All New Richmond teachers receive non-renewal notices Thursday
February 24, 2011 at 6:03 am in New Richmond News
To prepare for changes to Wisconsin’s contract renewal procedure, the New Richmond School Board issued preliminary notices of non-renewal to all of its certified teaching staff. Continue Reading

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
14
24
The state budget process has been using the school children of this state to force the ruling parties through for the past several decades now. It is well past time to kick the state and federal governments out of the school district budget, we need to take our tax money back from Washington and Madison and use it here at home. We don’t need to let the state and feds lop off the top of our taxes and give it to their supporters, we need our money and we need it now for the education of our children and grandchildren.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
23
5
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
25
41
As we come to realize that a piper must be paid and people will suffer, it is nice to know that at least here in NR with our grand new school buildings we have some unmistakable and enduring monuments to inefficiency and wasteful spending that exhibit a blatant disregard to all financial realities, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Veilleux and his ilk. Tell me again how spending nearly $100,000,000 is going to solve our financial issues and result in better educated children.
Hot debate. What do you think?
24
15
I heard yesterday that the school district “forgot” to budget in money for electricity for the new high school! How does this happen? Weren’t impact studies conducted to have an idea what operating costs would be?
Like or Dislike:
14
5
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
17
27
I wonder do you check any facts at all before you post? or is your emotional hate just enough to drive you to post crap of lies and half truths after another. Please for the love of all things good think before you start spewing words that others will read.
Like or Dislike:
19
7
BLAMING EDUCATORS? 70% of capital gains go to 3.5% of the U.S. population. Why is it ‘ordinary income’ is taxed up to 35% yet ‘capital gains’ (income generated when stocks, bonds or derivatives appreciate) is taxed at 15%. A middle manager who makes $50,000 is taxed at 25%, yet the wealthy thant day trade all day on a beach is taxed at 15%? STILL BLAMING EDUCATORS? 1) How ’bout we shine a light on the same crowd that made a fortune outsourcing American jobs to cheap labor markets around the world, jobs that used to pay millions of middle class Americans their middle class incomes; 2) How ’bout Wall Street for causing the credit bubble-making loans and issuing credit cards to middle class families whose incomes were shrinking so they tried to stay afloat by borrowing; 3) maybe big Wall Street CEOs and traders, unethical politicians, and big banks for cuasing the housing collapse, which came at a price tag of 8 MILLION U.S. jobs and 11 TRILLION DOLLARS. Many of the same people that should for deregulation and smaller government are the same ones that begged Bush and Obama for bailouts, and for some reason we paid them-they loved government then (matter of fact, Golman-Saks his passing out ten-million dollar bonuses): 4) in 1960 CEO to worker pay was 40 to 1; in 07 it was 456 to 1. By the way, CEO’s work under a CONTRACT, but for some reason we ridicule workers for the audacity of wanting to work under a contract; 5) According to the Center on Budget Priorites: 2/3 of the nation’s income gains from 2002 – 2007 flowed into the pockets of the top 1 percent; and the top 1% horded a larger share of income in 2007 than at any other time since 1928. When adjusted for inflation, the income of the top 1% grew more than TEN TIMES FASTER than the income of the bottom 90%; 6) during the last economic recovery, even as the income of the top soared and soared, middle class income declined (5% during Bush years); 7) 2/3 of corporations (including huge Exxon-Mobil) PAY NO TAXES; 8) the wealth of our wealthiest citizens has more than doubled since reagan was in office, while the public sector has seen an 11 decrease and private sector a 12% decreased; 9) taxes on the wealthiest at at its lowest point since before the Great Depression; 10) corporations experienced record profits in the third quarter of 2010. ***So, do you really think teachers and public workers-middle class people-are to blame? Nope, see above, tough to run from facts. Recall Scott Walker in 10 months and, by the way, can we please, finally, finally raise taxes back up on our wealthiest Americans.
