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Union First, Teacher 2nd
Topic Started: Jun 22 2011, 07:29 PM (558 Views)
LPS Reformer
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
June 22, 2011
10:30 a.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steve Gunn, communications director
(231) 733-4202 or (231) 903-5585
sgunn@edactiongroup.org


Eastern Michigan faculty members are more interested in unions than students

They will refuse to help struggling youngsters in Detroit's worst schools

MUSKEGON - We were stunned and disappointed to learn that faculty members from Eastern Michigan University will refuse to assist students in the new Education Achievement System, a statewide school district designed primarily to help troubled Detroit schools better serve their students.

Why is the EMU faculty balking at the idea of helping Detroit's struggling students? Because the new school district will be run by Roy Roberts, the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools. Under state law, Roberts has the legal right to void union contracts to help Detroit schools, including those in the Education Achievement System, survive financially.

That's apparently too much for the EMU faculty union, which announced that its members won't teach in any situation where "union busting" is a possibility.

"We won't have our membership involved in breaking union contracts," Howard Bunis, treasurer of the EMU faculty union, told the Detroit Free Press.

That means EMU faculty members are more interested in preserving union contracts than helping disadvantaged children learn. That means EMU faculty members have no business describing themselves as educators. They are union activists - nothing more.

From what we can tell, there is little chance of Roberts voiding any union contracts in the Detroit school system any time soon. But the fact that he has that power is important. Far too many public schools spend between 75 and 85 percent of their budgets on labor costs, most of which are tied to union contracts. Sometimes that means there isn't enough money left over for student needs.

By giving Roberts the power to void labor contracts, the state is saying that the needs of students will always come before the needs of adults. If labor costs have to be trimmed to produce more revenue for students, and unions won't voluntarily make concessions, Roberts is ready to act on behalf of students.

Remember, public education exists to serve children. What could possibly be wrong with the state and local officials standing ready to defend the interests of students?

We've seen what happens in status quo Detroit schools, where labor needs have always been first priority. Kids drop out at record rates, and those who graduate are grossly unprepared for college or the work world.

Perhaps they will do better in schools that are more focused on reading and writing than salary increases for teachers.

"Detroit's public schools will never improve until we decide, once and for all, that schools exist for students, not the adults who staff them," said Kyle Olson, CEO of Education Action Group. "It's quite clear that the faculty members of Eastern Michigan University care more about serving the labor movement than serving children. That's just sickening. How about having some solidarity with the students?"
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
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Sage
anonymous
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With all due respect, how can union members be expected to invite an EFM to liquidate contracts already promised? A promise is a promise. A contract is a contract.

There's no guarantee that this plan will help students and to expect union members to go against union members would be difficult for any person.

There's got to be another way to help Detroit schools than to dissolve union contracts.
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DADDYOH10
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Sage
Jun 22 2011, 08:49 PM
With all due respect, how can union members be expected to invite an EFM to liquidate contracts already promised? A promise is a promise. A contract is a contract.

There's no guarantee that this plan will help students and to expect union members to go against union members would be difficult for any person.

There's got to be another way to help Detroit schools than to dissolve union contracts.
WHY IS IT JUST DETROIT? I THOUGHT THAT I HAD HEARD THAT ONLY 15% OF ALL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WERE ILL PREPARED FOR COLLEGE. HECK, CURSIVE IS NOW HOME TAUGHT! OR NOT! MY EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD HAD TO HAVE ME READ HIM A NOTE ON A GIFT CARD, WRITTEN, NOT PRINTED, FROM HIS AUNT. IS THIS REALLY A SKILL THAT IS NO LONGER NEEDED? MAYBE I AM LOST IN THIS WILDERNESS?? AND YES, UNION VS. UNION WOULD BE LIKE "SPY VS. SPY" (FOR THE ONES WHO REMEMBER "MAD MAGAZINE'S" ONGOING CARTOON.
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Otis B.
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Union first, teacher second, student....somewhere underneath janitor and cafeteria worker.
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LPS Reformer
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
Sage
Jun 22 2011, 08:49 PM
and to expect union members to go against union members would be difficult for any person.
More difficult than helping the kids?

I thought it was "all about the kids".

“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
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n73pm
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I'm all for privatizing schools ...PERIOD! Will never support public schools.NEVER. :)

Not many things that are run by the government are successful. :P
I support Global Warming cuz nothing grows in ice!
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