Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I feel the same way. I'm not 100% aligned with the WTU, but close enough to have a healthy tension. I would work collaboratively with them any day. The Mayor on the other hand... she's gotta go.

how are you going to “work collaboratively” with any union? you’re not a stakeholder - that’s been made very very clear. OTOH you actually elect a mayor and have specific ways to give feedback or can campaign against her.

I think all public sector unions should have less influence, period. The fact that police unions & teachers unions can disrupt the ability of citizens to have properly administered public services is a huge problem. Look how WTU supporters manage to silence public criticism here.

Can I ask what about the WTU you are interested in criticizing? Specifically?

Do you have to ask? School closures, for one. That taught me that every WTU advocacy item is primarily about teachers, not about children. I am glad that WTU seems more conciliatory now (eg not fighting the end of the mask mandate). I follow WTU on twitter, and it seems to me that their primary advocacy points that they put muscle behind all have to do with strengthening their bargaining unit - their main campaign this year was librarians in every school. I mean that's great an all, but there's absolutely no reason to believe that libraries, among all else, are the most important additional staff we need in each school.

Oh, and they are against accountability (IMPACT) - that's probably their primary political ask, since DC law (correctly) says that Impact cannot be part of the contract. Once the WTU gets to negotiate teacher evaluation system, just see how hard it is to remove failing and even dangerous teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This gives sort of an overview of the type of entity I don't want having more control over whether kids get to go to public school:

https://dcist.com/story/22/03/01/washington-teachers-union-dc-divide/

Basically, if CORE gains power in the union, then they are more likely to pass the whackadoodle things they've only so far proposed.

(also, yikes, the WTU seems to be in disarray)

Fuchs is a menace. Imagine her on the school board during covid, with no mayoral control. SF redux.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general, this is like hoping the right wing doesn’t gain too much power, or at least has a strong check to it. I’m also of the camp that believes the union is there to serve its members, and if the choice is between its members and the education of children, they.l pick their members. That’s problematic for me.

What can be done? Just don’t vote for anyone endorsed by the union.

I just want to make sure I’m following…you’re comparing teachers to the MAGA party? I’m thinking you are just trying to backdoor your way around the WTU obsessive trashing that Jeff has been responding to, because you aren’t making much sense. I have no idea why you wouldn’t want teachers to have what the WTU is advocating for. Smaller class sizes, safer and cleaner schools, and better pay for quality teachers seems like something you wouldn’t want a check on. Would you mind explaining why these policies trouble you?

To further explain the comparison: I'm comparing the teachers UNION to the right wing, yes. Not individual teachers. Basically like saying "even if I don't know the exact policies of every candidate, I will till vote D rather than R." So "even if I don't know the exact policies of every candidate, I'll vote for the ones NOT endorsed by the union."

The point is that given too much unfettered power I think they make decisions that on the margin benefit them and not children. I've been alarmed by WTU CORE's January 2022 proposal to reclose schools based on an arbitrary case metric (one that seemed to be echoed by R. White's attempted proposal). I see that CORE is founded by some of WTU leadership. It's not a stretch to believe that CORE has power in the WTU. So CORE releases policy proposals that I find hurtful to children, and that leads me to be very wary of the power that WTU has.

You can say this is all in the past, but January 2022 wasn't that long ago, and it's not like coronavirus is going away. Based on recent past proposals, I am worried about their future proposals.

Anonymous wrote:This gives sort of an overview of the type of entity I don't want having more control over whether kids get to go to public school:

https://dcist.com/story/22/03/01/washington-teachers-union-dc-divide/

Basically, if CORE gains power in the union, then they are more likely to pass the whackadoodle things they've only so far proposed.

(also, yikes, the WTU seems to be in disarray)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I feel the same way. I'm not 100% aligned with the WTU, but close enough to have a healthy tension. I would work collaboratively with them any day. The Mayor on the other hand... she's gotta go.

how are you going to “work collaboratively” with any union? you’re not a stakeholder - that’s been made very very clear. OTOH you actually elect a mayor and have specific ways to give feedback or can campaign against her.

I think all public sector unions should have less influence, period. The fact that police unions & teachers unions can disrupt the ability of citizens to have properly administered public services is a huge problem. Look how WTU supporters manage to silence public criticism here.

Can I ask what about the WTU you are interested in criticizing? Specifically?