Like or Dislike:
15
10
edit: …a mid-level manager’s $50,000 a year salary is taxed at 25%, yet the wealthy person sitting on a beach, sipping a drink, and day trading is taxed at 15% …See any difference in those two? Why do you think? Both are income, right?
Like or Dislike:
10
7
Teachers are unhappy with making $88,000.00 a year? With all their edumacation, why don’t they just find a different line of work? In the private sector! LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL!
Like or Dislike:
6
14
Tom once again you show your brilliance of the use of made up facts. I take it you are talking about New Richmond teachers making 88,000 dollars. Could you please tell me where your getting your facts? I know teachers in this district who would be jumping for joy to make that much. So clearly either once again your facts are wrong or… nope they are just wrong.
I love your passion to spread misinformation to the public. Sad thing is someone might even believe you.
I ask again please think before you type. Your only looking ignorant to those who know your just spouting crap.
Like or Dislike:
10
5
That just may be our problem. Just like in the private sector, who are the first ones to leave? Are the bad employees the first ones to go out and find new and better paying jobs? It is the most talented that will leave first. It could become very difficult to recruit and retain great teachers if they feel they don’t have a future. We also need to realize that this may be a bigger problem for our local economy. If in fact the teachers are making as much money as you say they are, what will happen when many of them lose their jobs and the rest take pay cuts? Teachers and other city /state workers tend to spend their time locally and spend their money locally. We have many small businesses in town that are already hurting. What happens when the teachers and city/state workers are forced to cut back? What happens when they are forced to do all their shopping at Walmart instead of spending their money at some of our smaller businesses? What happens if some of them lose their homes and we have even more houses on the market in town driving down the property values even more than they are?
Everyone has a right to their opinion, but I think we all need to think this thing all the way through. Things will probably get a lot worse for all of us before they get better.
Like or Dislike:
8
5
Jack D does have a good point really. Wisconsin has great teachers and it shows in the students grad and test scores. The collective bargaining has made the New Richmond community a very wonder place to get some of the best teachers for our kids. Texas which is a non-collective bargaining state as with many others.. the education of those kids suffer. Could it be that good teachers go where they are valued? If I was a teacher that is what I would do. Being valued is important. That goes for just about any job not just teaching. If you are not valued why stick around?
I think Teachers know that New Richmond on a whole value them and are happy that they are teaching their kids. It shows in so many ways. Now if we don’t step up and keep showing teachers that we support them the only ones who really suffer in the end will be the kids.
But our friend Tom is all for that as long as we save a buck. The poster named Tom is getting a raw deal in some way and he wants everyone to suffer.
Like or Dislike:
8
5
Gee Phil,
Sorry I am so ignorant. Just to point out a couple of things. First is that I never said our teachers were poor teachers. I use that phrase both subjectively and objectively. Secondly, because for once in my life I point out that there is a large split regarding the income levels of middle class public sector workers verses private sector workers I am now a villain. I thought you liberals wanted all people to be on an even income level and so for once I support your agenda and you accuse me of all sorts of bad things.
I must say I have noticed that most liberals respond with anger and get totally off subject when they don’t have the facts to back themselves. Besides public school teachers making more money than private sector workers in our area, they generally have twice the benefit package of private sector workers. Besides public sector teachers making more money in wage and benefit packages than private sector workers in our area, they generally work 1560 hours per year as opposed to public sector workers who are on the clock for 2080 hours per year. I speak of the rule here and not the exception to it. Calculate that on an hourly basis and public school teachers have a 2-1 wage/benefit income margin over private sector workers in our area.
It’s not about saving a buck. We passed that threshold in the 1960’s. It’s about saving billions and trillions of dollars. Our elected officials from both sides of the aisle in both the state and federal level have spent our kids and our grandchildren’s money. At some point and time in the not so distant future, our economy will fail us. Kicking the can down the road is no longer an option. You (and I) can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. Governor Walker is not asking teachers to give up any money! He is looking out for our future years down the road, not days or weeks! Call me a liar and a fool if it makes you feel better. It is what it is.
