| Welcome to Livonianeighbors.com. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. To ensure your privacy, never use personal information in your screen name or email address ("janedoe@hotmail.com" or "Billysmom" for example). Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Observer Letter to the editor (sacrifice) | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 6 2009, 07:40 PM (5,005 Views) | |
| LPS Reformer | Aug 6 2009, 07:40 PM Post #1 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
Link Sacrifice should start at top In the last few days, I have spoken with a number of AFSME members working for LPS. These are our bus drivers, custodians. etc. I’ve been told that the negotiating team for AFSME has been given an ultimatum. Either accept the cuts the district wants or their jobs will be privatized. Now, in this economy, everyone will have to make sacrifices. However, at LPS sacrifice starts at the bottom. Our district has 42 employees making more than $100,000. These people alone received more than $120,000 in raises between December 2007 and June 2009. No sacrifices for them. If things are so bad that it’s take the cuts or else, then why are we handing out raises to the highest paid people in the district? Shouldn’t the administrators of the district lead by example and be the first to sacrifice? Wouldn’t that be better than using threats of privatization to make the lowest paid employees pay for the raises of the highest? A listing of the LPS employees, their pay rates and job titles can be found at: http://home.earthlink.net/~kaos77/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/june09salaryfoiawithjobtitles1.xls. Judge for yourself. Loyd A. Romick Livonia (Editor’s note: Superintendent Randy Liepa declined to discuss ongoing negotiations, but stated no one has brought forth a recommendation for privatization.) |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Aug 6 2009, 08:27 PM Post #2 |
|
Deleted User
|
ridiculous |
|
|
| Deleted User | Aug 6 2009, 08:49 PM Post #3 |
|
Deleted User
|
I thought it was ridiculuous that my salary was posted on this website. I know that I am a PUBLIC employee and the taxpayers have the "right" to know; but there is also a line. I see that the link has no made it to the newspaper and I am PI**ED off. Posting personal names to their salaries is insane. Break it down to admin, teachers, and etc. and give an average. I was taught as a child to never ask people how old they were, their weight, or how much they made. I don't ask my colleagues what they make, I don't ask anyone what they make, that is their own business. |
|
|
| LPS Reformer | Aug 6 2009, 08:50 PM Post #4 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
Agreed. Handing out big raises to the highest paid, then asking the lowest paid to pay for them is indeed ridiculous. |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Aug 7 2009, 08:40 AM Post #5 |
|
Deleted User
|
Hangin' in - I 100% agree with you. I think posting this was out of line and ridiculous. LPS Reformer has FOIA'd this information, but I think posting the entire list is unnecessary and not utilized for the intended purpose of acquiring the information.
|
|
|
| Micki | Aug 7 2009, 09:06 AM Post #6 |
|
I love teaching.
|
I think he is using if for his intended purpose. I do feel badly for the people too. It would feel like an invasion of privacy. |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Aug 7 2009, 09:48 AM Post #7 |
|
Deleted User
|
Posting the entire list is not the intended purpose. If so, the posting would have reflected only the information he was interested in acquiring. I think posting it and having a link in the newspaper is wrong. The FIOA is being abused in my opinion. Many people on that list are probably irritated or more (as Hang'in described). Again, I think posting it was ridiculous and self-serving. |
|
|
| Monkfish | Aug 7 2009, 10:02 AM Post #8 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
With all due respect...it's only their "own business" if they're in private business. Public employees salaries...hourly and salaried...high and low...are public information. I assume you knew that going in...but until now haven't had to worry about it because no one ever took the time to investigate. It would have never come to this had the School Board acted in the best interests of the taxpayers and students..and if they hadn't operated in such a clandestine way. jmho |
![]() |
|
| uh-oh | Aug 7 2009, 10:26 AM Post #9 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Exactly Monk. If you don't want your info to be public, then don't work for a public entity. This admin is doing nothing less that what the 'big wigs' in corporate america do and it should be exposed. It's hard to know how they are 'screwing the little guy', unless all the details come out--even if that includes posting salaries. |
![]() |
|
| Doctor_Bojangles | Aug 7 2009, 11:50 AM Post #10 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Amazing! LPS went over the line on this one. |
![]() |
|
| SamG | Aug 7 2009, 12:20 PM Post #11 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I don't know how anyone can really know what is going on with the negotiations unless you are sitting in the room. It is rather irresponsible to send a letter to the editor passing off information as fact when it may or may not be the truth. It was just as irresponsible of the Observer to print the letter. If AFSME was really given that ultimatum, they should be the ones to come out and say it. Not someone who talked to a few members of the organization. |
![]() |
|
| Ms. AK | Aug 7 2009, 03:13 PM Post #12 |
|
Veteran
|
The letters section is merely one's opinion. The O/E should not censor letters, unless the letter breaks the O/E's rules of conduct. Someone's opinion is just that--opinion. To those that object to a letter-writer's comments, do compose your own letter to the editor, pointing out what offends. People do it all the time. It's called open debate. |
