Prologue: Burque Babble realizes that it has been even whinier than usual lately. And that's really saying something.
It also knows that plenty of other folks don't get swell teacher perks like "Spring Break". Many are, in fact, losing their jobs. Part of Burque Babble (if a pseudo-inanimate object can partition its "thinking") knows this and feels a bit guilty about the whining. Still, other parts keep remembering that we elected this Obama guy who was supposedly throwing a bunch of money at education and all that.
In fact, he did get a bunch of money thrown at education. When is that money going to hit us in the face here in New Mexico? We don't mind getting a few bruises from being hit with the money. Hit us with the money! Give us your best shot...
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HB 331 and HB 346 to revise/improve public education funding in New Mexico both look dead.
Meanwhile, HB 854 calling for teachers to increase their contribution to the retirement fund by 1.5% has passed both houses and is on the Governor's desk.
Happy Spring Break, New Mexico Education!
Perhaps the only workable "shovel-ready" economic stimulus for New Mexico educators this year will be canceling their Union membership and saving the twenty or so bucks per paycheck. Speaking of shovels, it's kinda hard at this point to see the payment of our Union dues as anything other than throwing money into a hole in the ground.
I kid, josh, cajole and razz...of course. Well, sorta. No...actually I'm not kidding at all.
Is it Spring Break yet?
P.S.: And on the subject of planning vacations, the District/Union STILL haven't decided what to do with the April 24th "In-Service" vis-a-vis the need for a make-up date other than the idiotic day-after-Memorial Day useless half-day of nothingness option. Don't these people realize that, unlike certain institutional entities, folks PLAN things ahead...like even weeks and months ahead? Well, at least some do.
Is it Spring Break yet?
Have a good one, y'all. Especially you out there who are in far worse shape job-wise than us whiny teachers.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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4 comments:
folks PLAN things ahead
Like, excuse me for interrupting your class, but I just had another BRAIN FART!
I know the Union is the only entity that is on my side in this and I won't quit. But like you, I can't understand why we aren't taking some kind of action either. We do need some creative leadership, but it seems like there is a real split within the ranks. I witness many teachers going along with shutting down electives, adopting CCI, canned programs, and scheduling changes, smiling and b-a-aing like the sheep they are. They really don't care. Even the union seems to be on the side of the instuctional coaches more than classroom teachers on the issue of using the in-service day--its absolutely ludicrous. Come on people. Let's do it for the children (I know, "for the children" has become the most empty phrase in education, but it's still better than "because Marzano told me to")
Every time we roll over and play dead, we enable them to come up with new and better ways to justify their jobs. Bottom line, that is what they are all doing. Justifying their jobs.
When will the teachers be allowed to practice their profession again? When we all refuse to "go along" with it. We don't need to be confrontational, just not comply. Sorry, I forgot, I do not recall, I refuse to answer... Seems to work for politicians.
As far as the present union is concerned, it is useless. I propose two unions, one for the elementary level, (sheep). Another for the secondary level, (rebels). Middle School teachers get to choose whichever suits their personality best. "Support and administrative people can start their own union, or not.
I just might have to retire this year. I just can not be a part of system that is so screwed up anymore. Those of us that have been in the trenches over 20 years and have seen what has happened to education just don't have the heart for it anymore. I just wish we had Union.
People aren't addressing the biggest danger to public education that developed under the Bush administration - the privatization of management control of actual public school systems by standards-based entrepreneurs. To read a good explanation of the scale of the problem, google this: projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/12-bush-profiteers-collect-billions-from-no-child-left-behind/
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