Like or Dislike:
8
9
Tom, I still love your so-called fact tossing. Love it. I called you out saying that teachers are making $88,000. This was something you were tossing out there that was just not correct. The average teacher makes over $22,000 less than that.
As far as I can tell, you’re the one who loves to go off subject and get all emotional hate out there. I do have to go off subject for a moment though to join you. My wife laughed at the fact I was called a liberal. Generally, I am an independent voting for what I believe is right. This issue, I feel, is not even about liberals and conservatives. After all, all people have children and all people drive on our roads and all people need the public sector worker. If you think this is a Republican-Democrat problem, you’re missing much of the point.
What I love most about the current so-called facts you tossed out there was how you turned teachers into punch clock assembly line workers by stating they work only 1560 hours per year. Now if they were just punching in and punching out I would totally agree with you. But guess what? It’s not that simple once again. Teachers take home papers to grade, they go in early to help out struggling kids, they stay after school in the same capacity, they write recommendation letters for students on their own time, and they work in the summer to redo their curriculum and lesson plans to improve them. They support students in athletics and fine arts programs and show them that they care and that they are not just a punch in and out of work day employee that you pretend they are. By the way, business people can send back “faulty products;” teachers get to deal with everything (everyone) who comes into their classes; they can’t just send back “products” that don’t fit or work. Honestly, you have no idea how many hours some teachers put in. Maybe not all teachers do that, but probably a hell of a lot more do that than you think apparently think because you think teachers punch in and punch out and go play after work.
Oh and I love your other apparently misinformed fact that Walker is in fact asking teachers to give up some money. If they are paying more into those benefits by what the bill is asking the average teacher will be taking home $500 less a month. As for the “benefits,” what they get doesn’t come out of taxpayers pockets really. Their benefits come to them deferred. It’s just like athletes who agree to take less salary up front so their teams can make the budgets. Teachers basically put their own money up in deferred status not getting it in salary to get those benefits. But that’s probably too complicated, so I’ll just stop and ask people reading this column not to take your word for what it is.
If you post again… please for the love of God have some facts to back your ranting.
Like or Dislike:
7
8
You really are not a liberal Phil. You are something beyond that! Especially if you believe most of the stuff you just wrote. Good old fashion human relations, aka propaganda! The same lines teachers have been using since the 1960’s or maybe even before that! And your remark about their benefit costs… really now? Give me a friggin break! Have you been hanging out with Charlie Sheen lately? Please go on to the DataMine website and check the wage and benefit packages of our full time teachers. You can check them by name or school district. Let me know what you come up with…… Do I need to print a copy of their contract as well? Those are the work hours I go by. Like I said before, I speak of the general rule, not the exception to it.
Like or Dislike:
7
9
Your total lack of knowledge about teaching is amazing. What is more amazing is the face with this lack of knowledge you pretend to talk about it. It would probably be like me talking about what you do. whatever that is. Since I have no idea and have not done your job I could only say random things about how I might perceive you and how you interact with your job.
That stuff I wrote is true, it comes from a knowledge base of said teaching job. So my knowledge is based on facts of said job. Easier to talk about an issue if you have some knowledge of the subject matter. But feel free to continue to spew forth, that is why I am here to correct your inaccuracies.
I know many teachers that would love to live in the “Tommy land” that its now called. Making $88,000 and punching in and punching out and be done for the day. Heck sign me up. Who wouldn’t like that job. In this land I am surprised you’re not a teacher. I know I wish I lived in “Tommy land”
Like or Dislike:
8
6
Hey Tom I am going to post a report on pensions. It might be alot for you to read but I have faith that maybe you can get over your blinded hatred and read it. Then think for 10mins after you read it then post. I would love to see if you can do that.
