It appears that the appeals court consisting of a three-judge panel is seeing eye-to-eye with our former superintendent's counsel. See the article in the Cape Cod Times at: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120111/NEWS/201110341/-1/NEWS11Will Mary Ellen Johnson win her appeal, returning the case back to Barnstable Superior Court for a second look?
I don't care. She's gone. Good at any price.
ReplyDeleteNot sure the school system and it's future bears out your theory anon 3:13. I hope the schools and the town can recover from all the people's decisions who had control of this situation. God help us for the sake of the kids we are suppose to be responsible for. When your schools go down, your community goes down. Hopefully our 4th Super. in 7 years can save it.
ReplyDeleteI had to write this before leaving for work. The presentation on the School budget was impressive. It was far than the superfluous presentations of last year. I believe that with the exception of the chair, that the School Committee indicated that they had done their due diligence in their thoughtful questions and remarks. Dr. Canfield is going to turn around the deteriorating district and put it back on top as it had been when Peter Cannone left.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed listening to the presentation to the point that I had to leave, but will catch it on Cable in its entirety. Can you imagine that Dr. Canfield has done so much and without firing anyone.
Sorry - maybe I've been watching a different School Committee budget process.
ReplyDeleteIsnt the current proposed school budget overspent (in deficit) by roughly $1.3 to $1.9 million dollars by the Supers' own admission?
Of course, it’s a little hard for us taxpayers to keep track because this very transparent and open school administration hasn’t actually posted any budget materials to their web page for public review.
Fair to say however that each school committee meeting that I've seen has been all about planning to spend, quite literally, more than a million dollars that they don’t have.
Maybe the Finance Committee or Selectmen were just kidding when the told the school committee what the school budget number was weeks ago?
If you watched the Tri-board meeting where so called "budget guidelines" were voted by the BOS and given to Dunham and Canfield it was stated by BOS Chair, Jim Pierce and others that number was only starting number, not set in stone.
DeleteMrs. Block, you are watching a different town's budget for sure. In Sandwich, Dr. Canfield was told that the fincance committee and Selectmen were just at a beginning of the process and that nothing was cast. A needs budget is being produced. It will change and be refined, and unlike the choppers, I will look at it and see if first it is best for Sandwich and the Students. If not good for them, then I will want to see cuts, if good for them, I will want to fight for an override. You see, the 2 1/2 process leaves it to the voters to decide in the end, not the politicians.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the hope there will be debate and adjustment to budgets depending on our top managers presentations of their needs, but have little hope meaningingful adjustment given the history of the process. As to an override, it would be very surprising to see that become a possibility, given political climate.
DeleteI truly believe the town will be very hard pressed to get enough votes for an override, especially if it's for the school system. With declining enrollment, which from the buzz around town, there will be more students leaving the district in the 2012 to 2013 school year. No decision yet on what to do with the Wing School, what has now become a public relations nightmare for the town, police department and school department due to recent events, wanting/wishing to hire more FTE (full-time equitvalent) positions at the High School, no word yet how much the teachers union will be getting in lump sum payments if/when a contract is signed, how is the school dept. going to pay for the new department heads when a portion this year came from grant money, are they thinking of adding dept. heads to 3 K-8 schools etc. I still have a hard time understanding if enrollment is going down why the need to hire more FTE's. Why not establish a more stringent core curriculm, English, History, Science, Math, maybe Engineering and IT rather than offering a multitude of "choice" classes. (Does anyone know the % of kids that actually use the foreign language they learn in H.S., when they are in real world? FTE request was for money language teachers.) I think having a curriculum with closer ties to the basics and with a vision for what the kids can do after graduation would have more public support. Rather than making sure we as many class offerings as in other districts. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI said the Patriots would win the Super Bowl this year, and, they will.
ReplyDeleteI will say that the Schools will need and get an override this year, and, it will.
I was looking at the Broadsider yesterday and saw a picture of teachers who were protesting not having a contract. Where else could they find a job with six months off, no accountability, great benefits, a nice clean and warm place to work, guaranteed retro-active pay when they get a contract, and the right to trash their board of directors in front of camaras. Its time for them to understand that they work for the taxpayers and that the taxpayers respect them and their jobs lest they would not have the great jobs that they do have. Yes, some of them work hard, but they also are compensated fairly.
ReplyDeleteSo true Val! Don't you think anyone who has a job works hard at their job? Why are they so special?
DeleteDo these teachers know they are able to quit their jobs if they find the conditions of their employment so deplorable. To the teacher's I'll say quit your crying, be a little more grateful for what you have, and get back to work - nobody feels bad for you.
A report printed in October of 2010 stated that there were 53,951 teachers receiving an average of $37,067. This figure included disability and survivor benefits. It was just a bit higher for regular retired teachers at $38,637. Two points concerning these figures; 1) it appears that survivors are receiving more than 1/2 of what the retiree had made before death. This appears to be far higher than anything received under social security. If a person became widowed and the passing spouse worked under social security, then the widowed person could possibly receive 1/2 of the spouses benefit, assuming it was more than the person may have been receiving on their own. Not a bad deal!; 2)If the widowed person were under social security, then they would receive whatever survivor benefit there was under the MTRS and keep all of the retirement. Not bad either!!
ReplyDeleteTeachers do have a difficult job. Teachers (at least some) work very hard (as do others in our society who are not teachers. For teachers, this is the wrong time to bitch. People who have a lot less at stake and a much higher fear of losing their job don't feel the pain of teachers because there is no pain on the money side. The SEA leaders tout how much the teachers care for the children, but when they do not do what those leaders do not want them to do, they use those children they care about as pawns.
Teachers, its time to suck it up and just agree to a contract. I get sick listening to them crying at meetings when the rest of us cry for our jobs and the sustainability of those jobs.
One of the reasons that I will not be voting for Mrs. Killion when and if she runs again for school committee is that she, in my opinion, is an unapologetic force for cutting and spending less. When she supported the former School Chief, I felt that she was happier with the supposed savings that was created in that Chief's budget. Now, I feel that she is more interested in not servicing the students of Sanwich, but rather paying less in taxes.
ReplyDeleteWhen she spoke the other night about presenting a balanced budget, that was contrary to what had been said at the meeting the Shool Committee had with the Selectmen and Finance Committee which, as I understood it, said bring us what you need for level service. The first thing that any School person should do is to listen.
Gregory,
ReplyDeleteSince our economy was driven into the tank (2008) and unemployment rose to the highest levels since the depression, there has been a lot of pension bashing. I can understand why, but it may be misdirected.
