onecheck -- You are not even being logical -- certainly hypocritical.

Unions say -- if you dont want to work for a union, you have the right to work elsewhere.

Opposed to Unions say -- if you want to pay union dues, join one, go work elsewhere, your choice.

Right to work - says unions and non-union employees can co-exist. If you do not want to pay dues to an organization you disagree with, you have a choice, but are no longer forced into one or the other.

Seems to me -- the right to work supporters have the best interest of the employees in mind.

Welcome to the new "Right to work for less" state. Where everything people work for 30 years to get can be wiped out by the stroke of a pen. But it's good to know that Walker will retire with full benefits, Insurance, And will need nothing for the rest of his life. But the people who work for a living will soon be scared to death just to go to the doctor.

This is one @#$%ed up state thanks to Walker and like minded people.

If politicians weren't so ignorant on how they spend your money non of this would be necessary.

Oh get real.

I wish your parents would have had an opportunity at free contraception. Could have made a world of difference.

I am not crying about anything harry sounds like you are the one constantly crying.
"Sick and tired of all these moaners and groaners who work 9 months out of the year with multiple weeks off and paid holidays, with sick time, and hardly contribute comparable health insurance premiums to most of us."

"Spare us the whiny crying baby tantrum stories fear....maybe if some of these folks got rid of the double car payment and got rid of that huge house they cannot afford or that boat they use in the summer they still owe on it. And, that big one hundred dollar a month Direct TV bill so they pay for channels they do not need....or that 5 cell phone family plan with the highest data plans?"

" They don't even pay as much as most people."

So let me get this straight, teachers are the cry babies?

We'll let's see mr rhetoric keeps painting a very stark economic picture because these teachers have to pay a little more for their health insurance. They don't even pay as much as most people. Stop your crying and educate some kids.

"maybe if some of these folks got rid of the double car payment and got rid of that huge house they cannot afford or that boat they use in the summer they still owe on it. And, that big one hundred dollar a month Direct TV bill so they pay for channels they do not need....or that 5 cell phone family plan with the highest data plans?" Really? You are a tool. You won't be happy until they live in a trailer and drive a rusted out suburban. Since this was a gm town they should support them.

You must have a rough life and an agenda against teachers. Let me guess the teachers you had didn't know anything and didn't challenge you enough and that is why you became a loser in life? You and Scotty are two peas in a pod.

More money into education certainly hasn't fixed anything to be competitive on a global level. What's your plan? Keep funding unions?

What is being educated mean fear? Recalling facts on a state test or remembering the 50 state captials? They certainly do not teach team work or problem solving in school. Just look at their examples in the classroom.

HBH if they are coimmunists then you are a fascist. So lets continue with labels. I know who you are and that is all you are good at. Nothing in your last three posts address any real issues. Or answer any of the questions posed. Oh your answer of "we voted this is what we voted for"? That is a lie, Scott Walker never ran on this agenda, he actually spoke of negotiating with unions three weeks before his election. Like you he is uneducated and full of......

"But hey TOUGH, right 916 and HBH?"

Hey..that's the way the cookie crumbles when you have communist organizations that represent you. Life's a b.. sometimes....

"As much as you hate Unions and anyone who makes a decent living as a result of their union actually fighting for a living wage, there will be dozens and dozens of teachers in just the Janesville school district that will face very harsh life-changing decisions that may put them out of their homes, put them into unecessary debt. I know a few families who have mom and dad both as teachers, double hit."

Spare us the whiny crying baby tantrum stories fear....maybe if some of these folks got rid of the double car payment and got rid of that huge house they cannot afford or that boat they use in the summer they still owe on it. And, that big one hundred dollar a month Direct TV bill so they pay for channels they do not need....or that 5 cell phone family plan with the highest data plans?

BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM FORKING OUT HUNDREDS EACH YEAR TO GIVE TO THEIR COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION UNION WHO HAS THUG DIRECTORS WHO MAKE SIX FIGURES A YEAR HUH FEAR? YOU SIR ARE MISINFORMED!

"916 FAILS to address the HUGE pile of debt teachers face coming out of college, not to mention that they are required to continue their education to stay licensed."

They chose that profession..no pity party here fear...

"Funny to me how teachers are NOW supposed to feel the pain of the private sector but when things were great they were not allowed to feel the BOOM!! Hypocrites at every turn."

We voted....change took place and it's going to change...

916 FAILS to address the HUGE pile of debt teachers face coming out of college, not to mention that they are required to continue their education to stay licensed.
I have salary schedule in front of me and can tell you 38K is HIGHER than the starting salary in the district, especially since the average is 44k.
Here is where 916 again fails. MOST of these people that are about to face very LARGE reductions in salary and benefits already own homes in the community and now will be faced with finding a way to pay their mortage, car payments, doctor bills, etc..... As much as you hate Unions and anyone who makes a decent living as a result of their union actually fighting for a living wage, there will be dozens and dozens of teachers in just the Janesville school district that will face very harsh life-changing decisions that may put them out of their homes, put them into unecessary debt. I know a few families who have mom and dad both as teachers, double hit.

I wonder where 916 and HBH were when the economy was BOOMING and the teachers were limited by the QEO laws? Were you fighting for not limiting teachers pay unlike any other profession there is no ceiling on what you can make. You can continue to degrade these valuable public servants all you like. I feel bad for you because obviously the system failed you and now it is your wish to punish them when the economy is great and when it is poor. These policy decisions effect the next generations of teachers because there is NO WAY any young bright mind will want to teach kids here. What is the attraction?

Obsessing with teachers unions as somehow being a solution to issues is anti-education, as it is simply anti-intelligent, and solves NONE of the problems that face education. Just quenches your hatred of unions and anyone who works in one. HOW DARE they STAND together for their salary and benefits. Now along with the large decreases in take home pay teachers insurance deductables will be increasing by quite possibly a 1000%!! Sure you may not be in poverty by definition, but you certainly will be in big trouble is you or your kids get ill. But hey TOUGH, right 916 and HBH?
Funny to me how teachers are NOW supposed to feel the pain of the private sector but when things were great they were not allowed to feel the BOOM!! Hypocrites at every turn. Thanks for the laugh, but its NOT funny, reality is a very scary thing. But as we see you could care less about union families, enjoy yyour 7 extra dollars a month, boy are you cheap to buy 916, all it takes is 7 dollars a month in tax cuts.

$60-$70k homes? Yes - if you have the additional $60-70k needed to fix them up to livable conditions. However, it is very telling to for you to suggest this as what teachers should expect as far as living conditions. It shows how value education.

----

$38k for a starting teacher is not a bad salary, and I don't think employer sponsored health insurance is out of line. The pension contribution is shared and, as has been explained ad nauseum, part of a "deferred compensation" agreement. What do starting nurses make? Starting engineers? Other recent college grads with professional degrees and a state license? I think you'll find the $38k rather modest.

916 will get back to you -916 is to busy putting all non-patriet comments threw spell and grammer check applicatiion.

916, can you link a source for your salary info?

"What is comical is your and others obsession with unions, and no obsession with actually fixing issues with education."

Teacher unions are only obsessed with fixing their monetary issues to see how much money they can rip off the taxpayer. Then they need to boot the union out if that is the case.

"The HandBook is coming! The HandBook is coming!"
Oh no what shall we do?"

Fear..why is it that you think someone who is against unions is against education?