Like or Dislike:
5
6
The Wisconsin Lie Exposed – Taxpayers Actually Contribute Nothing To Public Employee Pensions
Feb. 25 2011 – 11:56 am | 71,430 views | 9 recommendations | 239 comments
By RICK UNGAR
http://blogs-images.forbes.com/rickungar/files/2011/02/Protests-in-Madison-Wisconsin.jpgPulitzer Prize winning tax reporter, David Cay Johnston, has written a brilliant piece for tax.com exposing the truth about who really pays for the pension and benefits for public employees in Wisconsin.
Gov. Scott Walker says he wants state workers covered by collective bargaining agreements to “contribute more†to their pension and health insurance plans. Accepting Gov. Walker’ s assertions as fact, and failing to check, creates the impression that somehow the workers are getting something extra, a gift from taxpayers. They are not. Out of every dollar that funds Wisconsin’ s pension and health insurance plans for state workers, 100 cents comes from the state workers.
Via tax.com
How can this be possible?
Simple. The pension plan is the direct result of deferred compensation- money that employees would have been paid as cash salary but choose, instead, to have placed in the state operated pension fund where the money can be professionally invested (at a lower cost of management) for the future.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of deferred compensation from reading about the latest multi-million dollar deal with some professional athlete. As a means of allowing their ball club to have enough money to operate, lowering their own tax obligations and for other benefits, ball players often defer payment of money they are to be paid to a later date. In the meantime, that money is invested for the ball player’s benefit and then paid over at the time and in the manner agreed to in the contract between the parties.
Does anyone believe that, in the case of the ball player, the deferred money belongs to the club owner rather than the ball player? Is the owner simply providing this money to the athlete as some sort of gift? Of course not. The money is salary to be paid to the ball player, deferred for receipt at a later date.
A review of the state’s collective bargaining agreements – many of which are available for review at the Wisconsin Office of State Employees web site – bears out that it is no different for state employees. The numbers are just lower.
Check out section 13 of the Wisconsin Association of State Prosecutors collective bargaining agreement – “For the duration of this Agreement, the Employer will contribute on behalf of the employee five percent (5%) of the employee’s earnings paid by the State. â€
Johnston goes on to point out that Governor Walker has gotten away with this false narrative because journalists have failed to look closely at how employee pension plans work and have simply accepted the Governor’s word for it. Because of this, those who wish the unions ill have been able to seize on that narrative to score points by running ads and spreading the word that state employees pay next to nothing for their pensions and that it is all a big taxpayer give-away.
If it is true that pension and benefit money is money that already belongs to state workers, you might ask why state employees would not just take the cash as direct compensation and do their own investing for their retirement through their own individual retirement plans.
Again, simple.
Mr. Johnston continues-
Expecting individuals to be experts at investing their retirement money in defined contribution plans — instead of pooling the money so professional investors can manage the money as is done in defined benefit plans — is not sound economics. The concept, at its most basic, is buying wholesale instead of retail. Wholesale is cheaper for the buyers. That is, it saves taxpayers money. The Wisconsin State Investment Board manages about $74.5 billion for an all-in cost of $224 million. That is a cost of about 30-cents per $100, which is good but not great. However it is far less than many defined contribution plans, where costs are often $1 or more per $100.â€
If the Wisconsin governor and state legislature were to be honest, they would correctly frame this issue. They are not, in fact, asking state employees to make a larger contribution to their pension and benefits programs as that would not be possible- the employees are already paying 100% of the contributions.
What they are actually asking is that the employees take a pay cut.
That may or may not be an appropriate request depending on your point of view – but the argument that the taxpayers are providing state workers with some gift is as false as the argument that state workers are paid better than employees with comparable education and skills in private industry.
Maybe state workers need to take pay cut along with so many of their fellow Americans. But let’s, at the least, recognize this sacrifice for what it is rather than pretending they’ve been getting away with some sweet deal that now must be brought to an end.