Social Security and other pensions, private or public, are part of our pay structure. What the recipients are "getting" was part of the "deal" for the 40+ years that they worked.
When someone takes on a job and is offered a "package" they understand that they will be getting cash "in the envelope" (as my father used to say) and they will be receiving medical and retirement benefits. (Try unemployment if you think for one second that just having a job and getting both medical and retirement is not a benefit.)
My issue with pension bashing is that the employer got to pay less because of the benefits. If two employers had the same job and one was offering no benefits and the other was offering a pension, which one do you think would have to offer higher salary?
Another problem I have pension bashing is that most pension systems were set up to be funded by the worker and to be totally separate entities. Social Security would work fine (and actually make a great profit) if it were totally separate. Unfortunately, as money was poured into social security it was stolen by the politicians. (9 Trillion of the national debt is money "borrowed" from social security.) State workers put in over 11% of their salary and almost completely fund the pension system. When they retire, the money doesn't come from taxes (in Massachusetts) but from a totally separate entity.
A system that is funded by the worker is not a "give away" any more than an insurance company that pays a claim is a "give away". You pay premiums and benefits or payouts are simply part of the system.
If you put $$$ into a bank, when you withdraw it, the bank is not "giving" you something.
I suspect that your problem with the pension system may be really a problem with the way the schools are run in this town. If it were up to me, I'd let the principals run the schools and hire a grant writer instead of a superintendent. Look at how much grant money other systems get. I'm not sure but I'd bet Sandwich is way near the bottom in the percentage of funding from external grants. I know it's a lot easier to just go to "bank of taxpayer" and fill out a withdrawal slip (raise taxes). (But why should someone be helped who won't help themselves?)
Taxpayers in this town have been more than generous to the schools. But maybe it might be time for the system to pick up an oar (grant writing) and start putting in a little more effort to getting some of the pool of grant money out there? You think?
Mr. Barr, I had to once again read my post to which you responded. I never meant to bash teacher pensions. Perhaps I did not make my point clear. I feel that teachers have an outstanding pension system and maybe ought to think about how many others do not have any let alone a poor pension. Yes, they eduated themselves, and yes, many of them do work, and yes, they have a great number of days off and personal days. They earned it, they were offered the job, one that many others could have tried to get. I don't mean bash the pension system but rather the teachers who complain at a time when many others are hurting.
DeleteJust so you know, in the early 1980s there were 130,000 pension systems in the US. Today there are only 30,000. The corporations found out, and hopefully all ofgovernment will find out that it is cheaper for them to pay matching contributions into a 401K than to have the old traditional pension. The Federal Government instituted social security with a much smaller pension system for their employees in 1984, some 28 years ago. My guess is that at least 80% of the employees under the old system are now receiving the old pension. This is much less costly than having to match 10% into a 401K. Social Security will be gone for many in the future once 401Ks become commonplace everywhere.
As for teachers, my mom, step-mom, dad, grandfather and three sisters were or are teachers. The occupation gave me a great life. One thing I learned from my dad is sometimes when you have a good thing don't complain. Beleive me, in the end, however long it takes, the teachers will make out, and that is good with me.
Thans for your thoughtful response.
Anonymous 1/27/12 9:07,
ReplyDeleteI really don't want to get off topic here with a major pension discussion. I'd like to see the school discussion continue. And, as per my last post, I'd like to see the school system do more to bring in grant money, so that it relies less on real estate taxes (like a lot of other school systems do).
That said, I just have a couple of pension comments. I do not see any real difference between a 401K, IRA, State Pension or social security because the worker actually contributes to the plan. If you contribute (pay for) something, then you own it. (You're "entitled" to it.) They're all basically insurance.
I recently had the social security math discussion with someone. If you take an average salary, and take 15%+ of that salary/year, and put that money into a savings account earning a compounded at the average treasury bond rate, the system works.
Because people are living longer, maybe social security may have to increase what is paid in. Right now the system isn't making the interest it needs to, but that's only temporary. (SS doesn't need to be destroyed because the money was stolen.) These problems are simply actuarial (math) problems. Same with the state pension system (which a few years ago raised contributions from 5% to 7% to current 11+%). There are thousands of math people out there who can figure out what needs to be contributed so that you can receive a certain amount in the future.
401K and IRA (individual pensions) could also work fine, if there were some way to mandate them. If pensions are not mandated, then some people will never have them. Problem is that, when that happens, we tend to take care of these people. So, we go back to the taxpayer and take care of people with bad "luck".
Pensions are like healthcare. Not really a money problem. They are really insurance. If the "premiums" don't cover the costs, what do insurance companies do? Looked at your homeowner's or car insurance bill recently? Pensions, like healthcare, are really a moral problem. Until we decide to say, "This hospital is private. If you don't have insurance, do not come in. Stay out and die." Or, "You didn't plan for your future and your future is here. We are not going to keep you from starving, freezing or dying. You're toast."
We don't do that in this country, yet. Until we do, then either everyone contributes (mandates) or some people get a free ride.
Mr. Barr, you are as much off topic as I am. Your subject is as much not on the thread as is mine.
DeleteAs for the grant money. You and I both know what happened to it, but the Town does not tell us the people what it is they are hiding.
The school committee now knows where grant money comes from, but they do not know who has put in for available grants and who has failed to put in for available grants. As policy makers they should set the policy that the administration will put in for all possible grants.
I believe the schools need to look for grants before coming to the taxpayers. Other school systems do. Why not here?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous (2/1/12 2:49AM), You are 100% correct: Without a concerted, planned, coordinated effort to go after grants - the grants will never be won and that means that the taxpayers will be on the hook.
This whole thing seems obvious. If you have a multi-million dollar budget, can't you find somewhere in the budget to pay a little bit of money for an income stream?
And, one other side effect: If the SPS went on a path to get grant money, it would force the system to look at what they are doing, refine their techniques, try new and innovative techniques, sharpen their focus, make sure they are giving the best product possible. This could threaten the status quo. This is not easy. There is always a lot of resistance to change. But the kids and the taxpayers deserve the best.
