Wisconsin Gov. Walker supporters attack teachers to bias recall election

[proud2BlibKansan]

With six days to go before the neck-and-neck election to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, some Walker supporters are desperate, afraid their candidate is going to lose, and have resorted to hateful tactics that target teachers.

An anonymous group stuffed newspaper delivery chutes at the homes of Janesville residents this month with a flier that lists the names and salaries of more than 300 teachers in the rural town. The flier directs residents to go to a website to find out if their child’s teachers signed the petition to recall Walker. The flier has a preprinted, tear-off card at the bottom that urges parents to contact their school superintendent and school board members to request that their child be assigned next school year to a classroom taught by a “non-radical teacher.”

The conservative Milwaukee organization Citizens for Responsible Government, or CRG Network, admitted it compiled the salary and name information by making an open records request with the school district. The group refuses to disclose to whom it gave the information.

Mary McPherson, a Janesville teacher, told a local TV news reporter she wasn’t upset her salary was released. She had strong words, though, for the anonymous group or person who distributed the flier. “I think if they’re trying to say go after this person, then they’re doing it in an anger-driven way and their motive has to be seen for what it is. They’re just out to lynch someone.”

more . . . http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/2012/05/30/wisconsin-gov-walker-supporters-attack-teachers-to-bias-recall-election/

[PeaceNikki]

1. Here's another one for you...

http://www.journaltimes.com/article_0478aa6e-ab13-11e1-b4cd-001a4bcf887a.html

Local voucher school’s teachers go months without pay

RACINE — A local voucher school has not paid teachers in months and has lost nearly two-thirds of its students, staff said Wednesday.

St. John Fisher Academy, a private high school that opened in Racine last fall using state voucher money, has reportedly not paid staff members since March and has seen student enrollment dwindle from about 50 children to only 26, according to teachers who filed complaints this month with the state Department of Workforce Development.

Teachers have continued to show up for work each day despite going without pay from mid-December to February and from March to now, they said.

“We have tried to give (school leaders) the benefit of the doubt,” said science teacher Scott Schroder, one of those who filed a complaint. But he and other teachers can no longer survive without their wages. “My wife has a good job but we’re still behind on our bills. What a strain on the family.”

More at link

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. That's not at all uncommon for voucher schools or charters

The financial improprieties are stunning. And not all states will close a charter for financial reasons. The laws vary widely.

I had a friend who went to work in a charter for a specified amount. When she got her first paycheck, it was not what they had promised to pay her. When she asked about it, she was fired.

There's a private school here that was very involved in lobbying this year for a bill that included vouchers. But I've known lots of teachers who have worked there. Every single one left because they didn't get a paycheck or their paycheck bounced.

[april]

3. Walker has to Lose!!

[hughee99]

4. They had to make an open records request?

My town publishes the name and salary of every town employee each year as part of a yearly report that contains a whole bunch of other town related information (assessment changes, budget items, water quality reports, etc...). I had always thought this was standard practice throughout the country.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. For teachers also?

I've never heard of that. In my state, you can go online and get individual teachers' salaries. But that only started a year or so ago. The newspaper doesn't publish them.

[hughee99]

6. For everyone.

Teachers, cops, politicians, public works, etc. The town used to mail out a book to everyone in town once a year. Just this year, they started doing it online, with books available at the town hall still, or by request. They've done this for at least 30 years, which is as far back as I can remember in this town.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Well, that's not very common

And I wouldn't object if the right wing whackos didn't use this information as detailed in the OP.

What they are too stupid to understand is that teachers are professionals who help children learn HOW to think, not WHAT to believe. The vast majority of us don't attempt to indoctrinate children with our personal political beliefs. I've worked with very conservative teachers. And I've worked with very liberal teachers. I worked a couple years ago with a teacher who helped organize tea party rallies. But he was an outstanding educator, well respected by staff and parents, and he didn't talk politics to his students. The only reason I knew about his tea party ties was because he told me privately.

Actually the only instances I know of where teachers crossed the line and tried to influence kids politically are all right wingers who preached against evolution or homosexuality in class. Never heard of a liberal teacher crossing this line. And I don't know any teacher who has actually done this; I have just read stories about them.

Parents need to be concerned about the teaching skills of their child's teacher, not his/her political beliefs.