JG Editorial Excerpt:
Here's a message for officials from the Janesville School District, the teachers union and Forward Janesville who plan to meet Friday: Find a way.
Find a way to convince Janesville Education Association leaders and union attorneys that teachers can start contributing 5.8 percent of their salaries toward their pension fund without risking exposure to other concessions in Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill.
It takes a lot of nerve to ask only one party to make concessions without offering ideas or anything in exchange and then painting the teachers and their union as the primary suspects for the district's $13.4 million budget hole. Even worse and almost bordering on hysteria is the fact that it is Scott Walker who has cut state aid and prevented local communities from raising taxes, yet it's the teachers the Gazette blames for residents and businesses unwillingness to "donate" to a local fundraising effort to raise money for the schools - money that Walker carved out. The newspaper then tries to turn the tables on the teachers by claiming "businesses are reluctant to donate until they see the teachers union step up and show a commitment to saving quality education." Got that? It's the teachers union and donor fundraising - not the Governor and taxpayers - who are ultimately responsible for funding public education.
But I also think it's bizarre that Walker's local contribution base, the politically active business lobby group Forward Janesville, would be permitted to sit in this meeting after they gave standing ovations to Walker's budget speech at their annual dinner - this while hundreds of Janesville teachers and public sector workers were protesting outside at the dinner function. So the question is: Why should an un-elected special interest group be allowed to participate in this meeting? What is Forward Janesville bringing to the table and more importantly - what are they willing to concede? Will they match teacher concessions dollar for dollar? Don't hold your breath.
JG Editorial Excerpt:
Many teachers say they're not in the profession for the money but instead because of a deep passion for educating young people. Their union must demonstrate that.
You can see where this is going. Instead of rewarding individual teachers with extra compensation, monetary or otherwise, for their often selfless work, the Gazette would rather take teachers up on their personal and individual commitments to kids and reward them with less. Oh, you think you're a care giver in your role as teacher? Well, let your union demonstrate your sincerity - you can start by demanding less. This is insanity.
When concerned but opposing parties get together to forge an agreement, there usually is an exchange of one thing for another, or in this case matching concessions from all parties. The teachers are not in this alone nor are they charged with the school district's budget duties or responsibilities.
It's time to clear the air and tell Walker that his tool, Rep. Joe Knilans, is the wrong tool for the job. Tell him the only way to make things right is to drop the budget repair bill - lock, stock and barrel.
2 comments:
In a follow up article on the meeting the teachers union said they were invited to the meeting by Forward Janesville. It looks like FJ is calling the shots.
Forward Janesville is absolutely positioning itself for the takeover. Financial martial law, then FJ can do as they see fit. Afterall, they are the ones that know everything, just ask the Gazette.
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