I applaud Steve Barr's suggestion regarding applying for grant money for our schools. I am coordinating a science fair at Forestdale School and applied for/received a $1000 micro-grant from Entergy, Inc. to support it. This will cover all of the basics, as well as, pay for the transport of our science fair participants to the Massachusetts Regional Science Fair in Weston where they will all be competitors! Our principal, Dr. Ruth Joseph, and her staff, have been entirely supportive of my efforts to get this fair off the ground. It's truly a win-win situation all the way around. Many companies have grant opportunities such as this for the STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math) subjects. Imagine if Sandwich Schools tapped them for improving our STEM education programs! I can guarantee there would be some interest revived for keeping students in Sandwich schools if we can make them more competitive in the STEM subject areas. We've got to strive for it. Thank you, Mr. Barr, for your clear thinking.
ReplyDeleteMr. Barr, The school district has and is looking for grants. Your idea is not a new one. Since we only get roughly 20 percent of our foundation funding (Chapter 70 from the state) the district has no choice but to come to the tax payer. It is a complicated funding situation for our town and town's like us that are not at all served by the funding formula change of 1993. That formula has yet to see significant revision.
ReplyDeleteAs a typical suburban middle class community what we spend on our schools is rather typical with the exception we have not been really building healthy budgets on school or town sides for almost two decades now. No fault, just a fact based on the Cape's rapid growth issues and state funding formulas for Cape towns and towns in other parts of the state that simply are not fair; they favor cities where foundation funding is concerned. The cities legislators are not going to want to share with us so there is no political will to do anything about this. Sandwich will always be scrambling for funding. We lack a vision for our community but are very agenda driven, which makes it difficult I think.
Dear Teacher Kiedeisch,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing your story. Also, thank you very much for all your efforts to provide a great, relevant, important educational experiences to the kids. As a taxpayer in this town (without a school-aged child), I truly appreciate what you are doing and I applaud you. It was also good to hear that you got administrative support.
Mini-grants are great and should be encouraged. But mini-grants are another example of teachers going above and beyond and doing extra work that should be done by the system.
When I made my previous comment I was talking about systemic efforts to obtain grants.
There are really two types of large grants that are available to a school system: one is the block grant type that comes from the government. This is just money coming from "on high" (usually based on something like per capita). This type is nice but not what I was talking about. The other type of systemic grant, that I was alluding to, is a grant from the government, or a foundation (such as The Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation), or similar. To get this type of grant, the system has to have its act together. These kinds of grants can bring millions of dollars of funding to a school system.
But, probably more importantly, in the process of applying for a systemic grant, the system sharpens its focus, sets goals and sets standards for evaluating success, empowers teachers, allows their input and helps to coalesce all the parties towards a common goal. With this effort, the kids win, the teachers win, the taxpayers win.
If a system buys into this strategy, it soon learns that the system earns credibility and other funders want to be part of the success story. Success breeds success.
Just one small hypothetical example: Let's say that the Sandwich schools decided that they wanted to use a model, similar to the el Centro model, to do a systemic integration of science and literacy. A grant could be applied for and, during implementation, scores start rising. Other systems would want to copy. Because of all the thought put in (and the data collected), the system would get better and better. This data would point out what needs to be done next to make the model even better = rationale for the next proposal. And all along the kids get better and better.
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Dear Anonymous 2/2/12 4:02 AM,
ReplyDeleteChpt 70 is just like tax money in that it just feeds the status quo.
I do not want this to sound like a criticism of your post, but you capture the tone often heard when the topic comes up. People surrender to what they perceive as an impossible situation. There seems to be a resignation of our lot. Seems hopeless.
Words like "typical", "fair" are simply accepted.
Your statement "We lack vision" may or may not be true. If it is true, that's depressing. We need to be better than visionless for the kids and the town. We should never accept "typical". We are better and smarter than that. I'm sure that the teachers in this town want the best for the kids. I don't believe that any teacher wakes up and says "I want to work at a typical, average system". People aspire to do a great job at what they do.
Just applying for a grant could be the impetus that snaps a system out of its funk. Teachers all have ideas that would make the schools better. I'd bet that if I had 10 teachers over to my house and asked the group to brainstorm "How can we get better results?" that, within a short time, dozens of great ideas would be offered. Those ideas, I'm sure, could easily create a new direction, the basis for a grant, to move the system forward.
Anonymous 4:02, while you have said many things on your post that are correct, I would question that Sandwich is any more agenda driven than any other towh. It is a fact of life. Look at our selectman meetings. There is one selectmen that never fails to butt in on any question and in some cases just repeats what has been said. That person seems to want to get involved with everything, perhaps that person is agenda driven. Its fine to be that way because it is life.
ReplyDeleteCarl Johansen would state to Mr. Barr that MS.Kiedeisch is not a teacher in the school system. However, on the other hand, she is a concerned citizen of Sandwich that cares deeply about her children and how they obtain the values of educational experiences in there life.
DeleteShe has brought high values to our community and we should thank her for this effort of increasing the science learning experiences for our children needs, in todays world
Anon 6:47 from early poster, I'm sure you are right about Sandwich being like other towns. I would agree. Small town politics is a time waster, energy waster, money waster but it is for some very entertaining and it's not going anywhere. Sounds like you are entertained by the BOS meetings. I know many who are. We all have agenda's it is true. It is a challenge not to assume people have agenda's or label them. That is human nature too. It is life. What we can accomplish together as a community is evident. Glad the human race does keep evolving.
DeleteI stand corrected.
DeleteSorry about the mis-identity.
But even if she is not employed by the town in a "teaching position", she is certainly a true Teacher of children and does deserve our thanks.
Mr. Barr. From early morning poster, I am not at all giving up. My point is that school budget funding issues are often oversimplified in local public discourse. You are good to have ideas. My point is that the schools have no choice but to come to the taxpayer, grants or no grants given the funding formula. I hope you consider running for selectman or school committee. You have passion and a lot to contribute. I have noticed since you became involved in the roads issues that you have found your voice where town issues are concerned. We need people with your kind of passion in office and your kind of energy for the subject. Thanks for plugging in.
ReplyDeleteMr. Barr, I concur with the post of 11:21 AM. I do hope that you run for office. It is a waste for people with good, and sometimes not so good but opinions, not to run for office. I am not sure what they are afraid of, but if they speak from their heart and support being able to work with others, we would have even yet a better town government than we now have. Its time for new faces.
ReplyDeleteNew faces, respectful behavior and honest debate. Mr. Barr, go for it.
ReplyDeleteMr. Barr, I concur with 8:56. I do not agree with all of your comments, but they are well thought out and you seem to have a way of putting your arguments down so that they are clearly understood. To me you seem to be the type of person that cares and does respect the position of others. If you do make a mistake, you do not make excuses but tell us how you have learned. You are a good man for office. We need it. You can accomplish more by running than just writing in these blogs. I ran for office twice in another town. I lost the first time but came back and won the next time. It was hard work but well worth while...right Randy?
