FYI

FYI the MGEA has a posted a list of questions and answers on their website at http://www.mgea.org/.

I have read with interest all the responses to my last post, I want to thank the serious contributors - there is some great information and points made, and I find it very useful to see the variety of POV from the public. You might be surprised to hear this but I can agree with most of the points from both sides. The bind we are in is not the fault of the teachers or the MGEA, but largely the expansion of the cost of health care beyond any reasonable anticipation and the limits placed on the district by the state funding formula.

WASB (the Wisconsin Association of School Boards) recently reported that WI's total funding per pupil has dropped from 11th to 18th in the nation since 2000, and that average class size rank has dropped from 21st to 29th. I've pointed out that education funding has actually been shrinking as a percentage of GDP - that means schools are MORE affordable now than they have been in the past decade.  Although we have to do more with what we've got, we are stacking the deck against above average education with below average funding. 

For better or worse we are stuck with an adversarial system of negotiation where the board the MGEA, the Med./Arb rules all have well defined roles to play. The adversarial nature tends to lead to posturing and negativity that can play out into the working relationships between the board, staff and community. But I know from personal experience that many or our teachers are exceptional and deserve more than they get, and that my colleagues on the board ultimately have the best interests of the district at heart.

Between the board (with invaluable administrative support) the MGEA negotiations team and the Mediation/Arbitration system we will work this out in the fullness of time. But then we will need to be able to work together with mutual respect and understanding, and our staff needs to feel valued regardless of the outcome.

From the comments:

I understand the difficult situation the board is in, but I think they should spend their efforts fighting the state politics that put us in this mess, and educating voters to help them in that cause

I agree, whether or not its tilting at windmills, and I am trying.



P.S. If your a board member or an MGEA officer or member of the negotiations team, please identify yourself when commenting. I don't have any way of enforcing that, but it is the right thing to do.