UPDATE: Since this post was published earlier today, many commenters have made the point that, while it is true that it is state employees’ own money that funds the pension plan, when the pension plan comes up short it is up to the taxpayer to make up the difference.
There is some truth in this – but not as much as many seem to think. Because the pension plan is a defined benefit plan – requiring the state to pay the agreed benefit for however long the employee may live in retirement- if the employee lives longer than the actuarial plan anticipated, the taxpayer is on the hook for the pay-outs during the longer life.
But is this the fault of the state employees? The pension agreements are the result of collective bargaining. That means that the state has every opportunity to properly calculate the anticipated lifespan and then add on some margin for error. What’s more, the losses taken by the pension funds over the past few years can hardly be blamed on the employees.
Take a look at what Sue Urahn, an expert on the subject at the Pew Center on the States, has to say about this when describing the $1 trillion gap that existed between the $2.35 trillion states had set aside to pay for employees’ retirement benefits and the $3.35 trillion price tag of those promises.at the end of 2008-
To a significant degree, the $1 trillion reflects states’ own policy choices and lack of discipline:
• failing to make annual payments for pension systems at the levels recommended by their own actuaries;
• expanding benefits and offering cost-of-living increases without fully considering their long-term price tag or determining how to pay for them; and
• providing retiree health care without adequately funding it
Via Pew Center on the States
That is the point. While the governor of Wisconsin is busy trying to shift the blame to the workers in an effort to put an end to collective bargaining, the reality is that it was the state who punted on this – not the employees.
Further, by the state employee unions agreeing to the deal proposed by Walker on their benefits (as they have despite Walker’s refusal to accept it) they are taking on much – and possibly all – of the obligation out of their own pockets.
As a result, the taxpayers do not contribute to the public employee pension programs so much as serve as insurers. If their elected officials have been sloppy , the taxpayers must stand behind it. But if the market continues to perform as it has been performing this past year, don’t be surprised if the funding crisis begins to recede. If it does, what will you say then?
Like or Dislike:
7
5
My dearest Phil,
Money has to be put into these benefit packages for them to work. It doesn’t matter what avenue the money has to take to get to it’s destination to buy or pay for the product, be it retirement benefits or health insurance or something else. This money may be paid in on behalf of the teachers, the union or by other means. If you continue to back-track on where this money originally came from, it will eventually lead you back to the Wisconsin taxpayer. It does not come from a hole in the ground or an alien spaceship. It comes from us! Even if 100% of this money comes from teacher wages, it still originates with the taxpayer. Quote: “money that employees would have been paid as cash salary†is put into this plan, correct? Who paid this money to them as cash salary? We did. You can take your blinders off now. Welcome to the real world, Charlie.
Like or Dislike:
5
7
Well I can tell you took my advice to heart and read that whole thing. So what you are asking teachers then is to take a pay cut unlike what you stated earlier when you said
“Governor Walker is not asking teachers to give up any money!” – tom
your words not mine. Nice ignorant words too about someone who knows the facts!
well then I guess they should take that salary back that they have currently deferred?
Then we can have them pay more?
Or is your only answer now, after I have educated you on some of this issue, is that they should take a $500 a month pay cut to help you out.
Hey I think you should show just how much you support Walker and give $500 a month of your money to help the budget.
If you did that I would shut up and see that your putting your money where your mouth is and stop believing the hatred you have of children and the teachers that educate them.
At the moment all it seems like to me is that your lashing out at anything that isn’t benefiting you so it must be cut. Forget the good community, after all you think we all should live in Tommy land.
Thank God 60% of America disagree with you and what Walker is trying to do. I have faith in people who are not driven by hatred.
Like or Dislike:
6
6
Tea partiers are given talking points by the billionaire Koch bros who fund Americans for Prosperity, which is why comments on message boards and in letters to the editor contain the same wording, phrases, and assumptions. The bad thing is, the tea partiers, for the most part, haven’t researched the assumptions to ensure they’re valid. The Koch’s have essentially brainwashed the disgruntled and angry. Phil, no way to change them, as they are too far gone.
