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Chris S. already took a voluntary paycut. It's time for the teachers union for once in their life to do something for students instead of themselves. Take a paycut.
Teachers fight pay for performance, they fight vouchers, they fight anything that makes it easier to fire bad teachers. They fight anything that would actually help students. Maybe they could stop being selfish this one time.
If you want to know why LBUSD is so much better than LA unified, one reason is our school board isn't bought and paid for by the teachers union. Of course the one clown who is voted against this resolution. What a surprise.
Regardless, he is not the problem. The teachers union is the one who opposes every single solution to making schools more efficient/better. The only thing they care about is more pay and benefits. And it's a self fullfilling structure. When it makes no difference if you're a great teacher or a terrible teacher in terms of pay and it takes an act of God to fire a teacher, you're asking for a broken system.
How in the world can they justify cutting teacher pay when on the same June 16, 2009 school board agenda, they approved ANOTHER expenditure for a Dooley Elementary School staff retreat to the UCLA Conference Center? This time increasing the cost by $1,429, for a total expenditure of $18,929.31.
Keep in mind that just two months ago, Board President Jon Meyer stated the following about retreats: "With the current freeze, these expenditures have been put on hold. They've stopped."
No, they haven't.
The teachers are guilty too as I imagine "staff" refers to teachers. and my guess is the union would scream if these retreats went away. If they are teachers going on these retreats then the teachers are hypocrites again.
shouldn't approve them anyway whether it's teachers or other.
Oh, sorry mary, is this another "putt-putt' place so you can keep those sneaky untrustworthy teachers from "ditching" the meetings? Have you considered electronic ankle bracelets?
Ridiculous!
interesting, i didn't know that.
Regarding the other subjects, which you just now raise, sure the teachers and their representatives have an opportunity to bargain over their terms and conditions of employment and declare their positions. Please remember this is America, not some fascist state.
I think Mr. Steinhauser would vigorously disagree with your statement that teachers have the "control". It's clear he has control over not only the teachers and the majority of the schoolboard but the entire LBUSD. And in many ways he does a great job.
And yes the union has the opportunity to bargain. they have been successful in their bargaining. Their policies have been enacted and consequently there have been negative effects on schools. The union does a good job of benefitting teachers. Unfortunately they harm children in the process.
Teachers are my heroes.
But what do I know...I only showed up at the schools for decades, and continue to participate in reading to elementary school children in the hallway.
I guess if I listened to the bullshit on KFI like others I might be ignorantly closed-minded, but that won't happen. I'm too busy volunteering when I'm not working.
Yes, many teachers care about children. Teachers can have a great, positive impact on children. However, the policies their union support have a negative impact. I named three. Go do some research so you're informed and see if you agree after studying the policies.
Actually, YOU spout off the same ridiculous nonsense that one hypocritical neo-con mush-brained dope(iate) spews daily.
I would much rather banter with people who are informed and not brainwashed, but when they start trashing our teachers (heroes) I must respond violently to set the record straight.
1. I oppose pay for performance...how do you actually fairly determine performance? More tests? Think that system couldn't be scammed? Please tell me how exactly you would implement this plan.
2. I oppose vouchers, especially in these difficult times. I think vouchers go against much of what this country is supposed to be about. We could have afforded private schools but chose to keep the kids in public schools. How would you deal with the economic fallout from diverting money away from public schools?
3. Did you read about the LA charter school in the Times 2 weeks ago? They basically teach to the tests, and they do score high. You couldn't pay me to have kids go there. Didn't a number go bankrupt recently?
What exactly makes them work, and please provide examples if you can.
Your own answers please.
Vouchers enable competition which is the key ingredient for successful orgs in any industry.
Charter schools work because they are free to make decisions based on results. They are not beholden to tons of union and admin beuracracy.
in this matter is that I am speaking from what I see and experience at a LBUSD school where I volunteer as a "reader".
I know where you gather your opinion.
That's why you and that hypocrite unionboss randy whoredon drive me crazy. You'll never be as disgusting as that prick though. I'm sure you honestly care about our schoolchildren. To that asshole it's all about his personal/professional gain.
The education industry is no different than any other. The board should be governing the district and that is where their authority should stop. Pricipals should be in control of schools. Teachers should be in control of classrooms. Measuring teachers is somewhat subjective just like every single other profession. Teachers should be free to leave schools and work for other principals and principals should be free to fire teachers if they feel appropriate. There will be some politics but again this is no different than any other industry. It works because when you have competition and freedom, people are motivated and results matter. As it stands, results are meaningless.