ReplyDeleteRight, Gregory.
ReplyDeleteMr. Barr and all:
ReplyDeleteWinston Churchill said: If you look back far enough you will see the future.
In our school system, the central office staff was once large enough to support a proactive grant writing effort. Over the years, as budgets were “level service” funded, Administrative positions, including the one in charge of grant writing, were eliminated.
There’s no one in the central office now but for the Super, his secretary, the business office staff and special education administrators. To say that it’s a lean operation would be an understatement.
Also, in the last several years available grant moneys and actual grant awards have declined NOT increased.
After years of very modest school budget increases and with the arrival of new, attractive well financed alternative schools, the Selectmen and others are now stunned, stunned, to witness the dramatic outflow of students to better, newer, more modern out of district schools and to witness the associated school choice cost increases.
All of the above proves Sir Winston right. Our history reveals how we got here and where we’ll be tomorrow. There is a real cost to trying to run a school system on the cheap; and sooner or later, one way or the other we all knew that the town’s taxpayers would pay for the Selectmen and Finance Committee being penny wise and pound foolish with our schools
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference"
ReplyDeleteMany are leaving Sandwich to live with their parents who move to pay less taxes. Your attitude should be to fix the structual deficit, maybe by growing the tax base.
All I know is it is always more more more and it never ends. I believe I had heard that the police/fire facility would cost 18 million, now its 26 million and before it finishes will be at least 30 million. A second library, state of the art no less, when libraries are becoming a thing of the past. 350K, yes, 350K for a bubler!, $10 to throw away a pillow at the dump. $$$$ to fix the annex, giving away the 50 acres in the Golden Triangle without concern as to the ability of the backer of a project being able to follow through thus causing problems for future tax collections, lack of doing something real with the industrial park.......it goes on and on. Now some quotes from historians about the future being in the past. All of this stuff are just words, there is never follow-up and never actions to be taken to rectify the mess we are in. I have had it. I will not vote one penny of an override as long as the current boards are in power.
ReplyDeleteDear H. Istorian,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the historical perspective.
Sounds like the system was run by people with myopia and with only one arrow (solution) in the quiver: "Of course, when you face a $$$ problem you need to cut to solve the problem." - This don't always work too well.
Where was the creativity and future vision?
Why would you cut a "profit center" (grantwriter)?
So now we have a product that is dropping in quality?
The customers have gone to other "brands"? Surprise!
And with the dropping enrollment have we lost and equal percentage of teachers?
If a product is lacking, producing the product with more workers or fewer customers doesn't usually make the product better. (Sometimes you need a new recipe or different product design.)
How can we get the customers back? Doesn't, maybe, the product have to improve to attract the customers back? You think?
Or should we just keep throwing good money after bad?
Since we're into quoting: G. Santayana said: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
I would like to share one small personal example of problem solving:
Years back, I got conscripted to sit on a board of a large residential complex. We were up to our eyeballs in debt. We got a water bill for $50K. Some of my fellow board members wanted to have a "special assessment" - a truly myopic decision.
A couple of us convince the rest of the board to buy and install pallets of low-flow toilets. We worked with the MWRA and after some negotiating went from owing $50K to a credit. The water bill dropped from $30K/year to under $15K/year.
And that porcelain is still saving $$$$ to this day.
Sometimes you got to spend $$$ to make (or save) $$$.
Coochy Coo,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I can't believe we're gonna spend that sort of money on a new police/fire station complex.
Where's all the public/private stuff? Is that all just lip service?
Sorry about this, but I just got to share another personal story:
My mother lives in Arlington. They wanted to build a new police/fire station (on a big lot that we used for stickball and a cut through to the stream (the kids weren't happy losing the lot)). The town owned the land. It could have asked for tax money and would have ended up with a nice police/fire complex.
But Arlington had a different idea. They formed a partnership with a developer. I don't know all the details but the final result was that the developer got to build a good sized assisted living building that was attached to the police/fire complex. The town spent very little money. The developer got free land. The town got their new public safety complex. Town residents got first dibs on getting into the assisted living. A true public/private partnership that was a win-win.
The demand for the spaces in the complex is astronomical. The elderly love the safety feature (24/7 monitoring by police cameras) and, as far as emergency medical, they know that the paramedics with ambulances are on the other side of the door at the end of the corridor (between the assisted living and the public safety complex).
Moral of the story is that you don't always have to pay full price for something, especially if you own the land.
I wish I were a developer in this town. I've never seen a town that gives away so much and gets so little in return.
Mr. Barr, you are so right, as is coochy. Now the Arlington Public Saftey Complex sounds like something that might help us, but I doubt very much that the powers that be will go along with something that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Town should call upon Disney to do a movie using Heritage Gardens, Downtown Sandwich includig the DW, the Hoxie house, Shawme Pond, Peters Pond and all the old homes. They could then ask for Disney to give them $350,000 to offset the cost of the bubler.
Town Meeting has to vote in a debt exclusion for the public safety building and it has to go to the ballot.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 4:24 PM. Me thinkist that the town meeting might vote for the safety building, but not the people who must ratify that vote.
DeleteI would agree that it will be difficult to get a new public safety building past the voters given all the other needs in town and the fact that the town's tax revenue's are shrinking. People are not satisfied with town services. All costs get passed on to the taxpayer. Now the taxpayer is having to pay to send kids to other schools because ours are in such a sad state. Taxpayers can't afford the escalating tax bills and decrease in services. We have dug a deep deep hole. A building isn't going to fill it.
ReplyDelete11:18, I agree with the jist of your statement. However, I would like to tell you that taxpayers are paying to send kids to other towns or to a magnet school or to a tech school or to a private school or to a Catholic School. The problem with Sandwich in my opinion is the High School and its total lack of leadership. It is no secret that the favored there are the very smart or very Athletic and just smart. If you are a B or C student, your in trouble. Wake up Sandwich, that is the problem.