Like or Dislike:
11
5
Your right cause Tom is a drone at this point and honestly I will continue to post if nothing else to combat Tom’s blatant lies as he tries to misinform people who read this stuff.
If only one person can begin to think for themselves and not just believe what some political party says I will have done a service.
Both parties have issues .. republican and democrat… the time to be mindless drones is over. I do think republicans tend to lean on the drones more cause they have to or they wouldn’t have any votes but the wealthy they defend.
All I ask is for people to think. Think ask questions and just don’t take what one group says as fact like Tommy has.
Like or Dislike:
5
8
Phil,
Can’t we be adults here? We both make some good points. And we both get off track from time to time. I am former public union employee with collective bargaining “rights†of many years. I have negotiated for our members a number of times and I know well how the system works. My union did not have the political pull, people numbers or monetary clout that the teachers have always had. We had to be reasonable with our requests or we were laughed at. Wages were usually the easier part of negotiations. Benefit packages are where the fights came in, especially health insurance and sometimes retirement benefits. We sometimes negotiated against attorneys and I enjoyed taking a jab at them once in a while. Almost every year I would tell the “other side†that we could end the meeting today if they agreed to give us whatever the teachers (in our same community) were going to get for that year. It always brought a laugh from both sides of the table because everyone in the room knew we were not going to fare that well.
Teachers are compensated well for their work unless the DataMine website is inaccurate. In my business, we all ended up working on our own time without compensation. I could barely go and have a beer without someone wanting free advice, etc., related to my work and several times I had visitors at my home wanting assistance. who actually put my family in jeopardy. I always tried to help people out. Now I am simply a taxpayer and I want to survive economically.
Unions or anyone else should not be allowed to buy politicians and then have them kick back favors after they are elected. I thought that was illegal. I sincerely wonder if many public sector union leaders haven’t already hijacked their membership. All teachers are mandated to contribute to their unions regardless of what political affiliation they are or personal preferences they may have. Union bosses generally endorse the political party they want with their membership having little or no input on this decision.
I pay my share of income taxes too, maybe more. My federal withholding tax was already increased the first of the year and not by me. My point in this entire ordeal is that the teachers are doing just fine, or at least they should be from the information I have seen regarding their wage and benefit packages. It seems to they want to create national hysteria day for their cause and they are doing a very good job of it. Maybe we can afford it toady but we cannot sustain it year after year. Losing collective bargaining is not the end of the world for teachers. In the long run, it will undoubtedly benefit every one of us!
Like or Dislike:
7
4
wow Tom that was a well put together post. It was honest, well thought out on the facts that you know and can pass on without adding any conjecture or made up information to color your point. It was very pleasing to read overall and I can understand you better now that you have opened up in that way.
Thank you. I feel now we might actually have a good conversation.
Now if you don’t mind I am going to play counter point for a sec. Yes here in Wisconsin teachers are valued and it shows by how they are treated overall. Collective bargaining has made this a place that has attracted some of the best teachers in the country. Is that a bad thing? Is it better to have Wisconsin know for its test scores and education or would you rather be like other states that don’t have collective bargaining.
I have friends who live in Texas who are frustrated as all heck cause teachers down there stink. They are not invested in the children down there. It has turned into a punch in and punch out of job for many of them. Education cannot happen in a climate like that. If you were a teacher wouldn’t you go where your treated like you are a value to the community?
Now does that come with a cost, sure it does. If you look at what teachers make in Texas you can see those costs are not that much more for what you are getting.
I don’t claim to know about all the different type of unions. I have only tackled the teachers unions cause of what I know about the subject.
There has to be collective bargaining when teachers and education is involved, mainly because if given a chance education will be sacrificed in this country. It’s happening in many other states as we speak and we can see the results.
