More on Prop One

There are two critical elements to proposition (1) which will be on the November 6, 2012 ballot.  Most Idahoans are aware of the negative aspects of teacher tenure.  They don’t believe teachers or anyone should have guaranteed employment for life.  Voters support eliminating that “perk.”   However, there is a second component and almost of equal importance.  That is the material and education costs of collective bargaining.  Supporting the legislation of the 2011 session will corral this runaway program.  Consider a few examples of what has been “given-away” at the bargaining table by school boards over the years:

• A common misuse of taxpayer money in Idaho School Districts is to pay a teacher, not to teach, but to conduct union business.
• Using taxpayer money to pay the union dues for it’s teachers
• Provide teachers release time from their teaching duties to conduct union business, at the expense of the taxpayer
• Provide to teachers from taxpayer dollars funds the cost to acquire college credits so that the teacher can move to a higher “rung” on the salary ladder.
• Forcing school boards to hire the most expensive teacher, even if that teacher isn’t the most qualified.

• Forcing school boards to dismiss excellent teachers in exchange for the more experienced, but under-performing teachers.

While the above examples are representative of the costs to the taxpayer, there are also and perhaps more importantly education costs as well.   Who teaches the “kids” when their teacher is somewhere other than the classroom conducting union business?   What are the teacher’s priorities when they spend some of their time on union business?   Why should students settle for anything else than the best when it comes to their teacher?

The school reform measure that corrals collective bargaining is fair in that it provides for the continuation of bargaining for salary but places the emphasis for the teacher on their proper role of teaching kids, The reforms put a spotlight on student achievement.  Everything else is secondary.

DOING THE RIGHT THING! Our congratulations to the following Senators for righting a wrong that has been an inhibitor to the charter school movement since that “wrong” was agreed to at the onset of Idaho’s charter school legislation:      Senators Bair, Brackett, Davis, Fulcher, Goedde, Hammond, Heider, Hill, Johnson, Lodge, McKague, McKenzie, Mortimer, Nuxoll, Pearce, Rice, Siddoway, Smyser Tippents, TORYANSKI, Vick and Winder.

THANKS!

“Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.” Confucius