DeleteJust for clarity sake, if parents choose (and they do) to send kids to private schools there is no cost to the taxpayer except likely in the inability and unwillingness for some families to support the public schools since they are getting no benefit for them. Likely also is a disconnect by those families from civic issues. We know many parents are taking their kids out of our public schools because they don't trust the school system to do the right thing. Though I found the High School lacking on so many levels with the chief one being a complete lack of professionalism by so many of the adults on staff which contributes to huge apathy, hypocrisy, and environmental problems, the whole district is dysfunctional on many levels as well in my humble opinion. People start taking their kids out in grade school. The district has been unstable for years. Sadly Dr. Johnson was the only one who really had a plan which came from her charge when she was first hired, which was simple. How do we get the three k-8's meeting adequate yearly progress? Now the tool she initiated is being thrown out for all intents and purposes, so here we go again. Good things the schools are all making adequate yearly progress now. But I'm sure it all still looks very risky to parents. Of course the major factor is the poor performance of the school committee over the past few years. There are three openings this year. We need smart people to run who aren't afraid to communicate ideas and build productive discussion at the meetings. They have to ask the hard questions of Dr. Canfield and help guide him. For goodness sakes he has only been in town 7 months.
DeleteWatch some of the SC meetings, they are asking questions. Today I am busy, but you have made substantial misrepresentations. I say that for the sake of clarity. I shall follow-up.
ReplyDelete@11:18. Families have been sending there children to other schools because they want to send them there for what they feel is best for their children. It is not always necessarily because the Sandwich schools are not what they should be.
ReplyDeleteThere are many parents who feel that their children should follow in the tradition of family history in attending Catholic Schools. There are many who feel that a trade is best for their children because those children have the ability to learn with their hands. The families choose to send their children not because Sandwich does not have good schools, but because their childrens' needs can best be achieved at these schools.
Sandwich should pay more attention at continuous improvement of its schools than to why people are leaving. If it can't see the reason (most people move their children after grade 8)then they are fools.
What might help our system is if Mr. Cahill and Miss Killion would not run again. Mrs. Lenehan has done the right thing in choosing not to run. It is truly unfortunate that she had to do it. She was among the best people we have ever had on the committee since I moved into town. I expect that Cahill will not run again because the two prior years have taken it out of him. I thank him for his service. My guess is that Miss Killion will run. This is unfortunate because she is a part of the old "Sandwich Hatfields and Sandwich McCoys". We need peace.
I certainly hope Ms.Killion DOES run again. She is one the few on that board who asked appropriate and meaningful questions during the budget process. Ms. Linehan was not even there to attend the meeting.
DeleteThe "Hatfield & McCoy" comment is completely sophmoric and vacuous..........
Did you see the pickets? The school committee is at it again. We say nothing about those who fail to lead us in negotiations. Its time for the school committee to get professional bargaining people into the fray. The school union does so why should we not do it.
ReplyDeleteI want to point out that I do not see how the union is "disenfranchised". They seem to be getting their rights, if not, then maybe they should go to court. Some of them would disenfranchise students. Everything that a teacher does enhances the right to an education that every student has in our society. That is being taken away from those teachers who choose not do participate in any non-negotiated activity. Where is the respect for the child?
I wish that I had the God given ability to teach and that my parents did not need me to work rather than go to school to become a teacher. I would love to be disrespected if guaranteed a raise every year and in 90% of the years get a cost of living. The School Committee can disrespect me all they want, it would never hurt me in the pocket book.
I find it quite disrespectful for the union to give only its side. It seems to me that there must be some disagreement between the School Committee and the union leadership (a poor word). If so, then is there another side to the story. Please, help my child to learn instead of picketing.
Anon 4:19 am...right on! Very well put. Where is the respect for students, families, taxpayers and our town? The Unions sound bites, speeches, protests, etc are one sided pr baloney. Kids being told in their schools that they need to get their parents involved or student activities won't happen. These union people have nerve and should not be harassing our kids. It is shameful. They could sign on the dotted line. How do they expect the town to support funding for the schools with this outrageous display of poor thinking and even poorer behavior?
DeleteThe race coming up for school committee should be a good one, especially if Mr. Cahill runs. Although he is far from being a great leader, he is bright and can move on. Unfortunately, it appear to me that Mrs. Killion will run. She is just a part of the picture that is quite unsettling to me. Mr belief that she is there to see that the schools "cut" and "cut" again.
ReplyDeleteShe chose to send her children to Parochial Schools, but why does she not state openly what the attraction was. She constantly refrences her accounting skills, but asks questions that she already knows the answer. She literally fingerpoints and is upset. Paraphrasing Mr. Johansen, its time to go home.
to Anon 6:51 am:
DeleteFingerpoints or attempts to hold people accountable?????
TO ANON 9:30
ReplyDeletePLEASE CHECK MS.KILLION ATTENDENCE RECORD AT MEETINGS.PLEASE LOOK AT THE MEETINGS SHE DID ATTEND AND TELL ME IF SHE CONDUCTED HER SELF PROFESSIONALY
I hope Andrea runs again. She is bright and now has three years of knowledge. She just needs to do a better job of debate.
DeleteTHAN WHY HAS SHE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE TEACHERS CONTRACT DONE IN THE 2 YEARS SHE HAS BEEN ON THAT COMMITTTE.
DeleteAfter three years of what I would call tough debate (Hatfield and McCoy type), she should know how to debate and to convince. This she has not done in my opinion. I can't see how an "outsider" to our system has failed to bring to the table the business sense of the school that her child attended. I am sure she must know being an accountant. To me she may have asked questions, and some may have been clarifications, but she has failed to point out any significant change that was made to the budget process.
DeletePerhaps she should adress the peanut controversy before before it becomes a problem of safety for the children first and not individual freedoms first.
She is a nice lady, but maybe its her time to stay leave.
to anon 10:41.....I truly believe Ms. Killion has always conducted herself professionally during the meetings over the last few years.
DeleteJessica Linehan did the right thing by not running. After all that has happened over the past year, the Town needs new blood. Hopefully Shaun Cahill and Andrea Killion will see that. Perhaps they could try their hand again in Town politics in the future. They have worked hard, but we do need new blood without baggage.
DeleteWe need smart people who will challenge the new superintendent's "vision." We need people who can communicate at the table and have the discussions mean something. We need people who don't let their personal agenda's get the better of them. I do think Andrea has the ability to help but I would agree her track record is not great. This Wing story in today's paper is another example of rash decision making and poor process. How in the world did that story get in the paper before it was reported to the SC and the BOS. Who told the reporter to be at that meeting? Frankly until the CCTimes gives Sandwich a fair shake, I doubt we stand a chance at saving anything. What an axe to grind they have with the town.
ReplyDeleteIt got in the paper because that subcommittee is a government entity subject to Open Meeting Law. All their meetings were posted and none of its proceedings were ever secret. Nobody told the reporter to be at the meeting; the reporter just looked at the bulletin board!
