26,000 Chicago Teachers go on Strike, 400,000 Kids Out of Classrooms

It may be back to school for Chicago students, but not for 26,000 union teachers who are upset with salaries, benefits and believe it or not evaluations.

RELATED STORIES

• Teachers hit picket lines as CPS strike begins (Chicago Tribune)
• Mayor: “This is avoidable because this is a strike of choice” (Chicago Tribune)

Useful Idiots

“Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history... the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom — Lucifer.”

—Opening page Dedication, Rules for Radicals By Saul Alinsky

"The MacIver Institute of Wisconsin reported today that the State’s teachers’ union (WEAC) is "being guided by the philosophy of radical leftist Saul Alinsky." In fact, the National Education Association (NEA) the largest teachers union in the United States included Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals on its members’ recommended reading list page. A check of the NEA website today revealed that this page has been scrubbed from NEA’s website.  Fortunately, we were able to locate this pdf copy that the bumblers at NEA evidently overlooked.

The blog BEFORE IT’S NEWS included a snap shot of the NEA’s original page in its July 15, 2010 post.

Saul David Alinsky is generally considered to be the founder of modern community organizing. The late Conservative author, William F. Buckley said he was "very close to being an organizational genius.”

The Union News blog provides its readers with a stunning summary of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals that we are delighted to share with our readers.

The MacIver Institute of Wisconsin has been closely following the pro-union protests that started in Madison last year has done a great job of bringing to light interesting stories (fake doctor notes).  And it hasn’t disappointed with one of its latest videos, which takes you inside the courtroom as protesters try and mount a defense for why they disobeyed police in August and refused to vacate the capitol.

The following video does a good job of laying out the story, so we won’t bore you by repeating details. But what we will say is this: the protesters were eventually found guilty ($200 fine plus court costs), and just wait until you hear their defense.We're sure their English and history teachers would be proud of them.

Here's the bottom line, the protesters claim that when police told the group to vacate the building because it was closing, the cops never told each one individually. They also believe that police would have been able to do their job (close the capitol) even if the protesters were left to sit in the rotunda.  Our favorite line comes when defendant Damon Terrell claims he would have eventually gotten bored and left. How's that for conviction for "THE CAUSE."

Listen to college student and defendant Damon Terrell and his co-defendants, "colleges," as Terrell refers to them, defend themselves. in court.  This is what our schools and universities are turning out.

 RELATED READING

• Rules for Radicals By Saul Alinsky (Background Information)
• IAF is a leftist community organizing network established in 1940 by Saul Alinsky. Alinsky (MacIver Institute for Public Policy)
• Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”! (RedState blog)

FDR's Ghost Is Smiling on Wisconsin's Governor

A history lesson for the Progressives and the public sector union leaders coordinating Governor Walker’s recall effort

Here is an interesting story regarding government unions published in Real Clear Politics on February 19, 2011.

Somewhere, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is grinning past his cigarette holder at Wisconsin's governor. They are on the same page regarding government unions.

Except that Scott Walker -- Republican cheapskate, his visage Hitlerized on signs waved by beet-faced union crowds besieging the Capitol -- is kind of a liberal squish compared to FDR. He's OK with some collective bargaining.  Walker, you might have heard, wants some changes in how Wisconsin deals with unions. He wants state employees to pay 5.8% of their salaries toward their pensions (they pay almost nothing now) and he wants them to cover 12.6% of their health care premiums (their share would go up from $79 a month to about $200; the average private-sector sap pays about $330).

Unions are enraged. They've been calling such increases unspeakable since Walker was elected handily in November. Then, Feb. 10, Walker went further. He'd allow public-sector unions to negotiate only pay, not benefits, mainly because he wants HSA-style health plans and 401(k)-style retirements for state workers, and unions would fight that, tooth and ragged red claw.

So unions erupted. Teachers faked illness in such numbers as to close school districts for days. Mobs beat on the doors of legislative chambers. And in some heavenly Hyde Park, the great liberal god of the 1930s is saying he saw it all along. 

Roosevelt's reign certainly was the bright dawn of modern unionism. The legal and administrative paths that led to 35% of the nation's workforce eventually unionizing by a mid-1950s peak were laid by Roosevelt.

 But only for the private sector. Roosevelt openly opposed bargaining rights for government unions.

"The process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service," Roosevelt wrote in 1937 to the National Federation of Federal Employees. Yes, public workers may demand fair treatment, wrote Roosevelt. But, he wrote, "I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place" in the public sector. "A strike of public employees manifests nothing less than intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government."  Read full story…

School Board Members Respond to November 30 Board Meeting Comments by Union Rep

See up-date at the end of this story.

To- date we have received responses from Franklin School Board Members Mr. Tim Nielson and Mrs. Janet Evans concerning our December 6 story “Did Franklin School Teacher and Union Rep Threaten School Board Member's Kids?”  This was the first time we have offered any elected officials an opportunity to comment before a story involving them was published and in hindsight we realized that board members have day jobs and it was not  fair of us to ask members to respond by a 500PM publishing deadline.  Therefore, School Superintendent Dr. Steve Patz and those elected school board members who have not responded to the story are welcome to comment.  Ms. Marquerite Dargiewicz a teacher’s union representative and Art teacher at Ben Franklin and Country Dale Elementary Schools was also given the opportunity to respond to our story.   At this writing we have not heard from Ms. Dargiewicz.

