I’ve written an
open letter to our school district superintendent as well as our board of
education, which you can find at http://jrussellteacher.blogspot.com
about the effects of my being excessed and my expectation of a pink slip. But,
as those fairly unavoidable conclusions move forward, I am beginning to realize
and fully believe that my outcry is going in the wrong direction.
The San Diego
Education Association is, by its title alone, a union that is designed to
support education. We are in an economic crisis in our country that cannot be
wished away by hiding behind contracts and previous negotiations. I realize
that we, as the teachers in this school district, have done our parts in order
to keep this district afloat, but once again, it’s not enough.
It’s time for
us to not only do what is right for individual members, but to do what is right
for the group as a whole. Maintaining furlough days and extending the wait for
our “fairly negotiated raises” is not a move by the school district to gouge
its employees. It is a move to keep staffing and classroom sizes at reasonable
levels. It is a move that will keep every single one of your card carrying, due
paying union members in a job so they can continue to carry those cards and pay
those dues.
When it was
time for our wages to be cut, how did the union work to mitigate that loss? Did
you decrease the amount of money you take out monthly for our dues? Did you
work to solve the economic problems of the state that are really to blame for
these problems? Or, did you stand back, upon your pedestal, looking down at
those you claim to serve, telling us that we’ve done our part and it’s time for
someone else to do so.
Stop
encouraging others to act and do so yourself. Your union, and at this point I
mean your and not my, represents the second largest school district in the
state of California, something you pointed out to the board when you encouraged
them to take political action. Now it is time to do so yourself. It is time to
serve me as well as the students that I serve.
Please do not
hide behind rhetoric or the status quo. I would like to believe that I’m here
to stay, not because I need a job, but because I love what I do and I’m good at
it.
Thank you for
your time and your service.
-Jeffrey
Russell
Thurgood
Marshall Middle School
English and
Theatre Teacher
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