Fear....Comical that you are clueless enough to consider that living in poverty--absolutely! According to an online search, a first year teacher makes approximately $38,000/yr without factoring in benefits(taxpayer provided health care and pension contributions). The median HOUSEHOLD income in Janesville is around $47,000. That places your 20 something teacher at 80% of what most households in the community in which they teach make. Considering that one can easily find a starter home in Janesville or Beloit for $60-70K, your "living in poverty" claim is laughable. I guess it is possible that you've fallen victim to the lies and exaggerations that the unions have been pushing. They seem to prey on people like you:(

No problem Patriot Bro! I'm glad you also found the irony in someone insulting others who are against status quo when it comes to our educational system, while incorrectly spelling the insults that he was using!:)

Really 916? What does a first year teacher in Janesville make before benefits? Fresh out of college with mountains of debt and making 30k a year? What is so comical about that? What is comical is your and others obsession with unions, and no obsession with actually fixing issues with education.
Your solutions and others of your ilk are completely based in finance and ideology. All you can do is speak of checkbooks and unions. Yet people that follow in line with people who believe as you do would privatize education. Send kids to schools that adgere to zero standards, have few to no licensed teachers and literally cherry pick their students. For a group that screams of union lack of accountability, I find it fascinating that you advocate sendingf kids to schools that have very little if any accountability.

In the end my spelling of the word Imbecile (thanks for your correction, I should use Firefox built in spell-check) means very little in the grand scheme of what works and what doesn't. Educating kids is merely a financial issue to conservatives, while waging war is a matter of open checkbook. When a tea party member the likes of 916 uses the hysterical rhetoric of our "failed educational system" and likes to use numbers to "prove" the validity of their arguments, ask yourselfif its the "greedy" teachers unions that are responsible, or the millions of kids living in poverty with broken family lives that attend public school?

The fact of the matter is that people like 916 and HBH would leave those kids out of the equation completely in order to make the stats look good. I wonder how your private schools would handle the most challenging kids? Kids with learning disabilities, kids with physical disabilities? I know education to the tea partiers is all about numbers, but someone should have taught you some Algebra. Variables affect solutions, its not always 1+1=2. The answer is to kill the Unions, pay teachers less money and then what?? What are your solutions aside from fanatical and ideological ones? I would love to hear how cutting funding and destroying teachers unions is going to help poor kids with no familiy lives get a piece of the American dream in LA, NYC, Chicago, and every other major metropolis in this nation that has problems educating their kids. I can tell that none of you actually wish to present a solution, only save money. Great plan for the country going forward, looks like a dim future if you all get your way.

916WI using once agaen spelling and grammer police. Good use of you're edecation. Lol. You keep us entertainned sistuh!

Come on fear......if you're going to label someone as an imbecile, the least you can do is spell it correctly. The irony is comical though.:) The dramatic references to slashed wages and forcing teachers to live in poverty are also laughable. Completely void of any truth, but a welcome laugh on a Sunday night....thx!

Like anthing else you say, not even close. I volunteer each year in my son's classroom, and in a relative who is a teacher in Milwaukee's classroom. Not that I have to qualify anything to a bitter fool like yourself. Not an expert on education, but I know many who are and your obesssion with the union is just that. Teachers need a union, not to protect the low performers amongst them, but to protect the bulk of them that are high performers from political ideologues that talk about performance based pay, but dont believe in it.
I have seen our fantastic public educators up close who care very deeply about educating kids and have contributed more to society that bitter embiciles like you could in 10 lifetimes. All they want is a decent middle class wage, all conservatives want is to make sure that they live in poverty. This shouldnt be about union protection if we were having a conversation about actually educating kids, but we arent, we are talking about a segment of society that cares only about one thing, busting teachers unions, and cutting pay and benefits until we have 8th graders teaching kindy garteners. The only solutions you people seem to have is "stop spending money on educating kids, no open checkbook" but when it comes to war and military might you are A OK with an unlimited checkbook.

