On Janesville School District asks teachers to sign incomplete contracts
Posted on March 15 at 10:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
TCB, are you suggesting that for all of the years that the teachers took minimal pay increases while the economy was doing well, that they were not aware of economic realities? And, if you are a professional who is earning $50,000 a year, supporting a family of 4, taking a pay cut of $4000 and a reduction in benefits does hit a family quite hard. So, perhaps destruction was a strong word; but the empathy from the community seems to be non-existent, which I find deplorable.
On Janesville School District asks teachers to sign incomplete contracts
Posted on March 15 at 7:55 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Bill, you conveniently left out a key difference in this situation. In the past the agreements were signed knowing that the union was negotiating for the rights of the teachers in whatever terms that were being worked out. Now they are being made to sign these with the WEAK hope that you and the board will not completely destroy their wages, benefits, and working conditions. And let's be honest, you have a reputation of caring more about saving childless angry tax payers $80 a year than you do about maintaining decent wages and benefits for our school district staff (who are also, by the way, tax payers).
On Racism in our American political culture?
Posted on October 26 at 2:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Regardless of why people vote for one candidate or another, racism is still an issue in this country. My problem with the majority of the posts in this blog is that people are insinuating that is no longer a problem. Using terms like "race baiting," "race card," and the like, are examples of how white people like to shut down the conversation. We live in a racist society. It is systemic and institutional and is evident in our educational acheivement gap, the disparity between black people living in poverty compared to white people, the disproportionality of black males in prison and our juvenile justice system, I could go on and on. The racism that we carry is no longer (or rarely) the "in your face, KKK" racism we saw in the pre-civil rights era, but a much more subtle institutional disease. Unless we are willing to acknowledge that we may have bias and explore where that bias is and why we have it, we will never end it. Shutting down the conversation does nothing to help. Reducing racial disparities is an imperative not just for people of color, but for our entire nation. We need to get over the guilt and shame or whatever else is causing us to not want to talk about it, and dig in to this problem together... regardless of who you vote for.
On Janesville School Board says no to negotiations
Posted on October 13 at 12:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Missdog3: In the "real world" people who are the bosses/supervisors/managers, have the some sort of expertise in the field in which they are managing. School board members are NOT educators. They have no idea what it is like to be a professional educator (at least board members in Janesville). They are making rules based on largely fiscal issues; not what is in the best interest of students. That is one of educations largest problems. Most people attended school k-12, so they assume from that experience that they are experts because they have watched teachers for 13 years. Being a student does not give a person an accurate depiction of a teacher's profession. Much of their work happens outside of the class. It is like assuming you could be a doctor because you have been a patient, or a lawyer because you have gone through the court process. The problem is that too few people have that type of professional respect for our teachers.
On Milton High School Coffee Club helps students, staff bond during morning chats
Posted on December 30 at 5:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Getting to know their students IS part of their actual work!!! It just happens to be one of the extra duties that teachers are not paid for, but (lucky for all of us) are still willing to do because they are good, compassionate people. And, tlover, thank goodness you are NOT a teacher!! These teachers should be praised for going the extra mile!! I am happy to have my tax dollars support the extra electricity; good grief, "no." I would hate to send my children to schools run by the likes of "no" and "tlover."
On Milton High School Coffee Club helps students, staff bond during morning chats
Posted on December 29 at 10:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think this is great! If we hire people who we believe are responsible and capable enough to educate our children, we ought not have to question their professional judgement and capability in navigating a conversation with our children. We expect so much of our teachers. Building these relationships is crucial. I applaud those teachers who are willing to take these extra steps for students! I am sure there is no compensation for their time. This is just another example of the selfless work our educators do, and the obvious need the children in our community have for positive adult time and attention.
On Would you let your kids go viral?
Posted on November 20 at 2:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I completely agree with you garyprimer.
On Illegal immigration talk in Janesville
Posted on September 21 at 6:30 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
kiowamohican, I agree. I think that the punitive way that people want to deal with this issue is counterproductive. I am not going to claim that I know the solution to this problem; but I do know that generalized statements about the people who are here without documentation, making it seem as though the majority are trafficking drugs, and spreading disease; only hides the real issue. Like the religious stuff that gets into our elections, racism, and heterosexism; this is just another ploy by those in power, to maintain the status quo. Keep us fighting over the crumbs while they eat the cake.
On Illegal immigration talk in Janesville
Posted on September 20 at 9:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
And your charge of laughable troubles me. Too often people in our culture would rather laugh at serious issues, than to look deeper and challenge the indoctrinated bias we have been victims to in our society. If FOX news says it is true, by golly it must be. And it isn't only FOX. Main stream media is a business. Filling us with fear (even if it is largely untrue) sells papers and advertising on TV.
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On Beloit businessman seeks discrimination case review
Posted on April 26 at 5:56 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Woodsman, I am guessing you are white. It is easy to never see a problem that you never have to deal with. And if that is a "race card" play, it just shows that the card isn't worth much... Maybe like a 3 of clubs or something; because it didn't win anything; as usual.
For just a minute, can you suspend your disbelief and consider what it might mean if this person's allegations are true? What would that mean for us as a community?