Although I reside on the South Side of Chicago, I'm a loud, proud member of the Indiana State Teacher's Union. I am not acting in any official capacity, with this diary here, though.
Here in Indiana, our teachers' unions are under a multi-pronged assault from Gov. Mitch "Big Jerk" Daniels and the RepubliCon-controlled House and Senate.
Having already cut $300,000,000.00 from the state's education budget, (that's $300 million if you're not into counting zeros) rather than even consider raising some of Indiana's relatively low taxation rates, Governor Big Jerk, his platitude-spouting, Sancho Panza-like sidekick Superintendent of Education Tony Bennett, and their buddies in the legislature have decided that it's time to do even more damage to the state's education system.
Here's the rundown:
HB 1002 - The Charter Schools Bill
It's simple really. This bill takes roughly $68 million from public schools that are already starving for resources, and re-directs it into charter schools. Only 17% of charter schools, nationwide, have proven to be any better than traditional public schools. Now Indiana has done somewhat better on this than other states.
Guess what though? They are FAR more likely to be non-union shops, and that is just as true here in the Hoosier State as it is elsewhere.
This bill has been improved greatly through the amendment process, but the situation basically remains the same:
Starve public schools of more cash? Check.
Continue to dry up resources for teachers' unions? Check.
SB 496 - School Re-organization
It's a legacy of No Child Left Behind. If a school is doing poorly, simply close it down and replace it completely. This bill is no different. As originally written, schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress under the standards of NCLB (which are totally determined by standardized test scores . . . not graduation rates, not attendance rates, not the average GPA, etc.) could be simply shut down as long as 51% of the parents and vote for it.
Closing schools may seem like it's "doing something." But starting totally from scratch is throwing away the baby with the bathwater. Closing schools and firing principals and/or teachers is hardly an "answer" to our education problems.
Again, through the amendment process, this bill has been improved. Senate Democrats are standing strong and the House Democrats are STILL IN CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS!!! Teachers are now among the 51% who would have to approve of a closure for it to occur. Still a crappy bill that promotes a crappy status quo under which simply closing down schools or converting them to charters is automaticaly considered "Progress," although there is almost no evidence to suggest that this is the case.
HB 1337
This is an attack on collective bargaining rights for Indiana teachers, restricting it ONLY to some wage-related issues.
Collective bargaining does not limit student achievement. It’s a way for teachers and administrators to meet and discuss differences and find solutions to problems together. Through this process they’re able to come to an agreement on the best practices that work for individual schools. Collective bargaining also helps local decision making because not every district has the same issues. Collective bargaining does not prevent a teacher from being removed if he/she is ineffective. It includes a due process procedure in which supporting documents are used to show ineffectiveness and then removal is possible.
"An attack on collective bargaining rights for Indiana teachers, restricting it ONLY to some wage-related issues." Hmm. Sound familiar? It should. Scott Walker in 'Sconny and John Kasich in Ohio worked the exact same angle." It remains to be seen if Democrats will be able to stop this nonsense from taking place in the Hoosier State.
Finally, possibly the worst one:
House Bill 1585.
This bill outlaws automatic payroll deductions for union dues.
This is simply a political ploy to kneecap unions in general. There is no way to sugar coat this clear reality.
Why am I a loud, proud, union, Hoosier Teacher?
Because we are fighting back tooth and nail, collectively to defeat these bogus attacks on teachers and middle class working people, and in some cases, through the amendment processes, and through the House Democrats' willingness to bite the bullet and STAY OUT OF INDIANA, we are achieving real improvements, and meaningful pushback against this crap.
All of this is simply a shiny target of hate to feed the right wing base, aside from big bankers and financiers.
It's not the big bankers, the RepubliCons will tell you . . . it's the union teachers, and nurses, and firefighters, and cops.
Well we're calling bullshit, and fighting back, and while we may lose some battles, we're winning others!