And yes, teachers should be free to leave and teach at another school. But, ask any teacher about that and he/she will tell you that getting approval for a transfer is nearly impossible. Plus, a principal's job security is directly tied to how willing he/she is to following the mandates of the superintendent. Going to another school would likely be meaningless -- the same dysfunctional dynamics would come into play.
So, what's the answer? Not quite sure. I'm not one for creating more bureaucracy, but an outside, non-LBUSD affiliated teacher advisory board might work. At the very least, such a move would be interesting to watch. The LBUSD's true colors would likely shine..... Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga tried to create an inspector general-type position to oversee the finances of the LBUSD a few years back. As you can imagine, the LBUSD came out against that in full force.
I think the answer is simple. Remove beauracracy. Put principals in charge of schools and teachers. Put teachers in charge of classrooms. Results are tied to pay for everyone. No more tenure, etc. You'll never get the teachers union to go along though.
You'd have the teachers wasting more time than they do now with NCLB by teaching to test-taking.
Your small mindedness shows when you disregard an inspector-general proposal that emanated from others than uranga, soley because her name is raised.
That position would be an excellent move to "transparency", which is sorely lacking in the LBUSD. Wonder why they fought it tooth and nail, even when the money was there for the position? Don't you think oversight is good? Doesn't Laura Dodd impress you? I'd submit that the position would certainly pay for itself-and more!
Why do you hate unions so much? Jealous because you were denied a union job because you weren't qualified or sufficiently skilled, and had to settle for inferior employment more suited to your (lack of) skill, ability, aptitude and production?
I don't hate unions. They serve a good purpose in some cases. However, I do think they have become increasingly detrimental to job creation, growing the economy, and in many cases their own members with their policies against accountability, results, performance, etc.
One only need to look at the industries that are dominated by unions to see their effects. Auto, airlines, government. All in the crapper. All totally run by unions.
Study up my friend. Don't let facts get in the way of your love for the liberal agenda.
Can you be specific? What policies?
"One only need to look at the industries that are dominated by unions to see their effects. Auto, airlines, government. All in the crapper. All totally run by unions".
No my friend they are dominated by non-union management personnel, just like the banks and the investment houses.
Maybe they'd be in better shape if the employees had more say in the day to day operations than the greedy CEO's and self-serving management, all of whom look at short term "moves" to feather their nests rather than what's best in the long run.
I don't "love" the liberal agenda; but you love the right-wing non-sensical blabber. This country would be in worse shape than it is now if there were more people like you who don't seem to be able to think for themselves, and just repeat what they hear spewing from the mouths of hypocritical addled-brain drug addict entertainers.
1. The teachers union violently opposes any pay for performance structure.
2. The teachers union opposes vouchers.
3. The teachers union opposes charter schools.
Now go do some homework or at a minimum read my posts so you know something before you start getting all emotional with your hatred of ceo's, companies, and other folks who pay the bills.
But yes, you are correct. the banking industry took a crap without the help of unions. My point is still valid that unions have pushed and secured structures in many industries that has been devistating. Pointing out one industry the crapped without unions is meaningless. You can even find evidence within an industry. Look at the airlines dominated by unions and the ones that aren't. who's doing better?
i feel sorry for any parent who has to put their kid into a public school in california.
round up the illegals and their offspring and deport!
Your experience reading at schools is noble but doesn't give you better experience in evalutating the teachers UNION policy.
Your obsession with talk radio is interesting. I may have some similar views as some talk show hosts but I assure you they are my own thoughts as I don't listen to rush limbaugh as you have suggested. There really is no debating that lack of competion, socialistic pay structures, and tenure are policies that generally hurt our schools and thus children. The only time thing the union cares about is pay for teachers and protecting teachers. the only time they really fight/strike is when pay is at stake. When is the last time teachers went on strike to demand anything other than pay. They made hide it under the cause of smaller classes but all that is to prevent layoffs. That is their job and they do it well. But they have convinced many that they care about the "children" as they always say but their policies would say otherwise.
So go read to students. It doesn't change the facts and it obviously hasn't provided you with a perspective that would help you see the light.
Two points. First, evaluation of teachers could readily be done. It would be reasonable for a professional to pick out the amazing teachers and the crappy teachers. We would probably throw some baby out with the bathwater for the margin-walkers. Bummer.
Second. The unregulated and ununionized banking/investment industry did, in many ways, brilliantly for themselves. Look at the mortgage crisis. They made tremendous profits on a sketchy investment package. Then they were bailed out. The reward was privatized and the risk/detriment was publicized. Forget what Snoop Dog said, I want to be a mf banker when I grow up.