Teachers union says schools "must" be fully reopened in the fall

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The only reason DC schools have been closed so long is because of WTU. Bowser wanted schools to reopen in August, the medical community said it was totally safe and teachers refused to go to work because they didn’t *feel* it was safe (and they’d get paid the same regardless of whether they showed up for work so it was no skin off their back). That’s the only reason schools have been closed so long even as schools in most of the rest of the country, not to mention private schools and daycares in DC, were open for business.

This. It's amazing how WTU members are now trying to pretend that this didn't happen.

yeah it was “just” a weency little strike to refuse to let SN kids return! totally not teachers’ fault.

I used to get really mad at DCUM until I went back to my WOTP school and realized that there maybe like 2% of the school community that thinks like the people on here and the rest actually understand that the situation was more complicated than “teachers hate kids”.
I’m glad you have your own weird little corner of the internet though. Better than having you lash out at me

Yeah, you have no idea whah people at your school think because they are scared to speak up. You can’t erase the fact that in November my child’s teachers - his actual teachers - went on strike specifically to keep him and the other kids with IEPs out of the classroom. But go on and reduce that to a caricature because it doesn’t match your little self-serving bubble. Like it or not DCUM is where you will actually hear what people think.

I agree. I now treat all parents as if they think I am useless trash. It really is a sad development but this has whole thing has pointed out to me what people really think when they are at home. Oh well

My kid’s teachers know exactly what I think, because I told them. They didn’t deserve to be insulated from the consequences of their actions. Now they have my child back in class and can see for themselves what a bad situation it is. There’s nothing “sad” about it. You took certain actions with predictable results.

Oh I agree. I just think it has changed the dynamic. But in the end it doesn’t really bother me much. This is a job, I never participated in the teacher appreciation stuff (thought it was dumb) and refused to accept any sort of gifts or gift card (it’s inappropriate and I’m not in a tipped job).

It had affected my colleagues a lot more. They thought parents and teachers were friends and on the same side. We are not. And I think it was about time for people to realize that.

you and I are in agreement then, which somewhat ironically means I probably respect you more as a professional than the “we love teachers” crowd. my child’s best teachers have been the no-nonsense pros who did not care about parents but were fantastic at what they did.

All I need is respect. You don't give your doctor gifts but you respect them. Don't talk down to me and we'll have no issues. I'm not your mammy or slave, nor your kid's. I teach IPL out of choice but if I choose to continue DL you have a few options to hope you get another teacher, homeschool, private, move, etc. That is what people do when they don't like the free service provided. Teachers have been working, if you feel the quality has been lowered you have choices.

I however do not want to run a low quality classroom, can't blame others for choosing their family and kids over yours.

FYI: you might want to take a civics lesson yourself. Public school isn't a "free service." We pay for it through our taxes. And respect is earned. I respect a lot of professionals. I lost respect for teachers who used a global pandemic as an excuse not to do their jobs while cosplaying as "front line" workers. And who continue to support a union that uses children as human shields to negotiate deals for themselves. I have just as much contempt for our mayor, who caved in to all of their demands. IPL shouldn't be a "choice" that teachers get to make based on what they "feel" is safe. It can and should always have been about the scientific evidence, which clearly showed it was safe to return. Your union rejected that in favor of lies and PR stunts.

Well said.

I lost respect for conservative liars, for example Betsy DeVos and the mediocrities who are the mouthpieces at Heritage, who screamed about unions
AND WERE WRONG.

This WHOLE THREAD is about A UNION PRESIDENT saying schools should be open NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC IS UNDER CONTROL.

The whole thing about unions has been A REPUBLICAN LIE FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE the whole time.

The PROBLEM WAS TRUMP AND HOW HE LET the pandemic rage out of control.

Now, we have a union president showing that Republicans were lying about unions all along.
Because Republicans want to harm workers. To enrich themselves. So they lie about unions. They jumped on this chance.

People need someone to scream at, though. Babysit my kids or I’ll vote against my own self interests to teach you a lesson!

Who is screaming? I’d say it’s the all-caps poster.

It’s simplistic to blame this mess entirely on Trump’s undeniable bungling of the pandemic response (which in no way explains the fact that schools didn’t open in August when cases were low, except in the sense that keeping schools closed was the anti-Trump thing to do), just like it would be to blame it solely on WTU, which the PP wasn’t doing, if you actually read her post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:D.C. parent and voter here: I will not again vote for any candidate who is endorsed by WTU. It's a poison pill for me henceforth. I have no vote in Congress, but have this vote.

This. I had no opinion of teachers' unions before the pandemic, but now I would eagerly support any politician who promised (however unlikely that is) to cripple the WTU.

[Anonymous]

The only reason DC schools have been closed so long is because of WTU.

Bowser wanted schools to reopen in August, the medical community said it was totally safe and teachers refused to go to work because they didn’t *feel* it was safe (and they’d get paid the same regardless of whether they showed up for work so it was no skin off their back).

That’s the only reason schools have been closed so long even as schools in most of the rest of the country, not to mention private schools and daycares in DC, were open for business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason DC schools have been closed so long is because of WTU.

Bowser wanted schools to reopen in August, the medical community said it was totally safe and teachers refused to go to work because they didn’t *feel* it was safe (and they’d get paid the same regardless of whether they showed up for work so it was no skin off their back).

That’s the only reason schools have been closed so long even as schools in most of the rest of the country, not to mention private schools and daycares in DC, were open for business.

