The teachers in my hometown of Litchfield are threatening to strike on Sept. 24. The story was reported in the Springfield paper, which usually has some of the more, umm, colorful comment threads that I see on the internet. My opinion of that town (Springfield) continues to slide, and it wasn't very high to begin.
I'm not a fan of unions, period, but I also don't begrudge their existence and occasional usefulness. However, I don't have any problems with someone trying to negotiate a better salary for themselves. It's not about the children; it's about a better standard of living. And each person sets their own standards (and maybe it's about their own children). The arguments that the LEA is being selfish is unwarranted. If their entire compensation package is below the average, then it is understandable they will take issue during a contract negotiation. Without seeing the full details it's hard for me to judge whether it is an acceptable offer by the school board.
But, the point that seems really idiotic to me is, "teachers knew what they were getting into when they chose this profession." Umm, yeah. So, what? Just because you take piss-poor compensation for a job you love doesn't mean that you can't try to make better conditions for yourself. I applaud those who try to achieve higher standards for themselves. Also, the argument that teachers don't work that much is one who doesn't understand the entire responsibilities of the job, or what it means to be compensated for those expectations.
But, ultimately, I think these points would be moot if we opened up the system to competitive school choice. Take the tax dollars out of the equation and schools will have to perform (quality + profit) to succeed. In order to draw the best teachers - salaries would have to improve. But, I also realize that many in this state (and country) are too scared (or lazy) to make choices for themselves, and I'd say many of those people also live on-line at The State Journal-Register.
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1 comment:
Well said Steve. Have you looked at SJR recently? The comments are still going strong on this topic! I can relate to this area because some of the posts mention that teachers shouldn't complain because their primary concern should be the kids. As a nurse, patients are expected to be our primary concern. While I absolutely love the patients I work with and devote my full attention to their needs while working, if the salary was unacceptable, I would probably not continue. Personal needs (paying bills, building a savings, etc.) cannot be expected to take a backseat just because your chosen profession involves working with vulnerable populations.
By the way...I love your website. I'll check in often because I know you'll have a need to post your opinion on a variety of subjects frequently :-) However, whether or not I agree with your opinion remains to be seen -- this should be fun!
Jennifer
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