Unike the likes of most of you bitter people, I volunteer(When I can) in classrooms, for school functions, for youth events in the community, coach youth sports (20+ years) where are you at? Maybe try and put your money where your mouth is before bashing something you have NO clue about, other than your obsession with Unions. I can only hope one day that you union haters get fired un justly, or get your pay and benefits slashed to the point of poverty to fill your boss's pockets, before you realize how silly you really are and who you are fighting for. I am by no means a Union person, I have never belonged to one in all my life. I do however see the need for them, not in all situations, but in the case of teachers in this district with this board of clowns I understand fully the need for one.

"Really I would like a shred of evidence showing that, a shred that isn't pulled dirctly from where the sun doesn't shine."

Show me how teacher unions help our educational system you self proclaimed education expert...you have never been in a classroom have you?

fear is what you do best..fear mongerer....I would rather elevate than constipate..

Harry - I think you lost!

harry - way to elevate the conversation. Your Mom must be proud.

Handbookharry/RobotLordofTokyo/Mongo/ (About 10 other names) keeps getting booted. Ridculous oinions all around. Change is working?? Really I would like a shred of evidence showing that, a shred that isn't pulled dirctly from where the sun doesn't shine.

HandBookHarry - You poor miserable person. You must of had a teacher keep you in from recess. You have let your hatred and jealousy blind you to your own hypocrisy.

"Handbookharry - I feel sorry for you. Your hate and jealousy must be really hard to live with. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, why don't you try to improve your position in life, instead of trying to bring everyone down to your apparent low level."

Feel sorry for me? Sorry...I don't need your bleeding heart's blood to survive pal.

We have liberals to bring people down..I'm not part of that group. Liberals thrive on people being down.

"I heard reports from people within university systems saying that nearly 50% of the students enrolled in educ. programs dropped...many of the them the most dedicated and brightest."

Heresay...not valid....

"Teachers are at school into June and again at the end of August, even though kids aren't there yet."

No one forces them to do this. It's all on their own. It's their prerogative in June.

Teacher contracts start at the end of August what are you talking about?

Great teachers will be harder and harder to come by in Janesville once the ones we have are chased out.% Within the last two years, I heard reports from people within university systems saying that nearly 50% of the students enrolled in educ. programs dropped...many of the them the most dedicated and brightest. My neighbor, whose daughter is student teaching (thankfully, she says, not in Janesville), said that most of those in the schools of ed. are constantly hearing that Janesville is NOT the place to apply to if one wants a good working environment or continue to have motivation to stay in the teaching field. Maybe a handful will apply, get a little experience, and get out. We'll have a revolving door which is never good for any business or service program in terms of staffing. Very sad.

HandBookHarry what other blog name do you use?

Handbookharry - I feel sorry for you. Your hate and jealousy must be really hard to live with. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, why don't you try to improve your position in life, instead of trying to bring everyone down to your apparent low level. As far as teachers time off, I might mention that my employer, a private company, gave me five weeks vacation, five personal days off, and seven paid holidays. We were paid for our first sick day off at full pay and that went for one year. Teachers are at school into June and again at the end of August, even though kids aren't there yet. By my calculations that is less than three months. Maybe you should start looking for a teaching job and quit whining.

"How about the selfish greedy teachers that work only 9 months a year WORKING TODAY, but on a brief break to argue with someone who blindly hates his profession"

It's not my fault you are not an organized teacher. Well, you chose this profession so do not complain about working today.

We voted, we wanted change and it is working. Have a nice day grading papers and creating lesson plans. Thanks for being a teacher.

Harrybook,
It is funny. I copied three of your posts just to demonstrate what hate-filled ignorance looks like.
..........
"I know many teachers in unions, almost all of them want accountability, they cant stand the bad ones."

That's like Bin Laden wanting world peace.

So, harry, you apparently disagree that most teachers do not want accountability and can't stand the bad ones. To demonstrate you use Bin Laden wanting world peace.

You offer not evidence, facts or support just an ignorant comparison of teachers/ accountability and bin laden/world peace.
.................
Wasp. Questionable is that the US severely lags behind in global education rankings when we spend more money than most other countries. Most of these billions go into paying folks who don't care about educating and only care about what is best for them.