So, that Plan that Bowser had. Where did it go? How come when things opened every school was left to make it up.

And why did/does Bowser continue to extend Covid leave for DC teachers?

Could it be- that she never had a plan and actually does not care if schools open- as long as you think it is the teachers fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason DC schools have been closed so long is because of WTU.

Bowser wanted schools to reopen in August, the medical community said it was totally safe and teachers refused to go to work because they didn’t *feel* it was safe (and they’d get paid the same regardless of whether they showed up for work so it was no skin off their back).

That’s the only reason schools have been closed so long even as schools in most of the rest of the country, not to mention private schools and daycares in DC, were open for business.

So, that Plan that Bowser had. Where did it go? How come when things opened every school was left to make it up.

And why did/does Bowser continue to extend Covid leave for DC teachers?

Could it be- that she never had a plan and actually does not care if schools open- as long as you think it is the teachers fault.

I am willing to believe that she never had a plan but it is also clear that the "plan" became "whatever the WTU wants."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. parent and voter here: I will not again vote for any candidate who is endorsed by WTU. It's a poison pill for me henceforth. I have no vote in Congress, but have this vote.

WTU member here. That is fine. I moved out of DC and refuse to let this place educate my kid. We are on the same page.
But what about Bowser? Do you really think its all the big/bad union? Or are you willing to spread the love/disdain.

PP here. I live close to Bowser and the chancellor here in Colonial Village and I don't think either of them are up to their jobs. They're fair-weather captains--so long as the seas are calm, they can steer the ship. But they flail and fail in a storm, as we've seen for the past 14 months. They're awful.

Fenty would have had the schools open last September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. parent and voter here: I will not again vote for any candidate who is endorsed by WTU. It's a poison pill for me henceforth. I have no vote in Congress, but have this vote.

WTU member here. That is fine. I moved out of DC and refuse to let this place educate my kid. We are on the same page.
But what about Bowser? Do you really think its all the big/bad union? Or are you willing to spread the love/disdain.

PP here. I live close to Bowser and the chancellor here in Colonial Village and I don't think either of them are up to their jobs. They're fair-weather captains--so long as the seas are calm, they can steer the ship. But they flail and fail in a storm, as we've seen for the past 14 months. They're awful.

Fenty would have had the schools open last September.

PP you are responding to, and yes!!! Fenty would have had us open in the fall. And I would have been thrilled.
I am fine with folks hating on the WTU- as long as they also realize that the mayor did a terrible job. Reform is more than banish the WTU- if is get a new mayor. And if you stick with an idiot mayor: don't have her be the only check on the Chancellor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. parent and voter here: I will not again vote for any candidate who is endorsed by WTU. It's a poison pill for me henceforth. I have no vote in Congress, but have this vote.

WTU member here. That is fine. I moved out of DC and refuse to let this place educate my kid. We are on the same page.
But what about Bowser? Do you really think its all the big/bad union? Or are you willing to spread the love/disdain.

PP here. I live close to Bowser and the chancellor here in Colonial Village and I don't think either of them are up to their jobs. They're fair-weather captains--so long as the seas are calm, they can steer the ship. But they flail and fail in a storm, as we've seen for the past 14 months. They're awful.

Fenty would have had the schools open last September.

PP you are responding to, and yes!!! Fenty would have had us open in the fall. And I would have been thrilled.
I am fine with folks hating on the WTU- as long as they also realize that the mayor did a terrible job. Reform is more than banish the WTU- if is get a new mayor. And if you stick with an idiot mayor: don't have her be the only check on the Chancellor.

THIS. The WTU, the Mayor, and the Chancellor have all been disasters during this crisis. Voters should punish them all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. parent and voter here: I will not again vote for any candidate who is endorsed by WTU. It's a poison pill for me henceforth. I have no vote in Congress, but have this vote.

WTU member here. That is fine. I moved out of DC and refuse to let this place educate my kid. We are on the same page.
But what about Bowser? Do you really think its all the big/bad union? Or are you willing to spread the love/disdain.

PP here. I live close to Bowser and the chancellor here in Colonial Village and I don't think either of them are up to their jobs. They're fair-weather captains--so long as the seas are calm, they can steer the ship. But they flail and fail in a storm, as we've seen for the past 14 months. They're awful.

Fenty would have had the schools open last September.

PP you are responding to, and yes!!! Fenty would have had us open in the fall. And I would have been thrilled.
I am fine with folks hating on the WTU- as long as they also realize that the mayor did a terrible job. Reform is more than banish the WTU- if is get a new mayor. And if you stick with an idiot mayor: don't have her be the only check on the Chancellor.

THIS. The WTU, the Mayor, and the Chancellor have all been disasters during this crisis. Voters should punish them all.

+1

The WTU did not help matters but all they can do as an organization is put certain demands out there. It was up to Bowser to push back and say schools will open. She didn’t, and she let the WTU get what they wanted. She could have opened schools in the fall, I don’t really think there would have been an actual strike because too many teachers need their jobs. And as much as people keep saying they could just find a job elsewhere, that is difficult mid year and they probably would have had to return in person at a new job anyway. And it would have been a pay cut. The WTU called Bowser’s bluff and she was not strong enough to push back. Because she really doesn’t care about students, learning or their mental health or wellbeing.

[Anonymous]

Chiming in as another liberal Dem: I went to college on a teachers union scholarship! But after the last year, AFT/WTU endorsement is the kiss of death! Teachers are amazing but the union is terrible — tactics have alienated parents and not served members’ interests.