DeleteIs the CC Times down on the Town or is the Town down on itself. You have a few voices who are not office holders that keep trying to get their point accross. That is their right and thats fine, but they are never constructive, but destructive.
ReplyDeleteAndrea tried, but she failed. It would be unfortunate if someone did not run against her. My guess it that she will make up her mind based on who runs.
OK OK I say sell the Wing School to the highest bidding CHARTER SCHOOL that wants it. You must admit, it would be interesting to see the dynamics of competition right here in good olde Sandwich! For those of us who remember when their 8th graders went to the High School..... not a great idea. These are tough times and we will accept those issues all over again........... not for the kids... but for the money. And if I may suggest one thing for the President of the School Teachers Union. The teachers, due to their union membership, deserve a contract. Not one any of us will be happy with, however the contract is a fact of life. If the contract is bogged down with the school committee because of the repeated behind the scenes drama that keeps popping up at SC meetings then perhaps, out of fairness to her union membership....she should resign and allow an election to occur. If she really wants a contract for HER people, then she should remove herself. A new voice without baggage from the failed negotiations over the past two years, could probably obtain that contract for the union members quickly. This got ugly a long time ago and change is needed on both sides of the negotiation table. But hey, if we sell the Wing, we will have tons of cash to pay all those 'zeroes' we know are in the contract. Just sayin...
ReplyDeleteMaybe Killion should step down from the school committee because she has failed at negotiating a contract as well.
DeleteOpen meeting law aside, it got in the paper and on the front page for other reasons. "Is the paper down on the town or the town down on itself?" Good question maybe. If you look at the headlines and major/minor articles that have pointed fingers and stirred things up for Sandwich since Sean G. left as our beat reporter I think you will see a disturbing trend. Perhaps there are staff at the paper as frustrated as many in town about the town's lack of progress over the past two decades. But maybe the town is being rather bullied by the Cape Cod Time because it makes people buy the papers. It appears to be pretty common knowledge that town employees think nothing of calling reporters if it suits them. Wish the town would develop a more stringent policy where that is concerned. Selectman Pannofi spoke to this recently and he is right.
ReplyDelete5:08 We should have a muzzle on employees. If everything is done in the open, then even town employees have right to speak.
DeleteI agree about the peculiar coverage Sandwich receives in the CCTimes. It just bothers me when people are shocked, shocked! to learn about something that's been under discussion in the public eye for months, even years. It was the same w/Pay As You Throw.
DeleteI don't really care about the should's, where people's ability to wade through the muck of political chatter when it comes to issues. I do care about Sandwich being treated unfairly for any reason by the CCTimes. The slant is always an issue. Years ago someone described the Times, (a paper I have read daily since moving to the Cape and one I try to continue to respect) as being just part of the media trend of printing whatever will sell papers. I moved here from a huge city and the difference is simple. Let's take Sandwich for example, there are on three local papers, one daily and two weekly. There is no daily tv or radio news show expanding on information that effects the community and providing balance. What these papers write has enormous economic-socio-political-cultural effect. Sandwich truly seems to be getting different treatment as a news item. It is a shame and frankly rather unjust. A former SC member had a favorite saying years ago. You rarely hear about other School Committees in the CCTimes, but in Sandwich all a SC member has to do is walk down the hall and there is an article. At the time I thought it funny. Now I think our school system is being rather targeted to sell papers. For nearly two years now, consistently in other towns or in cross cape groups I am asked about our schools with looks of pity and concern because of CCTimes articles that over sensationalize our issues.
DeleteCarl Johansen would state that perhaps the reason why Sandwich seems to find its way into the newpapers, is because of the many contraversal topics that keep them busy writting.
ReplyDeleteThe schools chose the path they did, by conducting business through the printed media, in many situations. it is called one upsmanship and it is played like a game. The one, that make the loudest noise wins the game at that time. Any time we use politics[the newspaper] to discuss business, rather then conduct an open meeting we wind up with discourse. Now the other side has to save face and once again we have a revolving door of issues that get picked apart by the printed media. They are doing the public a favor and bringing out the reasons, you may not like the way it looks or the way it is printed, but that becomes part of life, when you deal in political climate of discourse.
If a balanced version is provided that is one thing, but when it is not, that is when we get more issues that affect us all.
It is simple, any news worthy of goodness, simply does not sell as many copyies as if the news is other wise.
Specific issues in many cases get distorted, because the reporters fail, to in fact, do the proper back ground checks and balance that they are being paid to do. Then again some whom may have been setup, by the political process to print a story that was false, become more aware and attempt to vilify the reported news , by going the other way, when they report a follow up story.
How many times have we heard the term this budget season about being transparent from both the Board of Selectmen and the School District, yet we still see many areas of the budget discussion that are not. They cannot be transparent between each other, so what makes you think they would be any more so to any newspaper writer?
As long as you have some, that decide to pay for a published announcement in the local paper, then you can expect to see more follow up that does no one any good.
At least with the printed news out in the open , every one has a much better view of what is occuring, behind the political wall of silence. It is up to each of us to decern, if what we are reading are facts or fiction. That is one reason, every one who pays taxes in our fair town needs to pay attention and become more invloved with the whole process and not just when the train comes off the track.
Mr. Johansen, if I can read your entry correctly, you are saying that the reason that Sandwich is in the newspapers is because of the controversial issues that keep the newspapers writing. For sure some of the items in a newspaper are controversial, but the reason that keeps them writing is [the news}wether it be good, bad, or indiferent.
ReplyDeleteYour second paragraph, to me at least, suggest that the schools chose a path to air their laundry in the press. That in my opinion is dead wrong. I believe you meant the SC and not the schools, but the SC did not choose, the news is what brought everything to the media. If you had chosen to read the articles, they were quite similar. They progressively told what had transpired. There was little depth in the stories. Often there were no comments by those that you seem to think were playing the one upsmanship game in the press.
The real story is how the first majority bullied the minority. How they had their shills speak at the microphone, not just at SC meetings, but also at Selectman meetings. They had their shills threaten suits against the Town, they had their shills embarrass a patriotic and longstanding woman who had worked for a score of years tirelessly for the Town. I could go on and on, but the writer who wrote that people did it was right on the money.
And you were not.
Don't blame the papers, blame those who made the controversy. I can not understand their motive as I can not understand how the supporters of Johnson could be so rude to the other side of the issue.
