Comments on: Teacher Stewardship, and The Sound of Silence http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:53:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Educat http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7671 Educat Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:59:13 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7671 re OBJECTIVE HISTORIANS ill informed comments. if the unions mission is to make teaching more attractive (i.e.better pay,working conditions, benefits)thereby attracting better quality candidates for positions, thereby creating a better quality teaching force, how is that bad for students? nevermind history,OBJECTIVE HISTORIAN needs a course in basic logic. re OBJECTIVE HISTORIANS ill informed comments. if the unions mission is to make teaching more attractive (i.e.better pay,working conditions, benefits)thereby attracting better quality candidates for positions, thereby creating a better quality teaching force, how is that bad for students? nevermind history,OBJECTIVE HISTORIAN needs a course in basic logic.

]]> By: curious3 http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7645 curious3 Mon, 24 Jul 2006 21:37:31 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7645 A few posts ago, Leo Casey bragged about the 15-page contract between the UFT and a charter school. Meanwhile, many UFT members rally around the evil of Bloomberg's proposed 8-page contract from a few years back. Could someone go through the differences? Can I get access to the 15-page contract? Without knowing the details, either length seems preferable to 800 pages. Perhaps UFT members can rally around a much shorter contract for the next set of negotiations? A few posts ago, Leo Casey bragged about the 15-page contract between the UFT and a charter school. Meanwhile, many UFT members rally around the evil of Bloomberg’s proposed 8-page contract from a few years back. Could someone go through the differences? Can I get access to the 15-page contract?

Without knowing the details, either length seems preferable to 800 pages. Perhaps UFT members can rally around a much shorter contract for the next set of negotiations?

]]> By: Ellie http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7640 Ellie Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:04:42 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7640 Objective Historian, you are an oxymoron. You are neither a historian nor are you objective. If you really did know anything at all about United States history, particularly in the 19th until the mid 2oth century, you would know the history of labor unions in this country. You would also have some knowledge of the fact that the rise of labor unions in this country also gave rise to a thriving middle class. Because you and other revisionists do nothing but revile and demonize "teachers' unions" and all other unions, the concept of a government undercutting the present middle class just slips right past you. The criminalizing of union activity, such as the Taylor Act, was the beginning of the end for a comfortable middle class in this country. Speaking of history, Mr/Ms Objective Historian, what makes you qualified to talk about teachers? Have you ever been one? I doubt it, then you'd know the need for a union, even if it is the UFT. The UFT just barters and sells unionism from under the noses of its rank and file. They once were a great union, back in the '60's and '70's, when New York City set salary and work standards for the surrounding suburbs. That's why the DOE doesn't want older teachers around any more, we not only know history, we know how to communicate that knowledge to others. After all, we are teachers. Objective Historian, you are an oxymoron. You are neither a historian nor are you objective. If you really did know anything at all about United States history, particularly in the 19th until the mid 2oth century, you would know the history of labor unions in this country. You would also have some knowledge of the fact that the rise of labor unions in this country also gave rise to a thriving middle class. Because you and other revisionists do nothing but revile and demonize “teachers’ unions” and all other unions, the concept of a government undercutting the present middle class just slips right past you. The criminalizing of union activity, such as the Taylor Act, was the beginning of the end for a comfortable middle class in this country. Speaking of history, Mr/Ms Objective Historian, what makes you qualified to talk about teachers? Have you ever been one? I doubt it, then you’d know the need for a union, even if it is the UFT. The UFT just barters and sells unionism from under the noses of its rank and file. They once were a great union, back in the ’60’s and ’70’s, when New York City set salary and work standards for the surrounding suburbs. That’s why the DOE doesn’t want older teachers around any more, we not only know history, we know how to communicate that knowledge to others. After all, we are teachers.

]]> By: NYC Educator http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7638 NYC Educator Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:57:53 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7638 Objective historian knows little or nothing about the history of working people in this country, and is far from objective. The fact is, even adjusted for inflation, no one would be able to live on what teachers were paid before unions. You'd think the UFT had instituted the 30-year policy of hiring substandard teachers. That was the city. You'd think the UFT had chosen to retain teachers who'd failed basic competency tests, often dozens of times. That was also the city. You'd think the UFT had gone to Albany to successfully beg for special dispensation to retain such teachers, and hire more of them. That was NYC school Chancellor Joel Klein. You'd think the city had long demanded higher standards for teachers. That was the UFT, actually. You'd think you could buy a home and live in NYC on a teacher salary. You can't. You'd think Nicole Byrne Lau wasn't fired for letting her colleagues know what UFT teachers make. You'd think she wasn't falsely accused of being a child-hating racist, but she was, of course. You'd think she didn't immediately determine to work in a union, but she did. If you believed objective historian, you'd think I could write this without fear of being fired if I were non-union. Wrong again. To be against unionization is to be anti-worker. We maight as well all go work at Wal-Mart, which is precisely what Chancellor Klein would have reduced us to in his 8-page contract. Anyone who'd prefer to stand alone against Chancellor Klein, rather than beside 80,000 other teachers, is too stupid to teach. And anyone who has the audacity to refer to himself as a historian ought not to rely solely on John Stossel for history. Objective historian knows little or nothing about the history of working people in this country, and is far from objective. The fact is, even adjusted for inflation, no one would be able to live on what teachers were paid before unions.

