Part Time Striking: Save Our Teachers.

[ScreamingMeemie]

How sad it is to drive up to my son's school to drop him off, and see them lined up there with their homemade signs.

Sadder still, to see the parents complaining to the principal about how, somehow, "this is bad" for their children to see.

These people are the women and two men who teach in my son's school. They are excellent teachers-most with masters degrees. They love their jobs. This you can see on any afternoon as the ruffle children's hair as they pass through the doors.

I worked a lot with one of them last year, my son's kindergarten teacher. She's a veteran of teaching...40 years, and she loves it. She took my much coddled, insecure, and shy boy and, with love and toughness, gave him independence. She also helped me to cut the ties that would strangle him in a few years if I didn't let go. I've seen her struggle to fit all that the government "mandates" into 3 hours and 42 minutes of classtime-an impossible feat with No Child Left Behind.

These teachers have no help, no gratefulness from parents, and no contract for three years running. Most teachers would go elsewhere. These teachers stay for the love of these kids. And each day, they get out there for their part time strike.

Why is this? Why? Because we don't support those that give our kids a start on their future. Shame on us.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Kicking once...guess not inflammatory enough.

sigh.

[dsc]

2. what is a part time strike?

do they picket before and after school? I hope they get a good contract though I wouldn't hold my breath. It is getting tougher and tougher on teachers as the public sector gets more and more starved by Bush.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. They are not allowed to strike or walk off the job. I've been thinking

of ways to try and help them...ex. Getting a bunch of parents together to stage a sick out (over 30% of school sick, they've got to close) until they address the fact that they are really screwing over a bunch of dedicated teachers.

They can only strike before and after school and not do their after school activities...i.e. coaching, Honor Society and such.

[dsc]

4. ah I figured it was something like that

Teachers here aren't allowed to strike either. Sadly we have the rep of being overpaid though that isn't true.

[alcuno]

5. Not allowed to strike? Right to Work state?

I'm a teacher and a union officer. School Boards HATE people who speak out at their meetings. If you can, I'd organize a parent group to go to the next Board meeting and line up to speak. Talk about all the teachers do and demand that the Board end the stalemate. I would not do the sick out because it would divide parents and you sound like you'd like to unite them.

[dsc]

6. even in big union states

teachers are often banned from striking. As public employees we play by different rules.

[Lindacooks]

7. So democracy in action is 'bad for kids to see'?

Those parents need to take Civics 101. This is an excellent learning experience for children; they should be told the truth and educated about the real history of unions. People actually died for the right to work in a safe environment and be paid a decent wage.

http://www.aflcio.org/aboutaflcio/history/history/index.cfm

"One hundred years ago, American workers faced a bleak future. Men, women, and often their children worked long hours in unsafe conditions for meager wages in their struggle to pay the rent ahd put food on the family table. As the century dawned, workers increasingly began joining together in a nationwide union movement to counter the brutal working conditions of the Industrial Age."

<snip>

Through strikes, walkouts and other collective action, in dangerous coal mines and factory sweatshops, on construction sites and in packing plants, workers risked their jobs and sometimes their lives to make the American dream a reality."

[Lindacooks]

8. kick

[catnhatnh]

9. What the HELL...

...Is their complaint?

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Where would you like me to begin?

They've got tons to complain about.