Do you have to ask? School closures, for one. That taught me that every WTU advocacy item is primarily about teachers, not about children. I am glad that WTU seems more conciliatory now (eg not fighting the end of the mask mandate). I follow WTU on twitter, and it seems to me that their primary advocacy points that they put muscle behind all have to do with strengthening their bargaining unit - their main campaign this year was librarians in every school. I mean that's great an all, but there's absolutely no reason to believe that libraries, among all else, are the most important additional staff we need in each school.

Anonymous wrote:Local union money is derived locally.

DFER money is from way out of state, if one is trying to make a point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I feel the same way. I'm not 100% aligned with the WTU, but close enough to have a healthy tension. I would work collaboratively with them any day. The Mayor on the other hand... she's gotta go.

how are you going to “work collaboratively” with any union? you’re not a stakeholder - that’s been made very very clear. OTOH you actually elect a mayor and have specific ways to give feedback or can campaign against her.

I think all public sector unions should have less influence, period. The fact that police unions & teachers unions can disrupt the ability of citizens to have properly administered public services is a huge problem. Look how WTU supporters manage to silence public criticism here.

Can I ask what about the WTU you are interested in criticizing? Specifically?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I feel the same way. I'm not 100% aligned with the WTU, but close enough to have a healthy tension. I would work collaboratively with them any day. The Mayor on the other hand... she's gotta go.

how are you going to “work collaboratively” with any union? you’re not a stakeholder - that’s been made very very clear. OTOH you actually elect a mayor and have specific ways to give feedback or can campaign against her.

I think all public sector unions should have less influence, period. The fact that police unions & teachers unions can disrupt the ability of citizens to have properly administered public services is a huge problem. Look how WTU supporters manage to silence public criticism here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I guess same could be said for the police union. Just trust them.

My man or lady you have quite an agenda and I respect the hustle. Good luck trying to win this nonsense debate

It is pretty impressive. I think the paid shills probably stop working in the evenings - this person is going the extra mile. Maybe some day they'll align with a good cause.

No agenda, and I'm not trying to persuade anyone. I just feel like my view isn't represented and wondering if anyone else agrees. It seems like whenever someone takes this position they're attacked personally ("paid shill," "quite an agenda").

Plenty of us have strong opinions about the way COVID was handled by DCPS. But you're kind of out there with your attacks on teachers. It's a free country, so you're welcome to your own opinions and feelings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I feel the same way. I'm not 100% aligned with the WTU, but close enough to have a healthy tension. I would work collaboratively with them any day. The Mayor on the other hand... she's gotta go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general, this is like hoping the right wing doesn’t gain too much power, or at least has a strong check to it. I’m also of the camp that believes the union is there to serve its members, and if the choice is between its members and the education of children, they.l pick their members. That’s problematic for me.

What can be done? Just don’t vote for anyone endorsed by the union.

I just want to make sure I’m following…you’re comparing teachers to the MAGA party? I’m thinking you are just trying to backdoor your way around the WTU obsessive trashing that Jeff has been responding to, because you aren’t making much sense. I have no idea why you wouldn’t want teachers to have what the WTU is advocating for. Smaller class sizes, safer and cleaner schools, and better pay for quality teachers seems like something you wouldn’t want a check on. Would you mind explaining why these policies trouble you?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I guess same could be said for the police union. Just trust them.

My man or lady you have quite an agenda and I respect the hustle. Good luck trying to win this nonsense debate

It is pretty impressive. I think the paid shills probably stop working in the evenings - this person is going the extra mile. Maybe some day they'll align with a good cause.

No agenda, and I'm not trying to persuade anyone. I just feel like my view isn't represented and wondering if anyone else agrees. It seems like whenever someone takes this position they're attacked personally ("paid shill," "quite an agenda").

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the teachers’ interests are almost perfectly aligned with my kids‘ interest. If all the teachers quit because they are afraid of getting sick, my kid is going to be up a creek. We did have a ton who retired or left. I don’t always agree 100% but the views of teachers are extremely important to me.

I guess same could be said for the police union. Just trust them.

My man or lady you have quite an agenda and I respect the hustle. Good luck trying to win this nonsense debate

It is pretty impressive. I think the paid shills probably stop working in the evenings - this person is going the extra mile. Maybe some day they'll align with a good cause.

No agenda, and I'm not trying to persuade anyone. I just feel like my view isn't represented and wondering if anyone else agrees. It seems like whenever someone takes this position they're attacked personally ("paid shill," "quite an agenda").