a lot of actual education going on (though you can learn a lot of life lessons from "The Office").
I also heard that a one high school at least two teachers showed up for work, defying the union. That's a gutsy move on their part, and unfortunately they're going to pay a social penalty at the very least from both fellow teachers and possibly students who are supporting the teachers. Mission Viejo Dispatch has a letter from a parent praising the teachers who dared to cross the picket lines.
This could all end today, depending on how the meeting goes between the sides. However, none of the posturing on either side will change the reality that there is limited taxpayer money available to keep pumping into education, and that unless the school systems learn a thing or two about economy and eliminating waste and excess, and the unions learn something about the reality of the money that's available, they will be in a constant state of turmoil. Taxpayers are not going to vote themselves a tax increase just to fund teacher's salaries, and the legislature isn't going to get the votes to do it on their own. With taxes being jacked up on all sides, the days of voters passing bond issues or other property tax surcharges to support education are over.
We spend far more per student than we did when I was in school, and yet students today have to provide most of their own supplies. When I attended in the 60's and 70's you showed up with your lunch and that was about it. Everything else was provided. Today, parents get a list from the school district prior to the start of the year with all the stuff the kid has to provide, including pens, pencils, paper, glue, staples, markers, paints...and on and on. It cost us well over $100 every year to equip our kids with all the stuff they were going to need. Where's the money gone that used to pay for all that stuff?
This is the first teacher's strike in Orange County in 10 years, but I predict it won't be the last unless some folks wake up to some hard financial reality.
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7 comments:
Rick, I am sorry to say you are very misinformed about the nature of the strike. I'm a former parent in the district and was very involved over the 20 years my children were taught there. The teachers have accepted a substantial pay cut, but they are asking that the cut not be declared PERMANENT. That's all. That's the only sticking point. If and when the economy recovers they want the option of having their old rates of pay restored.
Some people in private industry have also accepted pay cuts, and they quite reasonably assume that they will get a piece of the action when things improve. The CUSD teachers simply want that same option. Nothing more.
Please support the CUSD faculty. Their position is very reasonable, and reasonable people should stand with them.
I can understand your point, except that public education is not private industry. There is no "profit" to be shared in public education and any expectation that teachers have a right to additional monies that may show up later is unrealistic.
Nothing is permanent, either salary increases or cuts. That's why they negotiate contracts. The district may well have to reset the salary levels to avoid future problems, but that doesn't deprive the union of further negotiation.
However, reality is everyone is having to work with less and that isn't going to change in a taxpayer funded environment.
where can we look to find out if the strike is still going on?
You should receive an automated call if your a parent or substitute teacher regarding the continuation of a strike.
Strike will continue on Friday.
Rick,
sadly your education wasn't a good one since you post before you research the facts. Don't you think if teachers are asking kids to bring supplies to school, it's because they don't have any. So ask yourself where is your taxpayer dollars going? When I look over at the 52 million dollar district building and the $ the district spends frivolously I think it's obvious where the money is going. All the taxpayer dollars are going to the board and there agendas which do not involve the welfare of the students or the teachers.
Mad mom
A letter on 4/26 to CUSD Board Pres. Bryson....
Dear Mrs. Bryson,
I saw your interview on television this evening. To put it mildly, I was shocked. Did you REALLY say that the "ball is not in our court"? Did you really mean that? As the President of the Board of Trustees could it be that you do not even understand what your "court" is? How do you think that looks to us as your constituents? You simply throw your hands up and say there is nothing you can do? The ball is not in our court! Are you kidding? My goodness, what has our school district leadership become? If educating children, working out an agreement with your teachers and caring about running a quality educational program is, as you said, "not in our court", then maybe it is time that you are benched....for good. I can't believe you actually used that phrase and obviously feel the way you feel. Sad....very sad and very disappointing for an elected official. Shame on you!
Dick Campbell
Former CUSD principal who spent today working with his 7 year old grandchild on a school project that is due soon, if school ever reopens.
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