In this post, you again fail to offer support or evidence. You make the ignorant statement about billions going to educators and suggest that educators care more about money than the students.

The teaching profession is chosen because of the kids not money. Anybody that does not believe that is clueless. Their hate of government, unions, or their own pathetic life has blinded them.
.............
"This debate is about the 40 or so teachers who love what they do, are still innovating in the classroom"

Where is the evidence that these teachers are innovators? I'd like to visit their classrooms.

This is my favorite. Somebody points out a belief about 40 teachers that love teaching and are inovating and you ask for evidence. LAUGHABLE
.....
Are you serious? Why do you hate an entire profession? Do you hate the selfish greedy teacher found dead holding open a door during a school shooting? How about the selfish greedy teacher found dead lying on top of her students in an attempt to protect them? How about the selfish greedy teachers that work only 9 months a year WORKING TODAY, but on a brief break to argue with someone who blindly hates his profession
.
Time for me to get back to work.

Stubby

We voted, we want changes, and its happening in WI. Enough said.

"This debate is about the 40 or so teachers who love what they do, are still innovating in the classroom"

Where is the evidence that these teachers are innovators? I'd like to visit their classrooms.

Wasp. Questionable is that the US severely lags behind in global education rankings when we spend more money than most other countries. Most of these billions go into paying folks who don't care about educating and only care about what is best for them.

Define intellectual product. A student who can recall and regurgitate meaningless information on a state test? Is that it? Or a student who was brainwashed by teachers into thinking that the only way to success is through social justice programs?

Sick and tired of all these moaners and groaners who work 9 months out of the year with multiple weeks off and paid holidays, with sick time, and hardly contribute comparable health insurance premiums to most of us. Tired of it.

I am so amused at the jealous " conservative" whiners on this site. I doubt that most of them would recognize an unproductive employee that was turning out an intellectual product if was right in front of them. When I see on this site some of the subjects and skills people consider to be important, I wonder if they have ever worked in a highly technical industry. As far as school choice it hasn't worked in Milwaukee, and most places it is given a every advantage over the public schools and the results are still questionable. It is mostly a way to line political donors pockets.

"I know many teachers in unions, almost all of them want accountability, they cant stand the bad ones."

That's like Bin Laden wanting world peace.

WI teacher settles with union over forced dues claim

http://watchdog.org/70942/wi-teacher-set...

Old Harry is taking a page from his "god" (governor scooter) and citing the one bad apple in the bunch to taint them all. (Remember the $120k bus driver? Suddenly that was every bus driver.) So yes - there probably is one or maybe two of the 50 Janesville teachers eligible to retire who are just "hanging on" and contributing little. But you know what? Those people were going to retire, anyway. This debate is about the 40 or so teachers who love what they do, are still innovating in the classroom, are absolutely outstanding in every way and a huge asset to the district - it is about those people being forced to choose whether or not to leave what they love a few years early because the window of opportunity is disappearing. Sure- you could paint that as "selfish" and "not really caring about kids" - but we all have a responsibility to ourselves and our families to balance what is best for others and what is best for our own families.

----

Harry - you could give away all your money and possessions and feed the poor - but because you feed yourself and your family and make sure your family has a warm place to sleep at night, does that mean you don't care at all about the poor? Maybe you give 10% of everything to help others - does keeping the 90% make you selfish, or generous? You are asking these teachers to give the 90%, and when they don't you label them as "selfish". Can you meet that standard?

High-performing High School teacher of the year leaves district at semester. Hmmmmm, how come the board doesn't comment on that? Or where is the story in the Gazette? No story because you would never get the real reasons for leaving anyway. What a joke. No company, business, schools etc want all high performers. They just talk the talk. They would never be able to pay them all or keep them. This board would never allow it to happen.