Carl Johansen would state to 1237 You are absolutly correct it was the Union that represented the school teachers, that paid to place an add in the local papers, What has occurred in the past was not the prime motivation for my comments above. I was speaking only to the issues before us presently, during this budget process.
ReplyDeleteYou can speak about some one no longer involved in the present process in any manner you wish, but the real facts of what you speak about have yet to be determined. If and when clarification is forthcoming to the public, then every one can speak about who was wrong or right for that matter. That process is still being debated by the Massachusetts Court system. Who knows who will be vintigated or prosecuted is still up in the air. That will a topic of discussion for another time and place. Let us all hope, that the decision arrives before it is election time.
Moving 7th and 8th grade students to H.S.is not a new concept. Look at other districts on and off cape. The reason for doing this is a simple one. Statistics tell us that once kids are in a school building, they are less likely to leave for charter schools etc. regardless of how miserable they or their families are. The majority of students leaving our district leave after 8th grade. Once our 8th graders form new friendships, upperclass boyfriends/girlfriends and success on the athletic fields the desire to leave fades and the conversation focuses on how to make things work with a crappy template.
ReplyDeleteAnon, 2/20 12:37 PM You lost me at shills. It is obvious that you are too angry to try and see this as anything apart from your friend being victimized in your view. I can understand that. But, the episode in Sandwich History, that began with the DA responding in a letter to an inquiry (begun through an anonymous phone call) by our Town Clerk regarding a School Committee meeting, took over a year to resolve and was full of twists and turns and enough bad behavior to go around. Not to mention, it was full of enough rather unintelligent and rather immature moves to go around. Those in leadership positions seemed at a loss as to how to handle it. The community was torn apart. Many people were hurt of all ages and frankly will continue to be hurt. It is still nearly impossible to think about how such a ridiculous event could have happened in a town of well meaning and intelligent people. One wrong move after another. I truly doubt shills had much to do with it. It was an avalanche of lack of leadership, poor choice of words, negative actions, etc. Because there was no intelligent way through it, people chose sides. What else could they do.
ReplyDelete@3:25. It is quite obvious you say. Well it is not to me. 12:37 only said that it is our fault and not the newspaper and then pointed to three rather untoward things that proved it such as a suit by former office holders (rediculous); its no wonder they were voted out, teachers who benefited from the former superintendent speaking at the microphone, and the cowardly stomping on a former SC chairman who had served many years by a statement that it was time for her to go home. These things brought out the worst by the cctimes. For sure the other side had their actions. Safe to say it was the people who did things to foster an air of a war between the Hatfields and the McCoys so to speak. The Hatfields drew first blood by voting our one of the McCoys, now we wait and see if the McCoys can not off one or both of the Hatfields.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone see Augustine's letter in the Broadsider. It says or at least implies that one reason for the parties not getting together is a retro-active money issue. I would like to know how it is that he has this information. Is someone on the negotiating committee leaking it out.
ReplyDeleteTo be quite honest, I feel that teachers are getting their fair share. I wish I had the perks that they do. I work about 50 hours a week and get paid for 37 1/2.
I don't think that half, if that, as many teachers work at home as they claim. Perhaps they should stay later at school where believe the atmosphere is so much better than home. Imagine if your child's teacher were correcting papers at home watching television or worse still at a public meeting. Wow!
I just can not understand how the teachers blame the SC for not going forward with an agreement. Are they saying that what they proposed must be or else. Its time for the teachers to come down to reality. The reality that they are better off than most.
Sandwich teachers have a very good deal here, and if they are seeking ANY improvements to it, it is THEY who are being unfair and disrespectful in this economy. Also, noted briefly in the Enterprise but easy to miss, next time we see a teacher with a sign saying how long it's been since they had a contract, we might ask how long it's been since their complete team showed up to a negotiating session. We might be surprised to learn which side is holding up the process!
ReplyDeleteForgive me, but the Hatfields and the McCoys would serve as a better metaphor if you said who/which group was who/which group. I see your point but get a little lost in the way you describe it. Could we agree that there is enough blame to go around? Everyone seems to think that there is some merit in taking sides. Perhaps there is, But frankly to some of us the outcome is more important. Looking at how this happened, one hopes, will help avoid it in the future. Bad personal behavior was exhibited on both sides as far as I can tell. All involved are not enemies of mine but there were things done by all involved at one time or another that had me baffled and saddened. The reference to Mr. J's horrible comment publicly to Mrs.M is a good example of one such thing. It was over the top and pathetic. There is no need to carry a disagreement to that level. Bombastic comments by others certainly were no help to the situation. Sadly there was no one in leadership that knew how to mend fences or no one who wanted to. You would think that the official who had so many years experience would have been motivated and able to do both. I think that was the frustration where that individual was concerned. I have voted for that person and was very sad her many years experience could not be of more helpful in this situation. It was all so sad.
ReplyDeleteYour metaphor which has been used by others is rather frightening. We sure don't want the feud to continue, but what can be done. The citizens and especially the kids always seem to get the short end of the stick. Pride, ego and power plays only feed those engaged in them. They don't really accomplish much.
I agree with almost all of your comment. The exception being that Mrs. Marshall's leadership style for which she was voted in many times is low keyed and she is more concerned about the students than politics. She was genuine in her feelings towards the former superintendent and she was just trying to protect the students.
DeleteI am not sure who the Hatfield and McCoys are on the committee, but it my sincere hope that they get each other out of office. In my opinion, Shaun, Sherry, Jessica are outstanding leaders. Sherry is now out and Jessica has given up. Now its time for Shaun and Andrea to quit. I feel bad for Shaun because he is a young bright man and would be a loss, but unfortunately he has too much baggage from the fight over the superintendent. We need to clean house.
As I said, I agree with almost all of your post. It was said accurately and better written than I could have done. But my original post had to do with Johansen's suggesting that thw newspapers were at fault or at least the CC Times. I think it was the fault of the players especially those who did rediculous things such as the "take your flowers and stay home" incident, the suit against the Town or SC as it might have been. You can't blame the newspapers for printing the news. I was eager to read the articles when they came up. Yes, underneath, the Times does not in my opinion like Sandwich, but certainly the players have given the food for the bad print.
At this point, I only want the players with the baggage out. And, as for Johansen, I agree with those who say he should run for office. More times than not, he just creates controversy by his statements. Sometimes, in my opinion he is right and sometimes he is wrong, but he has so many opinions that he should put his money where his mouth goes. I think he is afraid to run for office.