If teachers are not allowed collective bargaining they will be trampled upon mainly because teachers as a profession are looked down upon. Which might be because many teachers in America just don’t give a crap or try and reach kids. It has become that punch in and out type of job we have talked about.
I think the really good teachers, which Wisconsin attracts, will not call what they do a job. It’s more of a calling and a belief in giving back to society while trying to make a difference. I think those type of teachers go to the places where states and communities show they value them. If teachers are not invested in our children education suffers.
Now I am certainly not coming up with any answers on what might work to fix the problems of having bad teachers protected by unions or the state’s budget, but at the same time I don’t want to see all of the education in this country to go to hell either.
If everything becomes a financial number that you can cut and balance books you will forsake the other costs that you can’t place monetary numbers to. Unlike so many other professions out there, teaching has so many other intangible things that can’t be put in a monetary spread sheet.
I want the teachers in Wisconsin to be the best. I don’t think that is a bad thing to be known for. But if Walker does get his way. Texas education here we come. If you are ok with that happening, that is fine and we really don’t have much else to discuss. But if you do care about that. We need to find another option that somehow addresses the real issues about bad teachers in the system that unions protect as well as fixing the budget. I am all open to hear real answers that are not going to destroy education in this great state.
Again thank you for your last post. I think you are really thinking and using your brain and that is all I wanted from the get go.
Like or Dislike:
3
5
Well both of you have made some good points, I would like to know where you came up with $22,000 as the average teachers salary? Have you checked out Datamine? I think the average is much closer to $50,000. As for the private sector we’ve give up more than $500 per month over the past few years in loss of benefits and rise in health care. So yes we know how it feels.
Like or Dislike:
5
5
Hi Shari
it wasn’t that they made $22,000. Tom’s claim was that they made $88,000 and they don’t. on average Tom was $22,000 over that is where that number comes from. If you reread it you might see what I meant.
The average in Wisconsin is$66,000 though New Richmond that is not that average, it’s lower than that.
Like or Dislike:
5
5
Tom said: “First is that I never said our teachers were poor teachers. I use that phrase both subjectively and objectively.” Wait, umm, Tom, umm, at first you said you “never” said our teachers were poor teachers, then said “I use that phrase.” I’m confused, I feel like I’m reading governor Walker’s earth scorching budget bill, you never said it yet you do us that phrase. Okay. So you do use that phrase.
****Governor Walker’s intents first was to eliminate the unions, now he’s intent to eliminate public education. The budget bill includes a 900 million cut to public education. He will instead pass that taxpayer money into private schools. The governor is eliminating the caps in the Parental Choice Program and allowing anyone who wants to attend private school for 70% off can get a voucher. Vouchers currrently are only allowed for applicants from families earning less than $39,00 a year. Walker wants a family earning $500,000 to get 70% off tuition for ALL of their kids attending private school. Guess who will recruit and pick the wealthiest, best, and brightest? We absolutely, positively need to recall Sheila Harsdorf now and governor Walker in ten months. It’s time to stand up people!
Like or Dislike:
5
6
United Wisconsin is for Wisconsin residents to sign a pledge to recall Scott Walker. Since we can not distribute the actual petitions until 11/3/11, sign a pledge for recall as we will only have 60 days to collect 540,206 signatures. The database will be essential for a successful recall. http://www.UnitedWisconsin.com
Like or Dislike:
6
7
you want a voucher fine but drive your kids to school. You shoudln’t be able to rely on the public school bus system. That system is paid by the non voucher tax payers.
Like or Dislike:
7
2
Too funny! All of these fools keep parroting that guv Walker was hired to do the will of the people. Maybe so – but you know what? He is NOT doing the will of the people! He’s doing the WILL of a certain small percentage of rich business people and being supported by idiotic tea “partiers” who do not have a clue. Before Walker, Mexicans were the threat – now it’s school teachers!!! Check the polls – you folks are really in the minority. Walker WILL be recalled and Obama IS actually a US citizen. Dummies…
Like or Dislike:
6
3