Wow, President Obama really wants to be re-elected so much that he is willing to risk the lives of tens of thousands of his union drones by sending them into the streets. Not to mention the cost to the state of Wisconsin. What is going on in Wisconsin right now could never have happened without a carefully orchestrated machine behind it. The Obama, Chicago engine is trying to head off a movement across this country to install common sense with regard to spending. The current system is obviously broken and this new law will allow the states to begin to repair the financial problem. The reason for the law restricting collective bargaining by the teachers unions and other public employees can best be summed up with one story.
Amanda Valente, from the Lincoln Park school district, received the Teacher of the Year award for the middle school on June 8 from Superintendent of Schools James Grube and Board of Education President Perry Mayers. Valente was fired and won’t be back to the district next year, because of budget cuts.
Amanda graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and went on to get her teaching certificate instead of pursuing a career in private business. Valente taught in the school district for two years, which was not long enough for her to achieve teacher tenure.
Superintendent of Schools James Grube said that “she gave excellent lessons, she always went “above and beyond” to give kids extra help after school. Grube said “all of his teachers that were let go were “high quality teachers,” and not one of them would have been fired if it weren’t for the economy”.
This says it all! A system where a “teacher of the year” can be caught up in the “last in, first out” antiquated system that has been the main stay of the teaching profession for many years and is now part of the dumbing down of our country. Teacher tenure has no place in the American education system from this point forward. We can no longer afford to keep teachers who are not great teachers, just because they have survived into tenure.
The president is pulling out all the stops on this one. He cares not about all of us, just about the ones who agree with him. Does that mean he is my president? I don’t know.
Jim Salmon