|
Krome on Cars | |
![]() |
|
| Momof4 | Aug 7 2009, 04:14 PM Post #13 |
|
Veteran
|
Well said Anna. I have had mixed feelings about posting a link to the salaries of LPS employees. I have friends who are in that category and I can see why "hang-in" would be upset. I also think that there is nothing to be ashamed of if your salary is posted. I think we all agree that the worker bees - teachers, para pros, custodians, etc. - work hard for their salaries. Sadly, the letter has pointed something out. The negotiations may be happening behind closed doors, but in the past few years the administration - who frankly do nothing with the kids unless you count Liepa's lame visit to one school for first day of school ribbon cutting - have NOT taken cuts, and have in fact, got generous raises. These people make very good salaries while the cutting comes from the bottom. Despite the narrow minded thinking of our Liepa loving BOE, these people are replaceable. Many people out there are qualified and could take over their jobs for less money. I know too many people who are out of work b/c they are too over qualified. If someone doesn't want to know what their teacher or principal makes, don't go to the list. It's your choice. Writing the letter was someone's choice and opinion. |
![]() |
|
| LPS Reformer | Aug 7 2009, 07:13 PM Post #14 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
From the FOIA statute: 15.231. Short title; public policy. Sec. 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Freedom of Information Act.” (2) It is the public policy of this state that all persons, except those persons incarcerated in state or local correctional facilities, are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those who represent them as public officials and public employees, consistent with this Act. The people shall be informed so that they may fully participate in the democratic process. Look at the state of school funding in Michigan. Now look at the votes you will be called on to make. If the public does not know how their money is being spent, then how will they be able to make an informed vote? The time for just trusting LPS to do the right thing is long gone. |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| LPS Reformer | Aug 7 2009, 08:10 PM Post #15 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
Here is the attorney general's book on FOIA: MI FOIA BOOK |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Aug 8 2009, 11:09 AM Post #16 |
|
Deleted User
|
I never said that the public didn't have a right to know salaries. You could have easily broken it down into 200 teachers make 74,000 or whatever. It is a jerky thing to do to put a teachers name (who is not even involved in central office decision making) to their salary for the pure sake of making a point. |
|
|
| fhsalumni | Aug 8 2009, 12:09 PM Post #17 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
You don't need the names to make a point, posting them is just a power trip, look what I can do! In fact, breaking down the list, 20 teachers at $74,000 etc makes the point more emphatic and logical. If you go through the hoops to get this info FOIA'd, why not summarize it to make your point? The posting of names connected with salary and building assignment has been debated at length on this site. Yes, we are public employees. Yes, if you want to know what I make, you should FOIA it yourself. I think in posting the whole list, more than just the 6 figure club is being targeted. It is my opinion, possibly shared by others, and according to the constitution of our country, I'm allowed to express it, as LPS Reformer did when he posted my salary. I respect his right, I expect my opinion to be respected as well and not see this thread take on a nasty tone. |
![]() |
|
| LPS Reformer | Aug 8 2009, 12:28 PM Post #18 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
Each individual member of the public does not have the time or inclination of going through the FOIA process with LPS. However, not only is this information a public right, it serves a useful purpase. People should be able to look at who is being paid what. The almost universal response I receive, from those who never thought about school salaries in the first place, is that we pay all of our employees more than they would have thought. When they look at individual Admins, the response is even more emphatic. Now, why not just put them in groups? First, it allows people to see the acuraccy of the data being grouped. Further, it also illistrates how teachers of varying degrees of talent are paid. The merit system does not apply to teacher contracts. It also acts as a check on nepotism, and cronyism, by letting the public use their collective knowledge of an individual, and decide if the position is being filled by someone qualified for the position (Ms. Chomicz comes to mind). The real question is why is it so difficult for the public to see this information in the first place. |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| Micki | Aug 8 2009, 12:37 PM Post #19 |
|
I love teaching.
|
I don't think teacher's get paid enough. I looked at the list and wished that they were paid more. They (we) have such an impact on children daily and spend more time with them during waking hours then their own parents during the school year. The job is priceless. |
![]() |
|
| LPS Reformer | Aug 8 2009, 01:15 PM Post #20 |
|
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
|
And ALL of the public should have easy access to this information so that we can decide how we wish our public officials to do. Information is a prerequisite of democracy. |
|
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
![]() |
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Livonia Neighbors Forum · Next Topic » |








![]](http://z6.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)
