Saturday, September 19, 2009

State will close public schools for 17 Fridays to save money.

kinda insane and it leaves me speechless.

9 comments:

Brad Farless said...

Nice. That's a good way to save money! Cut education spending! Like the average American isn't stupid enough already... Our education systems are horrible.

Rowena said...

It pisses me off, but for some reason it doesn't surprise me. I just about gagged when I read:
Gov. Linda Lingle welcomed the tentative contract, saying it helps to "address a growing budget shortfall."

Pidgin english mo' bettah anyway!

Ann McLaughlin said...

Way to go, Lingle. Saves the State money, but what about all those parents who now need to find daycare?

OkiHwn said...

Is it true that all State workers not covered by any bargining agreement have to take three furlough days a month?

RONW said...

Brad- teachers here only get paid for 10 months of a 12-month year. They draw paychecks monthly but that's proportioned on the 10-months, so 17 extra non-paid days adds on to that. Even more ridiculous because teachers' salary here isn't on the high side of the national average. On top of that, the 17-days is being framed as a means to save by reducing teacher payroll, with no mention of the students as if the teachers just showed up at empty classrooms. It's a thinly veiled strategy to cast the teachers in a bad light as if the teachers are the culprit because they refuse to work for free, all the while, the teachers have received minumal salary increases that haven't kept up with other expenses, medical insurance, etc.

Rowena- there was some monies that all states received earlier through the federal stimulus program to fund education which the governor hasn't released yet. That money wasn't suppose to be used to cover shortfalls in other departments otherwise the monies would essentially be misappropriated. The money is still in limbo. The governor won't release the funds, but legally can't use it to cover shortfalls. It brooches the issue of instituting mandatory birth control for outstanding citizens who pump out kids, don't seek employment, and toss their kids in public school for free child care and free lunches.

Ann- Somebody suggested that the teachers set up and operate day care on those 17-days.

Nate- non-union workers are always on the bubble since they have no bargaining clout. Looking back, originally, Lingle had proposed to furlough all state workers or peril lay offs, but my suspicion was that if furloughs were agreed upon, state workers would still recieve lay off notices. Seems true, because after unions rejected furloughs, Lingle responded by laying off 1100 state workers, but despite having to pay less number of employees still insists on furloughs of remaining workers. Just the reverse but the same situation.

Brad Farless said...

Interesting. My dad's not a state worker but he mentioned to my wife a few days ago that he had to take 3 furlough days this month. He works for Cessna.

Brad Farless said...

By the way, this Lingle doesn't like a 'dingle' berry.

Ann McLaughlin said...

Am totally stunned at how overwhelmingly the new contract was ratified. DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

kahuku said...

um, this is not good.