People are demanding accountability for what they pay for. The taxpayers are tired of giving an open checkbook to the schools with very little to say on how teachers are treated and on how teachers treat our children. Protecting poor performers via work rules and progressive discipline need to end. If employees do not perform up to an acceptable standard or violate the trust of the employer, they need to be fired. This is one reason many support the voucher system being proposed by our Governor. By offering alternate school options and paying for part of the tuition with funds from the taxpayer, it will make public schools clean up their act or become obsolete. I can understand the stress in waiting on terms of employment after June 30, but many private employees face the same issues on an annual basis. We should be proud to have members that are not afraid to speak out on behalf of the taxpayers and not be influenced by Parr and his group along with the liberal elite.

HandBookHarry -" Very true about Distefano....many old timers are just kicking back collecting a huge salary and not improving anything in education. They don't improve anything and they don't let others improve it...get out of the way....".

I would be very interested where your evidence was obtained. If it is your opinion, what experience do you have? Regarding insurance, I retired from the private sector as a management employee almost 20 years ago. My medical was paid for, and still is, including dental and eye care. My old employer still pays for my medicare. Why do jealous people like you and some others want to take benefits away from people, rather than try to improve your own lot in life. Or do you have such a negative opinion of yourselves that you think you can't do any better.

Marty its because of the dumbing down of this country. These people are simpl focused on the Union which based on the absolutely ridiculous comments here is necessary for teachers.
Get a clue? You just said teachers don't care about educating kids because they fight for their own wages and benefits? Im thinking that is you Harry that cannot buy a clue.

Ohhh welcome to the world of the poor taxpayers in the private sector that just 5 short years ago were raking in the bonuses and big salaries, while teachers performance meant nothing at all as they were limited by the QEO laws. Now that the private sector has in effect destroyed the global economy you want to lay blame on unions for wrecking things? Like I said about your clue, you couldnt buy one.
I know many teachers in unions, almost all of them want accountability, they cant stand the bad ones. Destroying their union to do this should not be an option, they need protection from ideologues like Sodeman and Distefano. Teachers should be held accountable for their performance, but lets be honest here people like the poster TCB , Soda, and Distefano will talk of performance and accountability but in reality they dont want to reward performance at all. Talking a good game is one thing walking the walk is a whole different arena. Their ideology won't allow them to value an educator.

It's not only the 30+ yr veteran teachers they are telling to "just leave". Simply put, certain board members refuse to see any connection between their treatment and attitude toward educators and some of our best and brightest teachers (wait, I mean our "high performers") leaving this district. By the way, there would likely be loud gasps, community backlash, and media scrutiny of an individual or group that made those same comments about unionized veteran firefighters or police officers who were nearing retirement and had devoted their entire career to this community. But our governor has made it fashionably acceptable to say it about a teacher.

Egalindo

Very true about Distefano....many old timers are just kicking back collecting a huge salary and not improving anything in education. They don't improve anything and they don't let others improve it...get out of the way....

"The problem is the cost of health insurance has skyrocketed in recent decades, making the benefit costly and difficult to plan for."

Welcome to the world most of us live where we actually pay for things and not smooch on the taxpayers.

"Distefano and Sodemann don't care about educating kids, never have"

And unions do care? Please....get a clue....

Have to admit, one advantage charter schools have over outright public schools is inept boards with politician wannabes(Sodemann, Distefano) have a lesser hand in wrecking them.

DiStefano is not interesting in having good education for our children. He's not interesting in keeping good teachers in our district. He's not interesting in working with the teachers with positive attitude. So sad that we have a member like him.

Lindo,

The 50% of unemployed college graduates disagree. The 30 year teacher hanging on simply for benefits-can go. I doubt there are many adults who after 30 years-simply mail it in-but like any profession there are bad teachers who should be fired, dont you agree? Or are teachers exempt from performance?

