Trouble with a capital T

Yes, the the president of the MEA sent a letter to its members more or less suggesting that we prepare for a work stoppage.  One has not been called for, and a strike will not, I repeat, will not be demanded of us public school employees.  The irony is that House Speaker Jase Bolger called it "shameful for the MEA to put the union's interest ahead of children."  Cutting per pupil spending by 470 dollars, and more in some districts, is thinking of the children?  Districts are looking to cut anywhere from 15 million to 20 million from their budgets because our Governor and his Republican lead legislature are not putting children ahead of business, and that is a fact.  So shame on you Mr. Bolger.  Next, I have to ask why Michael Van Beek, the Director of Educational Policy for Mackinac Center, (whatever the hell that is), has any say in what is going on in public education, when he has absolutely no experience as a public educator?  He may have degrees, he may have taught, but according to the bio I read, he has no experience as a public school educator. And next, colleges are paying more to retain good people, guess they are trying to be more like the private sector as has been asked, hurray for them!  Finally, I will miss Bob Herbert's column in the New York Times, he says what I have been saying, the middle class, the working class?  Going, going gone.  And the poor?  Our governor doesn't care about the poor, and that's a fact.  Wake up and smell the coffee as Ann Landers used to say, because if you don't, and real soon, if you are middle class you are going to be poor, and if you are poor, well, what's poorer?  Dead?  I'm not kidding.  If you're wealthy?  Don't worry, the gov likes you. 
Rosemary

Congressional staffers rewarded with higher salaries.

Here are reasons some members of congress gave for paying more money to people on their staff.  When Rep. Kildee was asked if spending more money on salaries was justified during the worst financial crisis since the great depression, he said it was, especially because his constituents are in more need of help.  According to the government, our school children are more in need of help than ever before, so using Rep. Kildee's reasoning,  teachers should be paid more, not be asked to take pay cuts.  Erin Donor thinks more money is due to staffers who are have been around a long time and have much experience because there are few issues they haven't dealt with.  Again, that is a good argument for not capping teachers' salaries, but having those who stick around for long time continue to earn more because their experience is so valuable.  Donar also said the hours are long, the work is hard and his staff should be rewarded.  Teaching is hard work, and the hours are long with much time spent on the work of school beyond the work day, so would Donar agree that teachers should be rewarded with higher pay?  Rep. Dingell defends spending more money on staffers' salaries because the goal is to have qualified staff that is hardworking, experienced and stays with the office.  If school districts would like to have qualified, hardworking teachers who will remain in the district shouldn't they pay for that?  Brad Fitch, who heads the Congressional Management Foundation, said most staffers could earn more in the private sector and the work load has increased while staff sizes have capped.  Most teachers have advanced degrees and would certainly find higher paying jobs in the private sector, and the work load and class sizes have increased yet there is no pay raise in sight.  Retired Rep. Bart Stupak said people "have no idea how many hours staffers work."  I can say the same thing, people "have no idea how many hours teachers work.  But there are benefits for the hard work and long hours of the staffers.  This is often a stepping stone to a more lucrative career, their pension and health care are as secure as any in the U.S. and overtime pay is required under federal labor law.  Unfortunately, none of this is true for teachers who are in the fight of their lives to simply keep what they have.  I don't get it, do you?

Have We Met Before?

This is something I wrote on my writing site.  I thought I had posted it before, but I can't find it, and now, I want someone to.  It was for a contest for a short very short story that had to start with, "Have we met before?"  So enjoy, and let me know what you think.  Don't get why I am about to do what I am going to do, but I am!

"Have we met before?" He uttered these words before I could even sit down. I looked up at him, but I was not sure what to say, how to tell him. I struck a pose and beamed, "Yes, we met in elementary school. You didn't like me much and I stuck my tongue out at you."

The response was what I expected, surprise, so I continued. "We met again in junior high, at the sock hop. It was fun. You asked me to dance, so shy, but your smile betrayed your confidence and I fell in love. We weren't quite ready yet, and we went our separate ways not to meet again until our junior year in high school."

Now he looked at me completely puzzled, and he slowly took a sip of the drink that was on the table before him. "Would you like something?" he inquired with a steady gaze.

"No, I don't think so. Oh, alright, I'll have what you're having. "So," I began. "Do you remember me?" He seemed to be in deep thought, and then he looked up at me and quietly asked, "Have we met before?"

I set my water down and looked into those confused eyes and replied, "Yes, at the prom. I was with your cousin, and you asked me to dance, so shy, but your smile betrayed your confidence and I fell in love, again. You were going off to college though, and I was just a dance."

"So I know you?" He lifted his head and asked.

"Yes, like no one else on this earth. You know where I hide, you know what I don't say, and you know what I pray for."

"Have we met before?" He asked.

"Yes, at the fair. You were home, graduated from college. I was on the midway, the music was playing, and you asked me to dance, so shy, but your smile betrayed your confidence, and I fell totally in love."

"I'm hungry." he said. "Should we eat now?"

"Yes." I answered. "Let's go to the cafeteria and get our supper."

On the way, he met many people he knew. "Hello Gerry, Gertrude, how are you two ladies doing tonight?" "Sam, haven't seen you in a few days, glad you are up and about again." And they looked at him, at me, and Sam asked, "Does he know you today?"

"No, not today Sam, but I am helping him remember, so maybe tomorrow."

We took our seats at the table, we had both chosen the same thing to eat. He was slathering butter on his potato and eyeing his roast beef when he looked at me and inquired, "Have we met before?"