I do see your point, but what you consider baggage others may consider experience. There are still people who side with Mary Ellen Johnson and think she was treated shabby. I don't agree that it is time to clean house, I think it is time to do a better job, act more professionally, pick your battles more carefully, work to build consensus, not do power plays, let the committee make decisions not lawyers, etc.
DeleteLow key is a style but you still have to solve problems, bring people together who may not agree with, and act professionally even though there is no pay and politics is a crummy culture. You need to do those things if you are going to make a difference in your leadership position. People need to stay positive but get realistic about finances. They need not to hold grudges but let their brains get busy problem solving, building strong trusting relationships, and becoming the team Sandwich deserves leading our schools.
Citizens want to see our boards coming together not being divided. Whatever it was that people believed they were "protecting the children from," to have SC members to this day not at all clear on what that was proves how ineffective leadership was in terms of Johnson issue. But moving on, let's hope leadership improves. It is critical that the SC become as constructive and dynamic as they can be.
So we go on and hope for a better School Committee. So far no one has taken out papers and that tells you something too. The schools are in trouble not because of the Superintendents. They are in trouble because of the school committee. The school committee makes the decisions about when to hire a superintendent and how to treat them. The responsibility is clearly on the SC members to create the organizational strengths for the school department through their decisions.
It is not just about the kids. It is about the town and our responsibility to the kids. It is about our values as a community. It is about practical dollars and cents. It is about financial accountability. It is about good uses of the resources our taxpayers give the schools. It is about best practice and thoughtful decisions. The School Committee and, through them, the superintendent are responsible for the vision and implementation. Vision is great, but it is nothing without implementation. That takes organization which takes leadership. Leadership is not just about power. It is about what you do with it. Regardless of state legal standing, it is about the school and municipal government really working together, not just giving lip service to that concept.
Someone said to me today that the town doesn't care about education and our schools. I know that is not true. But without a highly functioning intelligent School Committee able to move us past the dysfunction of the past few years how does the town organize itself to protect our schools and promote education as a town value? The Superintendent, no matter how talented and devoted to education, can not possible be invested in Sandwich yet, but the SC is. I hope and pray three hardworking enlightened intelligent people step up to the plate and help make our SC what it needs to be. Public service in town government is a thankless job I think, but it must have the potential to be extremely rewarding too.
There are folks highly qualified who may be afraid to run because of the scrutiny. I hope some consider it and think about what there is to accomplish at this time in history where education is concerned and where our town is concerned. It is true that you can only really change anything from the inside. Think of that next time you are tempted to pay too much attention to a gad fly, gossip or the like. If you care about the schools, get in there and make a difference!
What is different about teachers today compared to my upbringing is that teachers today seem to want to have us believe that they walk on water. In my upbringing teachers were humble, dynamic, and respected for what they did not for their standing as teachers. They didn't whine and it seemed to me that always education was the most important goal. School environment were less complicated, more focused on academics and not extra stuff. It was natural to "keep it simple." Teachers really wanted to teach. Kids felt safe and life in schools were much less stress-free, at least in my town.
ReplyDeleteI meant to say much more stress free.
ReplyDeleteTo 9:19. Very well put
ReplyDeleteI don't have a contract. If I were to go before my Manager in front of television camaras, I would be escorted out of the building. If I complained that I wasn't appreciated, I know my manager would suggest very strongly that I find a job where I am appreciated. If I had the time off that teachers get, then I would be able to get a second job or play golf or do nothing as I am sure many teachers do. I wish I had a job where I had the benefits that the teachers get. I don't. I am self-motivated. I do not need a contract. I, unlike the teachers who can't function without a contract and worry about there job, do what I need to do for my job.
ReplyDeleteThey can't help my kid after school, but they do have the time to picket. Well the outcome may make them appreciated by the SC and administration, but not by me.
Anon 6:55 am, You have just expressed beautifully how extremely negative the PR is, the teachers old fashioned and frankly over the top rhetoric has produced. It is biased, manipulative, irrational, out of touch, and getting them nowhere. It is self-serving and getting them nowhere. It is like any group that only listens to itself. Man, it is aggravating.
ReplyDeleteThe Cape Cod Time's editorial yesterday was of the same ilk, over-the-top and one sided. Yes I know that is what advocates are suppose to do, push. But my goodness hasn't anyone paid attention that people are smarter, information flowing, and the hype just doesn't play any more as easily. People see right through it.
Parents and citizens came to Sandwich teachers aide not that long ago, winning a sizable override. There were a handful of teachers involved in that. Parents and citizens came to the school's aide in fall of 2006. Now the teachers who have enabled the downfall of our schools want people to jump on their bandwagon. Really? I think this town is feed up with the teachers attitudes and exhausted from trying to help an organization that just can't seem to get its act together. God love our schools, but something has to change!
I saw the teacher who had cancer. Truly that is not a great thing. I am glad she recovered and comment her for her fight. I thought it was interesting that she was grateful for her health insurance. She worked for it, played by the rules, and deserves. How nice to have heard someone who appreciates what she received. What I am not sure of is if she understands that I as a parent appreciate most of the teachers of my children. I can appreciate them with the contribuitons of treasure and time that I give to the PTA and the many hours I spend in the classroom as a volunteer. I do not appreciate the fact that they want more money and its too bad that they equate higher pay with appreciation. My husband lost his job a month ago and I don't sleep at night wondering if my children or husband will need costly health care while he is out of work. I pray each day for help. I just wish that my husband could have a job with good benefits including healthcare.
ReplyDeleteAnon, 7:20 AM Thank you for pointing out that appreciation from the community is not limited to teacher pay increases! It is sad they don't see that their choice of words is so very inappropriate! Your story sums up many realities in town. It breaks my heart that while people suffer and hold on for dear life, I drive past the H.S. yesterday and see teachers out there with their signs laying a guilt trip on our town. How can we respect that? And how does that show respect on the part of those teachers for the people of this town. It feels like the teachers don't appreciate or respect the people of this town. How can we have faith in their ability to be a good influence on our children. I would suggest the ones on the picket line clearly are not. They may proclaim to be heroes but I think most adults at least see it differently. Thank you also for pointing out the value of a teacher expressing appreciate for what the town has given. I pray for some common sense to come to the union leadership and some sensitivity. I hope they quit trying to manipulate the public.
ReplyDeleteWill someone please set the record straight about how many negotiation meetings the teachers have canceled.
7:20 AM poster, You are in my prayers. I hope things turn around for you soon!