Teachers to stay at work, renew recall effort
They're frustrated, they're depressed and, in some cases, finding support where they least expect it.
Teachers and other union workers in local school districts plan to be at work in the next few days and spend much of their free time demonstrating against Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill.
Janesville Education Association President Dave Parr said Thursday he had not heard talk of any actions in response to the Legislative votes.
Parr said he was flooded with calls from teachers Wednesday night and Thursday, asking if any actions were planned.
WEAC President Mary Bell on Wednesday night had urged teachers to stay on the job.
In Janesville, only 26 teachers needed substitutes Thursday, Superintendent Karen Schulte said. That is no different than a normal day, she said.
Evansville teachers also worked Thursday and planned to do the same today. Many were headed to Madison on Thursday after work to join the protest, lead negotiator Rich Fanning said.
In addition to protesting, union supporters now will throw themselves into the effort to recall Walker and other Republicans, Fanning said.
They also will work hard at a get-out-the-vote effort in advance of the April 5 election with the hope of replacing incumbent Supreme Court Justice David Prosser, Fanning said. Prosser, who was appointed by Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1998 and elected in 2001, is challenged by JoAnne Kloppenburg of Madison.
"We're going to really target him as someone who could be defeated," Fanning said. "We're going to put some of our efforts there.
Many teachers and public workers are numb from the pace of the political actions in the last two days, Fanning said.
"I guess it's something that's unraveling," Fanning said. "We're not sure what's going to happen next."
All the chaos has had one unexpected result, said Shelly Crull-Hanke, president of the Beloit Turner Education Association. Union members and school administrators typically find themselves on opposite sides of the table at bargaining time. Now, the two sides have come together, she said.
"There is not animosity," Crull-Hanke said. "It used to be, 'You should give us this,' or, 'You can't have that.'
"It's just survival at this point."
Crull-Hanke said staff members are beside themselves with the sudden changes.
"People are sick, physically and mentally," she said.
Some educators at UW-Whitewater used the political chaos as a teachable moment.
Eric Compas, assistant professor of geography and geology at UW-Whitewater, helped organize a teach-in Thursday, asking faculty and staff to spend 10 to 15 minutes discussing the budget repair bill.
He made the request through e-mail. Some professors responded in support, while others complained of his use of the e-mail system, Compas said.
"It was a couple of us that have been keeping track of what's been happening at the Capitol," he said, "And we thought we owe it to ourselves and the students to have a bigger voice in this. We thought this campus has been a little bit too quiet."
The reaction from students varied, but Compas said the goal was to create conversation, not polarization. Regardless of where students stood on the issue, what was happening in Madison was history in the making, he said.
"We should be able to talk with each other," he said.
He spoke about the bill in his own class, and students watched the state Assembly hearing live on TV.
Reporters Kevin Hoffman, Frank Schultz and Ann Marie Ames contributed to this report.
Mar 12, 2011 at 9:59 a.m.
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So all you Wisconsinites want to be the next CALIFORNIA, huh?! How far do you think an IOU is going to get ya??! You want an IOU handed to you instead of a paycheck?! Think about that! I don't want my property taxes to double. Pretty soon there will be sales tax on EVERYTHING. If your wonderful Democratic prima madonna senators would have stayed and fought for your so-called "rights", maybe it wouldn't have come to this. Public union workers want everything. I would LOVE for them to pay the percentage I do for benefits and pension. They'd be crying a bigger river!! Remember GM? How far did the union get ya on that one? As for campaign contributions, how many millions of dollars did all the unions slide over to the Democratic party,,especially to Obama? So your leaders Michael Moore and Jesse Jackson know everything about Wisconsin's budget and financial status?? NOT! It's all for publicity, not for you. Get Real.
Mar 12, 2011 at 7:53 a.m.
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If you oppose this legislation, you need to channel your anger and dismay into action. Check defendwisconsin.org for info on how you can participate in phone banking, data entry, and collecting signatures for recalls around the state.
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There are also calls to boycott major contributors to Governor Walker: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-S...
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You can also create cards that say "A public employee supported your business today" and hand them out when you shop.
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Teachers, I support you. As an educator myself, I know that we have become the scapegoats for so much that is wrong with this country. While I laugh at Jon Stewart's analysis of teachers and Wall Street bankers, I do wonder how our nation has come to this point.
Mar 12, 2011 at 7:49 a.m.
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mike1942: showing why we need English teachers.
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The Tea Party: We will know them by their spelling: http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/02/1004...
Mar 12, 2011 at 7:25 a.m.
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Thank you Gov Walker,
Your the Man.
Mar 12, 2011 at 2:35 a.m.
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I will be in Madison tomorrow to show my support for hard-working people in this state. I encourage everybody who has the means to make it there to go for it, be they pro or con.
Parking is free in Madison on Saturdays.
Walker and his cronies may have won the battle of the budget bill (though the outcome is yet to be decided) but when the number of recalls make history, the next power-tripping gov. and legislature will think twice before trying to abuse their power so mightily.
Mar 12, 2011 at 1:01 a.m.
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meerkat, that's what an entitlement is by definition. You have paid into the fund and you are entitled to get money from it when the time comes. Social security and medicare are entitlements.
Mar 11, 2011 at 9:33 p.m.
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Kloppenburg YES That other guy NO!
Mar 11, 2011 at 8:46 p.m.
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http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/charliesyke...
Who would ever support the mafia tactics? And remember, as the article states, M & I was bought out by another bank a few months ago.
Mar 11, 2011 at 8:33 p.m.
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....and boycott M&I bank! They still refuse to admit the corporation contributed to the Walker campaign. We are pulling our account from there!
Mar 11, 2011 at 8:32 p.m.
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Vote Kloppenburg on April 5!!!!!
Mar 11, 2011 at 5:18 p.m.
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Teachers! What do you think of you government now? How about the political process? I am not trying to rub salt in the wounds, I only want to make a point. Point being, the bottom of the Economic portion of the population has been feeling the effect of the government policies for the last couple decades. The poorer were getting poorer. NAFTA, allowing illigals to drive down labor costs, etc..Now that it effects you, you are more open to see what is really going on. To all those that have not been affected! Give it time, its coming to a theater near you! People donot realize just how bad the banking wrong doings, the financial crisis, the coruption at all high levels has actual done. Folks, it's just getting started. You know whats funny, it can still all happen again, no lesgislation has been put into effect from it happening again. Our banks(the big one crooked ones) has caused a GLOBAL economic disaster. Now you and me will be footing the bill. Next will be SSI and medicare. I like the way they call my Social Security entilement when I have paid into it for the last 34 years. Rich get to keep thier money.
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