I wouldn't give them a dime until they reopen their contract.

It seems the extreme right keeps asking the same questions, but fails to listen to the answers. Sounds like some of my underachievers when I was still in the classroom.

Mudsell - it's illegal for teachers to strike.

Apparently the infamous ridiculous Cass is back as Local81. There's no talking to her. I told her a million times a week ago that the union doesn't collect 1.4 million dollars. She doesn't hear, only spews.

Local81:
The local teacher's union collects $60-70,000 a year from dues from Janesville teachers, not $1.4 million. My guess is WEAC (state teacher's union) collects that much money.
Also, the district has a much larger Fund 10 balance than suggested. It fluctuates but is in the neighborhood of $24 million.

If it’s against the law for teachers to strike, then how did they show up in Madison and force the closing of schools. That was nothing more then a good old fashion strike.

In Milton the concessions pretty much followed the budget Bill, what the unions got was for the school district to continue to collect the dues.

How much money did the teachers union spend on the recent Supreme Court race. To bad they couldn’t have used it to help the school budget problems.

How much are you writing a check for NVgrf?

And how are you directing it be spent?

At the discretion pf Dave Parr?

It's amazing how many of these idiots are opposed to Janesville schools. Quite a doltish population.

Because, mudsill, you obviously know that teacher strikes are against the law and there is no need for a "strike fund".

Can we say NO to kids?

You get what you pay for.

AMom2000, the biggest problem the teachers have is that their bosses also happen to be the most unreasonable, selfish, cheap-rate and conniving boss in the world - the US taxpayer - an that's when they're EMPLOYED.

And another thing...when GM closed it doors it was the school district that stepped in and helped out with the food giveaway. They fulfilled a need when there was no one else to step in. They are your neighbors, your friends and your neighbors family....NOT THE ENEMY. We entrust our children to them daily....they are not the villians.

I am not a teacher but I am very saddened by the presumption that every teacher is bad and greedy. I know that teachers personally buy supplies for their classrooms out of their own pockets. I also know we have students that would not have what they needed if the teacher did not provide it. Please cut our teachers a break. We need to work together to solve this issue.

Sorry Local81, The Janesville City Administration operates separately from the school district. They have inter-govermental relations only for obvious reasons but have entirely separate revenue resources, budgets and structure. They are not dependent on one another. As far as who and where I live? You have no clue there as well.

Local81, I framed my response to you around labor unions because if the GM plant were operating today with 2,500 member workforce, few people would care that most of the Janesville's growth was directed outside it's own school district. I know you blame labor unions for the vacant plant. That's your prerogative but it doesn't help our current situation. But with an open GM plant, the city would entertaining a $13 million school tax referendum in a heartbeat. But that's all changed now. As Mouse pointed out, the people who reaped private profits from the plant for decades, the Blains, JP Cullens and Rock Roads, etc. need to show us they are a part of the community like they been claiming for years. So far, the first place they ran to after GM was government and donated thousands of dollars to Walker's campaign. People noticed.

Local81, I recognize what happens when organized labor is crushed. Wages decline, consumer spending drops, demand falls, supply is no longer needed, homes values drop and all those little taken-for-granted nickle and dime taxes that those workers paid are now coming home on everybody's doorstep. As bashers at this newspaper love to say about those spoiled union workers, "it's time to join the real world and pay up like the rest of us." I also recognize that every time government picks the winners and losers and a business gets a tax break, credit or TIF surplus hand-out, it's higher taxes for the rest of us. I recognized the steady rise in our wages, benefits, property values and quality of life with the rise in labor unions, and I now observe the steady decline in our wages, benefits, property values and quality of life with the decline in organized labor. That's why I support organized labor.

Local81, you bring up a great reason why Janesville residents should avoid shopping at or boycott all of those businesses north of 14 since they are not contributing to our schools. Why should we be supporting the businesses in other school districts when we have our School District to support.

Local81 what about the 15 million the school district has in reserve but refuses to use?

to mblack-Sorry to hear you cancelled your subscription to the gazette. My I offer alternatives? Why not try the Cap. Times, or Milw. Journal/Sentinel? You'll just the the spoon feeding :<)

Unions and their members have NO problem with their hands in our pockets demanding that we poney up and then shut up. The flow of $$$ is never enough for them. Enough already. Good for Walker (elected by the majority) and BRAVO to Ryan. Finally looking out for the working poor.

