Former board member Mary P. has a thing or two to say...

To the Monona Grove School Board,
The group of people in this school district who have sat across the bargaining table from the MGEA is rather small, and I am one of them. Bargaining with the MGEA was, hands down, the most bizarre and surreal trip through the looking glass I have ever experienced. I could drone on about a myriad of frustrations, but all else aside, I could never understand their complete and utter failure to realize the MG school board was not only not their enemy, but we also lacked the statutory power to improve their wages and benefits. While we could partake in rearranging the deck chairs on our own little Titanic, purchasing additional life boats was not within our power. Simply put, they directed a whole lot of energy toward a group who was essentially powerless all the while engaging in job actions that did little but harm students, demoralize many of their own members and generate ill will among the public. At times my own children were targeted, so please understand what I say next comes within this context.
Things are different now. Finally, the members of the MGEA have directed their energy toward the group of people who hold all the power, and all I can say is that it’s about damn time. For this reason, I urge the MG board to be measured in your response to the recent job actions that shut down our schools. I do not have knowledge of the relevant contract language, and while docking pay of those who did not report is reasonable, I urge you to not take disciplinary actions. Quite frankly, I find the message to the community on the MG web page today to be unsupportive of what our teachers are doing. I would have hoped for a more neutral statement.
What is going on right now is bigger than this district. Isn't it amazing to be living through this extraordinary time in Wisconsin history? I have seen nothing like this since I was a child in the 60’s. What happens in the coming days will certainly have an impact on Wisconsin public education for years to come. We should be proud that our teachers are standing up for what is right, and our Senator Miller is one of the brave individuals standing in front of the bulldozers. On the flip side, I don’t see organized buses of school board members pouring into Madison, so let’s support the teachers who are turning out by the thousands. Further, this may not end this weekend. This will take as much time it takes, and public educations stands to lose too much to blink first – however long this takes. If this grows more difficult, I beg of you to hang in there.
Last, while I suppose it’s too much to ask for the board to pass a resolution supporting the teachers’ actions, there is nothing stopping individual board members from expressing a little old fashioned solidarity, explicitly, and in a very public manner. It may not make you popular among some folks, but so what? I’m guessing most of you have long quit worrying about that and besides, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Not getting re-elected? I’m gonna go out on a limb and make another guess that most of you wouldn’t see that as the end of the world.
Thanks for your service. I wish you all the best as you grapple with the challenges of the coming months.

Mary Possin
4509 Midmooor
Monona, WI 53716