You’d think the UFT had instituted the 30-year policy of hiring substandard teachers. That was the city.

You’d think the UFT had chosen to retain teachers who’d failed basic competency tests, often dozens of times. That was also the city.

You’d think the UFT had gone to Albany to successfully beg for special dispensation to retain such teachers, and hire more of them. That was NYC school Chancellor Joel Klein.

You’d think the city had long demanded higher standards for teachers. That was the UFT, actually.

You’d think you could buy a home and live in NYC on a teacher salary. You can’t.

You’d think Nicole Byrne Lau wasn’t fired for letting her colleagues know what UFT teachers make. You’d think she wasn’t falsely accused of being a child-hating racist, but she was, of course.

You’d think she didn’t immediately determine to work in a union, but she did. If you believed objective historian, you’d think I could write this without fear of being fired if I were non-union.

Wrong again.

To be against unionization is to be anti-worker. We maight as well all go work at Wal-Mart, which is precisely what Chancellor Klein would have reduced us to in his 8-page contract.

Anyone who’d prefer to stand alone against Chancellor Klein, rather than beside 80,000 other teachers, is too stupid to teach. And anyone who has the audacity to refer to himself as a historian ought not to rely solely on John Stossel for history.

]]> By: NYC Educator http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7637 NYC Educator Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:39:07 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7637 You went to PERB with full knowledge that they had endorsed pattern bargaining and you knew precisely what the pattern was. For you, now, to complain about a mayor who "imposed a pattern negotiated by another union" is patently absurd. The absurdity is compounded by the fact that you not only accepted the pattern, but enthustically endorsed it on these very pages. It is not Joe Williams' responsibility to look out for NYC teachers. It is yours. And it is not Joe Williams' fault that you and the rest of the UFT leadership set us back well over twenty years with draconian givebacks, all for a contract that failed even to meet cost of living. You went to PERB with full knowledge that they had endorsed pattern bargaining and you knew precisely what the pattern was. For you, now, to complain about a mayor who “imposed a pattern negotiated by another union” is patently absurd.

The absurdity is compounded by the fact that you not only accepted the pattern, but enthustically endorsed it on these very pages.

It is not Joe Williams’ responsibility to look out for NYC teachers. It is yours.

And it is not Joe Williams’ fault that you and the rest of the UFT leadership set us back well over twenty years with draconian givebacks, all for a contract that failed even to meet cost of living.

]]> By: Chaz http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7634 Chaz Sun, 23 Jul 2006 23:31:49 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7634 What a hypocrite! Didn't you support 90 day unpaid teacher suspensions? Didn't you agree to non professional duties such as potty patrol, cafeteria duty, and hallway assignments? You certainly agreed to three more days of teaching, two before Labor Day? Weren't you the one who was the head cheerleader for more classroom time? Finally, you were satisfied that there were no longer grievences to Letters-To-The-File? Of course you haven't been in the classroom for years so what do you care about the classroom teacher? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. You aren't fooling any of the classroom teachers with this article of yours. What a hypocrite! Didn’t you support 90 day unpaid teacher suspensions? Didn’t you agree to non professional duties such as potty patrol, cafeteria duty, and hallway assignments? You certainly agreed to three more days of teaching, two before Labor Day? Weren’t you the one who was the head cheerleader for more classroom time? Finally, you were satisfied that there were no longer grievences to Letters-To-The-File? Of course you haven’t been in the classroom for years so what do you care about the classroom teacher?

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. You aren’t fooling any of the classroom teachers with this article of yours.

]]> By: Objective Historian http://www.edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence/comment-page-1#comment-7630 Objective Historian Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:42:04 +0000 http://edwize.org/the-sounds-of-silence#comment-7630 Absurd; the UFT and the NEA are like blood sucking vampires draining the life-blood (and spirit) out of our children and their futures. If you were truly dedicated to the education of children, you'd want your profession to be thoroughly and constantly and immediately vetted and purged of all bad teachers. Moreover, current pay scales more than compensates for having a job one loves; rather than being an unhappy CPA and the like. Hence, you'd be against unionization of teachers just like any worthy soldier would be vehemently against unionization of the armed forces. They serve for the greater good of the USA and for it's children just as you should. They WANT it to be about service, not pay; they WANT their ranks to be purged of the weak-willed, the under-performing, and the improperly motivated. To be for unionization in public education is to be anti-children. You should be ashamed. TOH Absurd; the UFT and the NEA are like blood sucking vampires draining the life-blood (and spirit) out of our children and their futures. If you were truly dedicated to the education of children, you’d want your profession to be thoroughly and constantly and immediately vetted and purged of all bad teachers. Moreover, current pay scales more than compensates for having a job one loves; rather than being an unhappy CPA and the like. Hence, you’d be against unionization of teachers just like any worthy soldier would be vehemently against unionization of the armed forces. They serve for the greater good of the USA and for it’s children just as you should. They WANT it to be about service, not pay; they WANT their ranks to be purged of the weak-willed, the under-performing, and the improperly motivated.

To be for unionization in public education is to be anti-children.

You should be ashamed.

TOH

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