Here are the emails we received from Evans and Nielson.

From: Evans, Janet (Janet.Evans@Franklin.k12.wi.us)

Dear Mr. Keller,

Regarding your reference to what went on in the audience, Board members sit in the front of the room and I did not hear the conversation your parent said transpired, so I will not comment on it.

As far as the discussion on the Employee Handbook and benefits, I have studied the handbook. Dr. Mueller (Human Resources Director) was not present at this meeting as she was at a conference. Health insurance is due to be reviewed in January. I would prefer changes would occur prior to January. I believe we should have implemented changes last July.

I am of the opinion some of the remarks made directly to Mr. Nielson by Mrs. Bialk regarding the fact that he has not been on the Board long enough to address insurance were condescending. I also brought up the topic with Dr. Patz that he had given the impression to the Board that it is "punitive" to make some of the changes to benefits that other districts have been making, and I didn't feel it was right as leader of the district for him to do this. The Board is going to need to consider making changes and if he is saying it is punitive it doesn't help the situation.  He insisted it was punitive and that some districts are just making change because they "can."  I maintain changes to insurance benefits are something we "can" do to save money.

There was some discussion about including staff in discussions on benefits.  I'm curious as to whether Board members might be included in a discussion or two on benefits. What I do know is no "negotiating" is allowed regarding benefits since Act 10.

This process (or lack thereof) has been painfully long, and in the end, painful for the taxpayer.  After the meeting on the 30th I am left wondering if some would rather consider cutting staff and programs rather than what some might consider perks. Certain Board members consistently state they are there for the students, yet appear to not want to make the hard decisions when it comes to benefits so more funding can go where it belongs - to education.  Keep in mind, there hasn't been a vote on "benefits."

Regards,

Janet Evans

School Board Member

* * * *

From: Nielson, Tim (Tim.Nielson@Franklin.k12.wi.us)

Fred:

I am compelled to explain myself a little bit here...While the situation may have been personally uncomfortable for me (who wants to be the center of negative attention?) I can't go so far as to concur with the comments I was shut down. I had plenty fo time to state my case. Judith had an opinion to express and she got the chance to do so. It wasn't argumentative. It was civil. Her and I may disagree on how many sick days per year is enough but that's OK.

Dr. Patz also expressed his opinion at the meeting and to the Board in that we (the Board) should be careful before implementing any policies that will take away benefits "just to take them away". I can appreciate that position and I can assure you and anyone who will read this that this has never been my intent.

I spent hours reviewing the Distict's handbook and wanted to have a substantive conversation about some options that may need to be explored in the upcoming budget. I used the word "proposal" with my Board colleagues which I feel was taken as an action word so I think they, as well as the people in the audience, were expecting a whole host of motions to be made for Board consideration. I recognized this while I was speaking and even addressed this in the meeting.

The benefits topic of discussion is one that strikes to the core for District employees and I completely understand that. I am not spending my free time trying to find creative ways to limit the benefits the District offers. I am merely attempting to take my business background and infuse that kind of budgetary thinking into how we can best run the District financially. It doesn't all have to do with cuts but rather efficiencies. I am not even suggesting the District is inefficient but how else can we continue to improve on how the District is run if conversations like these are not taking place? Uncomfortable, sure. But people that know me also know I can be reasonble too. I absolutely want to retain the best talent we can to teach our kids as I feel we have wonderful programs in place. The District's future is bright.

With regard to the comment if I have children in the district...I do. My two daughters are wonderful, bright, & get excellent grades. I have never had a negative comment from teachers or other staff made towards them...at least that got back to me. They volunteer and are leaders. I am not sure why an inquiry like that was made (if it was made) and I do not have a comment with regard to it.

Regards,

Tim Nielson

 School Board Member

Franklin Public Schools

Update on Friday, December 9, 2011 at 9:03 AM by Basil Ryan

To-date we have not heard from Superintendent Steve Patz, School Board president Debbie Larson, Vice president, Jeff Traylor or the balance of the Franklin School Board members or Ms. Marquerite Dargiewicz a teacher’s union representative and Art teacher at Ben Franklin and Country Dale Elementary Schools.

For those of you interested in a response from your elected representatives, as-well-as Franklin Public Schools teacher Marquerite Dargiewicz,  Patz can be reached at 529-8230 and Marquerite Dargiewicz at 525-5042. Click here for a list of school board members’ email addresses.  Disrespectful?

Did Franklin School Teacher and Union Rep Threaten School Board Member's Kids?

We received this information via email yesterday from a Franklin parent and taxpayer who attended the November 30 Franklin School Board Meeting:

I attended the last Franklin School Board Meeting and happened to sit near “Margaret” who I understood to be the local union president representing Franklin teachers.  [further research by this publication revealed this individual to be Marquerite Dargiewicz an Art teacher at Ben Franklin and Country Dale Elementary Schools].