"Yes, in 1949, at the altar. We said "I do" to each other and then at our reception, with all confidence you asked, "Mrs. Brady, may I have this dance?" And for the second time that day, I answered, "Yes."

"I'm feeling rather tired." he said as he stretched and yawned. Perhaps you'll come back again, I have so enjoyed catching up." We walked together down the hall to his room, I held his elbow to steady him. We entered his room, his bed had been turned down and I led him to it. He sat down. "Have we met before?" He asked as he removed his slippers.

"Yes, my Darling." I answered as I stroked his head. "We met in the delivery room in 1951 and again in 53 and with much joy and astonishment in 1960! We met in the funeral home when our parents passed away, we met again at the grave of our child of 1960. We have met at the altar when our own flesh and blood wed, and at the fountain of salvation when their babies were baptized. We have held hands, touched places only we can touch, and loved so much. Have we met before? Oh yes, I know you." I sat for a minute, preparing to leave. I turned to lay a gentle kiss upon his cheek. I saw a tear meet at the edge of a smile that betrayed all confidence, and I knew I would be back tomorrow hoping to dance.

Dear Gov. Walker

Here's a letter written to Gov. Scott Walker:

Governor Walker,
I must address your statement that you "have no doubt" that support for the measure would grow over time.  Why are you signing a bill that does not have public support now?  Aren't you elected by the people, for the people?  Or do you think you were elected to just take care of some of the people?  Who are those people you are in office to take care of?  Obviously not the hard working middle class men and women of your state.  After you were elected you wrote; Dear Friends, "Today begins a new chapter in the history of our state...We have a bold plan to help the private sector create 250,000 new jobs by 2015."  So creating private sector jobs is the goal, and to hell with the public employees?  You also said about this bill, "Once the public sees government becoming more efficient, support for the changes will increase."  What does union busting have to do with the government running itself efficiently?  I simply do not understand the connection, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ONE!  And there's more to your rhetoric;  "What we're doing here...is progressive.  It's innovative."  NO IT'S NOT!  Those in power have been screwing those without power since time began.  You want to do something innovative?  Tell those with the money to take it elsewhere and then do what's right.  Finally, you say the new law will be "good for the middle class for years to come."  I need you to elaborate.  I need you to be specific.  Just how will this new legislation be good for the middle class for years to come?  I await your reply addressing my concerns.  While I am not from Wisconsin, please do not ignore me, because as a great man once said, "When there is injustice somewhere, there is injustice everywhere."  Another important man once said, "Something that affects one directly, affects all indirectly."  I am affected by this.

Rosemary 

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Read and respond.

Okay, I am writing some good stuff and it isn't generating dialogue.  If you are reading I would really like to know what you think, because thinking is what we need right now.  I am not going to be insulted if you disagree with my opinions, in fact, if you have different opinions with solid reasoning, I would be interested.  Yes, it takes time to read and respond, but aren't you wanting to be challenged and to have the opportunity to be part of a conversation that will impact you?  Come on, read, respond, have fun!  Eric, where are you?  I miss the disagreement. 

NY Times article

Where is the outrage at the ignorance of those in the position of power and decision making?  Why are school administrators  and superintendents remaining so quiet when the institutions they have been given charge of are being insulted, torn apart in the press with the use of data that misinforms and outright lies, and is basically being set up for ultimate destruction?  No money for schools means more students in the classroom and Eric k Hanushek, a Stanford Economist, argues that the impact of small classes on achievement has been exaggerated.  Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, says he would prefer to put his own school-age children in a classroom of 28 students led by a "fantastic teacher" than one with 23 students and a "mediocre" teacher.  Dr. Roza, who is Bill Gates adviser, says average class sizes have not ballooned, "Maybe the national average went up one kid, but I don't think we've jumped to 30 kids per class."  They're all kidding right?  Of course smaller class size enhances the educational experience for students, at all levels, and if the research that we've clung to that confirms this is being replaced with new research that refutes it, please publish the research (and don't bring Japan into this, our entire system of education is different, if you want to have 60 students be successful in a classroom, then track, discipline, hold students and parents accountable, respect the teaching profession, and weed out the ones who can't quite keep up, oh and send the best and the brightest to the country that our leaders would have us believe has a dismal education system!).  To Mr. Duncan I would just like to say, what planet are you on?  What public school district has had class sizes of 28 students in recent history?  And please, "fantastic" and "mediocre"?  Teachers are professionals, and the job they do encompasses so many duties, obligations and challenges that to describe their performance as you would a contestant in a game is downright insulting. Finally, Bill Gates, you need to rid yourself of the adviser,  You deal with numbers and hers are way off.  Yes, we have ballooned to 30 students in a classroom and beyond!  So I ask again, where is the outrage?

Rosemary

It's coming together.

More things getting done bringing us closer to the big day.  Andrea was home this weekend and we had appointments with photographers, DJs, decorators, and then a trip to David's Bridal to look at bridesmaid dresses.  Now she has to share all the info with Joe, and they will have to start thinking about who to go with and what to do!  Still plenty of time, and more people to confer with, but it is a start and a frame of reference.  It's funny because when they got engaged and decided on a December wedding, I thought, plenty of time.  Now we are already saying it is only nine months away!  And, I can't wait to get out of winter and into spring, yet my mind is consumed with next December!  I have the doom and gloom of our political system ready to slay me, and the wonderful experience of working with my daughter to plan her wedding, guess I will be having my ups and downs over the course of this year!  Okay, now I am going to read the paper so I might be back.

Rosemary