Nothing like the gazette getting the public inflamed with their anti-teacher, anti-education platform. It is frustrating reading all the bias and attacking retoric coming from this newspaper. I have cancelled my subscription and have urged many others to do so as well. The spread of misinformation and lies this paper puts out is a disgrace.

jvl93, you have no idea what you're talking about. Nearly all unions around this area were ending their contracts this June. They didn't open up anything and if they did, they had no choice. If they didn't get an extension for the next few years, they would be under the Dictatorship of Walker after June. If any of the unions around were in Janesville's shoes, they would have done the same. The teachers need to stop being the target, it is the entire state and community that are to blame.

Thank you for Mr. Reif for posting the basics of the fundraiser. I was at the meeting and think it's a great idea. For the people that are against this program, I'm sorry that you don't understand. You are the same people that bashed the charter school idea that is being proposed at the elementary level. By the way, isn't the charter way what Mr. Walker wanted? A good school district is one of the biggest reasons people move into a city and why any business would move here. I guess some of Janesville's residents must be too good for growth.

I am so frustrated with the Gazette and their anti-teacher mentality. I called and canceled my subscription. Can't take it any more!

local, not only that but he fled when things got tough.

Was that a 20 year contract that Mr. Reif spent 2 years negotiating? That much "work" should have a large return.

Save Janesville Schools is an empty gesture that won't even put a mild dent in the debt. Next I expect Senator Cullen to suggest Governor Walker hold a bake sale to retire the State's debt.

The most revealing thing quoted from Mr Reif was that taxpayers should "give back" to the schools amounts save by not taxing to the max. That statement implies that all our money belongs to government. Mr Reif seems to have no respect for money generated in the private sector. For me, I will donate $300 to the parochial school of my choice. Those schools have fantastic dedicated teachers who earn a fraction of public school teachers, teach the kids values, and don't scream in your face while calling you child haters.

Never!

Harassed local business people? Please. They exercised their first amendment rights. Some of the supposed professional business people acted worse than the protesters by flipping them off. I would have thought a newspaper would be more supportive of free speech.

luvujvl, it is my understanding that those details won't be decided until at least after the 1st meeting of the board/steering committee on Monday. There has only been one meeting and it was more to get an idea of whether there was enough support to continue, not to finalize any details. I'm sure they will publish all the details once they are determined.

education SHOULD BE the highest priority for our community AND country. Get the education right, and all of the rest of the problems (poverty, crime, economy, etc.) go away!!! Sure, it takes time, but why can't we start NOW? Why does it always have to be the focus for immediate things, that revolve around MAKING money? If we had thrown everything we had at education (and maintained that) 70 years ago, we would not be in these messes! Please. Can we start throwing everything we have into education now, so that my kids's kids can live in a great country?

It shows that teachers are a little out of touch to ask my family to give $300. I may donate, but it'll be more like $30.

Mr. Reif, I appreciate what you're trying to do and wish you success. However, until you clearly state who will handle these donations and exactly what they'll be used for, it seems that you're going to have some difficulty getting much cooperation.

It's hard to believe that Forward Janesville can put aside the nasty, angry mob of union thugs that made complete fools of themselves (again) by yelling, screaming, blocking cars attempting to enter the Holiday Inn Express and Janesville Conference Center on March 29, and offer support for their cause. As for me, I'll be happy to promote Forward Janesville, and if sent a pledge card, I'd be happy to donate a shiny new penny "for the children."

I don't know about the high schools, but in the elementary, I see a lot of work on reading, writing and math. Some science and social studies and a little music, art and PE. Where is the "worthless" stuff? This is where many of the learning support, Title 1, and reading specialists are working...doing small groups to work on reading and math with elementary kids. Cutting these positions will really hurt the kids who are trying to learn the basics. And if they don't get a solid foundation, that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Schools are only as good as the system they go by. You can have the best teachers and the best schools.... if the criteria is all predetermined by the state and garbage its all going to be crap. I dont think they teach a lot of the stuff people need to know, and do teach a lot of worthless stuff.