During school board member Tim Nielson’s presentation concerning the update to the Teacher’s Handbook, I learned that Franklin teachers accrue 12 paid sick days per year.  I also learned that up to 120 days of unused paid sick days can be “banked” and paid-out at retirement.

Mr. Nielson,  who I understand is a small businessman, mentioned that no one [I assumed he meant in the private sector] gets that sort of benefit, and suggested a number of alternatives before being shut down by both School  Superintendent Steve Patz and board member Judith (anything for our teachers) Bialk.  I then heard “Margaret” ask a Franklin teacher “Does he[Neilson] have any kids in our school system?”  When the teacher replied “Yes,” they both chuckled.

As the meeting continued, I felt that both [Ms.] Bialk and [Dr.] Patz were trying to intimidate [Mr. Nielson] by suggesting, how do you expect to keep good teachers?  [Like those teaching the kids in this video?]

Bialk was definately trolling for the teacher votes.

Thanks to the McIver Institute for this video.

Dr. Patz, Marquerite  Dargiewicz and each school board member were offered the opportunity to comment on this story prior to its Tuesday, December 6, 5:00PM publishing.

Wisconsin’s Second Largest Group Health Insurer owned by WEAC

Would you be surprised to learn that the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) created and owns WEA Trust insurance?  We were.

In a July 14 story entitled Franklin School Board to Discuss, Insurance Bidding Process, we wrote in-part:

For the sake of Franklin taxpayers let’s hope the “insurance” being discussed by the [School] Board is employee health insurance.

In its May publication Wisconsin School Reformer, a publication of Education Action Group Foundation (EAG),reported that the limitations placed upon teacher’s unions collective bargaining will leave school boards and their districts free from costly WEA Trust insurance. Baraboo School Board got a jump on the rest of the state in May when it voted to dump WEA Trust employee health coverage in favor of similar coverage through the Dean Health Plan. According to the report, the Baraboo school District will save an estimated $660,000 per year by making the change. Eighty-eight percent of the savings will go to the district, while the other 12 percent will be split among insured employees, according to wiscnews.com.

Wisconsin School Reformer also wrote that the money the district saves will almost certainly help salvage a few teaching positions and student programs over the next few years and goes on to state that the bidding competition at Baraboo was really not competitive at all.

The family premium proposed by WEA Trust was $1,630 per month, while the premium proposed by Dean Health was just under $1,400 per month. The WEA Trust plan would have cost the district about $5 million per year, while the Dean plan will cost $4.3 million.

Since that meeting and as previously noted, we have learned that, according to its website, the WEA Trust was created by the Wisconsin Education Association Council (Wisconsin Teachers Union) to provide insurance, and retirement and investment services to Wisconsin public school employees and their families.

We noted in a related story on July 21;  Teachers Flood School Board Meeting, Franklin Teachers made up the majority of the audience at last night’s school board meeting.   During Citizen Comments school board president Debbie Larson a former teacher permitted Franklin teachers to comment on agenda item 9. a. Board Discussion, [health] insurance bidding process. Fear of the unknown and satisfaction with the status quo (WEA Trust) seemed to be the motivating factor behind most of the comments.

Larson assured these Franklin Teacher’s that the Board and the District would get their input in making the decision.  It is unclear whether Larson can make that claim without the approval of the full school board.

The Franklin School Board can certainly learn  from the Baraboo board.  We found this statement from Baraboo officials  especially interesting concerning its bidding process:

"...the bidding competition at Baraboo was really not competitive at all."

The Franklin School Board plans to conduct its search for a new insurance provider with the help of an outside consulting firm.

If you would like to discuss this or other education issues regarding the Franklin School District please contact a member of the Franklin School Board or Franklin Schools Superintendent Steve Patz at 414-525-7603.

To comment privately on this article or any other aspect of this publication CLICK HERE

'What Can You Do?

Today we present the final episode of our 9-part special video series presentation of the documentary film “Kids Aren’t Cars,” produced by Education Action Group (EAG) Foundation. The final installment is presented in two parts.

We hope through this special series that you have gained a greater insight into some of the problems faing education in America. If you have missed any previous episodes in this series you can find it at the Kid’s Aren’t Cars website.

If you would like to discuss education issues regarding the Franklin School District please contact a member of the Franklin School Board or Franklin Schools Superintendent Steve Patz at 414-525-7603.

To comment privately on this article or any other aspect of this publication CLICK HERE

Education Reforms That Work

Today we present episode 8 of our 9-part special video series presentation of the documentary film “Kids Aren’t Cars,” produced by Education Action Group (EAG) Foundation.

Charter schools - typically publicly-funded institutions - often deliver a better education to children and those students outperform their peers in the same neighborhood. While charter schools are no silver bullet to fix the education system, this is the story of one school in Indianapolis that took up residence in a former grocery store and because of quality instruction, flexible work rules and parental involvement, those students are excelling.

 If you would like to discuss education issues regarding the Franklin School District please contact a member of the Franklin School Board or Franklin Schools Superintendent Steve Patz at 414-525-7603.

If you have missed any previous episodes in this series you can find it at the Kid’s Aren’t Cars website.

To comment privately on this article or any other aspect of this publication CLICK HERE