New teachers considering coming in and replacing retiring teachers should note how their own life energy and commitment to students will be "valued" by the JSD. After 30 years in you will get a swift kick out the door and this tone: “If they want to leave, let them leave. There are opportunities for other people to come in and do great things in our school district,” DiStefano said. Nice.

The race to the bottom continues...

Is it too early to take credit for this as 'job creation?'

Maybe you should pay all the retiring teachers for the money they have spent out of their own pocket for items for school and kids when they go to retire instead of health care, to show a little appreciation that you are changing their benefits....oh wait ... Bad idea the district would be broke... For real this time! Way to go board... Once again showing why you are known state wide as the CrAzY school board.

Capping Administration can introduce another golden opportunity for our tax payers. The salary and benefits changes which are afoot with the impending “Handbook” could easily DROP the “entry level” salary for our next replacement Superintendendent; all of the lesser administrators; and drop starting point for principals, too!
. . .
Again, the logic holds: Let the candidates look elsewhere if they don’t like what’s being offered! Geeze, and just look at the large number of husband-wife combinations of teachers, or teacher-administrator, which are employed in SDoJ!
. . .
These caps are a Sensible and long over due approach to our fiscal problems.

Capping Adminstration salaries makes perfect sense. The skill set for what they do is relatively fixed. The roles played by all of them, from Superintendent on down to principals and central office staff is, or can be, spelled out in a simple Handbook.
. . .
Whine, whine, “But we must lure and retain quality administration!” Come on, folks, ALL of those folks can, and will be - - replaced by candidates with the requisite degrees and eagerness to do the jobs.

Cap the salaries and insurances for school principals and Down Town staff. Unlike educators, every one of these “administrators” has reached his or her professional plateau long ago. There is no way to justify increased salaries for them, no matter how you spin it.
. . .
If the District must “...draw a line at some point...” then start here! Adminstrators might be unhappy, but like Bill and DiStefano suggest, let ‘em move on if the offerings aren’t to their liking.

I don't see anything wrong with what DiStefano said. Instead of sugarcoating it, he put it out there as it is - if you don't want to be here, leave. The plan has yet to be introduced, but no matter what is in the plan, there will be winners and losers. What is guaranteed is that the winners will say they didn't get everything but they got something, and the losers will get something, but say they lost everything. Either way, the one thing that we will hear is that "I didn't get what I was promised when I started." Maybe the board should go back 40 years to see what exactly was promised, then compare that to what they want to offer.

DiStefano and Sodemann don't care about educating kids, never have. They are about their own bottom line, plain and simple. They are on this board for personal political agendas, nothing more. As is evidenced by their statements at every turn. An insurance salesman and a local business owner yes they should be making decisions about whats best for educating kids. For the both of them and the rest of the oldies in town its all about the money, period.
Will new teachers want to come to Janesville with this board of clowns ? Huighly doubtful.

Distefano, maybe we can get rid of all the old teachers and replace them with chinese teachers for $100 a month. Just be careful that they don't work for those that are breaking into U.S. Computer systems.

Wow. Distefano needs to be off this school board...poor effort at showing good will, gratitude, or even the slightest bit of respect and appreciation for current teachers...just horrible.

If "the administration" recommends that some employees be grandfathered in, and "the administration" recommends a decision be announced by mid-March, but Superintendent Karen Schulte disagrees, then who is "the administration"?

“If they want to leave, let them leave. There are opportunities for other people to come in and do great things in our school district,” DiStefano said.

Some of these people have worked for this district for 30-40 years and this is how you treat them? Yet in the next breath you say,--DiStefano suggested the district should consider extending benefits to domestic partners. What?

You are one of the tools walker was talking about, a rusty one that never gets used and a guy should really get rid of. So useless goodwill won't even take it.

You and billy should look for different volunteer opportunities and leave this to people who care about education. I have an idea, why don't you to go and help out Habitat for Humanity or something. Oh yeah, those people are probably free loaders as well, in your view.