This is a one time post please read carefully.
Yes, I came up with much of the initial idea. Yes, I was the lead negotiator for the union and got us a good contract but it was still less than the state average. I apologize for neither of those.
Yes I oppose Gov. Walkers taking of my bargaining rights; however, I do support Forward Janesville and have been to several events.
***********
This is NOT a union organization, the JEA has ZERO say over where any of the money will go. We are organizing our board/steering committee that will be dominately NON-district employees. This will be an organization run by mom's, dad's, and business leaders who value education.
**********
If I could I would open the contract tomorrow and give up the 5.8% for retirement; however, we can't because anytime after the assembly voted they can argue our contract was opened after the law was passed. We would then lose ALL of the language. Class size, working conditions, retirement, sick days, funeral days, family illnes days etc. The entire contract is simply GONE.
********
I personally will be pledging my 5.8% to Save Janesville Schools and hope most of my fellow teacher will as well.
********
Again, this is NOT a JEA organization, the initial idea came from three teachers, but NOT the union. It will be run by parents and businessmen, PLEASE keep an open mind until you hear how the group plans to work. If you want to discuss how you can help, please contact me. If you want to see how a teacher works, please contact me and I will be happy to have you spend a few days shadowing me.
*******
I will not be coming back on here to debate those who spread disinformation and name call but those who wish to help please do so, our students are worth it. If you have no kids, and think the schools do nothing for you let me roughly quote Bill Sodeman from a meeting when he was running for re-election, "The second thing business look at when deciding if to come to an area is the quality of the schools." The first is taxes, and Gov. Walker has frozen those, so let's work on keeping our schools strong so we can attract more businesses to Janesville.
In Service,
Jim Reif
Proud to be a teacher because I get to work with exceptional kids.

So many misinformed people, walk a mile in the shoes of teachers before you bash (including you Mr. Peck). Just because many other districts re-opened their contracts does not mean that our teachers should. These other districts do not have our untrustworthy school board that got us in this mess in the first place!

How much do they think this fundraiser will raise?
How many jobs and for how long will they be saved?
Who decides which job or jobs will be saved?
Is this a one time fix or will it become annual?
Respect the teachers and staff but don't trust the union. Will have to think if my budget can be stretched for another donation but will have to get pass and over those that walked out to go protest in Madison first.

jvl93: I think you have said it all, plainly and simply. The union leaders have decided NOT to budge on reopening contracts. I truly feel for those teachers who may feel bullied into not speaking their minds--make that their OPEN minds.

Though I want the best for Janesville School children, I will not be "mind-handled" into giving money for this cause.

Too much entitlement for TOO long. Too few people who are intellectually honest about how in debt the county/state/city is. Selfishness abounds.

Perhaps many of the teachers in Janesville who have been reduced to begging, and are really good at it, should move to India to make more money in a country where that profession is truly honored. It seems certain that they will have no future here.

I guess I am confused on this issue of the contributions.
I though they all had to contribute now and forced to contribute. Isn't that what all the Walker stuff is about.
So if they are contributing isn't that making less money due to the deficit?

Frogger,
Many of my friends are teachers in the JSD. None of them have refused to pay any increase in their benefits. I understand there are many, who for whatever reason, cannot or will not. But that's a broad statement saying: Yes I do find it interesting teachers wont contribute to their OWN retirement but expect us now to "donate".
I'm guessing you might not have meant all teachers, and I apologize if I'm being crass.

Knock off the "thug" name calling.

SOMEBODY needs to figure out how to spend the money we get wisely. A referendium(sp). NO!
So ever time you over spend we have to vote to see if you tax us more? NO! We just gave you 70 MILLION a couple years ago. ENOUGH for now already!! I will give you $10. Yes I do find it interesting teachers wont contribute to their OWN retirement but expect us now to "donate".

"They got a boost Monday when the business association Forward Janesville urged its members to support the effort."

The idea for this was from a teacher, but most of the people who will be leading this group are not employed by the school district. The vast majority of the people at the meeting were parents, more people raised their hands for "parent" than "school employee". (Although many of the teachers were also parents of kids in the district so they were doubly represented in the hand count). Either way, if it was just the teachers, this would not have gone past the preliminary meeting. The parents will be the driving force as this progresses.

Every other teachers union in the area managed to reopen their contract and arrive at an agreement to share in the sacrifice except for Janesville. Janesville residents will NEVER forget that. Donate? What do you think?

This is very much a "worthy cause" if you care about education, kids, property values, drawing new business, drawing new residents, reducing drop-out rates and crime, or the overall quality of life in this city. If not, then don't donate. It's your choice. That's the beauty of it!

Real nice, can't wait to read the editoral. I am sure it will be as positive as this article is.