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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Janesville Teacher Talks Turn Positive

Newspaper Not An Adversary In Teacher Talks?

After stoking public opinion by negatively portraying Janesville teachers for the past two years in articles and editorials, Tuesday’s Janesville Gazette contained an article that appears to go out of its way reminding the “adversaries,” (the school board and the teachers union) that there are only two parties in the negotiations.

The negative press the Gazette has given the school teachers is plain to see, but what isn't so obvious is what you don't see. That is, it should be noted that the newspaper has never editorialized support for increasing salary, benefits or compensation for teachers or for any members of an organized labor force.

The short article for all practical purposes contained no real news, except that the two sides are moving forward and the two sides will meet again. It's difficult to ignore the newspaper's past behavior towards the teachers, and the public just can't unwind the tension they've been wound into at will. But this could be the beginning of a good thing, that is, the paper's acknowledgement of just two sides. It'll be interesting to see how long this lasts.

Amusing anonymous comment published in the Gazette last week.
JG Sound Off Excerpt:
On teachers
: My husband and I have nine family members in five states employed in education. Trust me, anyone employed by Janesville public schools has no room for complaint. They need to look around and see how good they have it. --anonymous
Compared to what? How bad everyone else has it? With this remarkable insight, shouldn’t anonymous be defending the teachers?

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