Thank You Scott Walker: More $$, More Teachers

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

...Will anyone say, "Thank you, Governor Scott Walker!"

Remember all the shrieking, yelling, whining, squealing, and peeing on the state house floor like animals the Big Union protesters did in Wisconsin over the budget and Governor Walker's now court supported move to rescind collective bargaining priviledges for teachers? Remember all the pretense about it being about the children?

Well, well, well wouldja lookit that...

Cost savings from worker contributions to health care and retirement, taking effect today as part of the new collective bargaining laws, will swing the Kaukauna School District from a $400,000 budget deficit to an estimated $1.5 million surplus.... The district... plans to hire teachers and reduce class size.

Like Wisco law professor Ann Althouse says: Let's stop and think of all the protesters who carried signs asserting that their opposition to Scott Walker was for the children.

www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/124727554.html

Will teachers celebrate with the same enthusiam that they had in attempting to obstruct education in Wisconsin for their own selfish gain?

We heard an obnoxious, bombastic Obama yesterday blather on about how Corporate America, which by the way EARNS their profits vs. schools that TAKE their money from the citizenry, should choose children over corporate jets.

Maybe Obama, who sided against the children of Wisconsin, should choose CHILDREN over political power and his union cronies. Ya think?

More liberal bullhockeypucks simply BLOWN UP by the facts.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

. . o O ("bullhockeypucks?")

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Yes, bullhockeypucks. Creative way of saying "bullshit" without saying "bullshit".

[bean29]

The news is not all positive: Milwaukee Public Schools is forced to do layoffs:

www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/124734058.html

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Thornton announced at a news conference this afternoon that 519 layoff notices would be issued for next school year, including 354 teachers.

Most of the teacher cuts come at the elementary level. The district has about 125 elementary schools. The elementary schools most affected are those that lost funding for a program that reduces class sizes.

The layoffs are the result of a number of budgetary factors, including the loss of $84 million in state aid to MPS for the next fiscal year, Thornton said.

Thornton called on the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association to reconsider the district's request that teachers pay 5.8% of their salaries toward their pensions, which would have reduced the number of layoffs by about 200 teachers.

[reasonfreedom]

Jun 30, 2011 16:03:47 GMT -5 bean29 said:

The news is not all positive: Milwaukee Public Schools is forced to do layoffs:

www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/124734058.html

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Thornton announced at a news conference this afternoon that 519 layoff notices would be issued for next school year, including 354 teachers.

Most of the teacher cuts come at the elementary level. The district has about 125 elementary schools. The elementary schools most affected are those that lost funding for a program that reduces class sizes.

The layoffs are the result of a number of budgetary factors, including the loss of $84 million in state aid to MPS for the next fiscal year, Thornton said.

Thornton called on the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association to reconsider the district's request that teachers pay 5.8% of their salaries toward their pensions, which would have reduced the number of layoffs by about 200 teachers.

This is happening in a lot of states. Milwaukee doesn't even compare to how many lay offs Michigan is going through. The layoff would have happen if the legislation passed or not. The legislation just made it from being a whole lot more layoffs

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Does Milwaukee have more or fewer children now?

[bean29]

Milwaukee does not benefit from the collective bargaining changes b/c the Milwaukee teachers signed a 3 year contract before the changes took effect. They are losing a significant portion of State Funding and are barred from making it up via property tax increases.

Personally I think Milwaukee is so extremely poverty riddled that the majority of their Schools funding should come from the state. The housing/property tax potential in Milwaukee is poor at best.

That said, I was and am in favor of the collective bargaining changes - but all is not perfect. Changes should be considered to cushion the blow.

Not sure if they have less students. The School Choice expansion will negatively impact their budget too. For every student that enrolls in Choice the School District loses $$ somehow in the funding formula. In addition to that, the Choice schools can kick kids out after a short time and keep the $$ the state paid them, but the public school system must take those kids in, even though they do not get $$ to pay for them.

[jkapp]

I believe Milwaukee is losing kids, while the burbs outside of Milwaukee are growing...Milwaukee is one of the most unsafe cities in Wisconsin in regards to crime (even though its safer comparably to other large cities), so I think families are moving outside of the city and commuting in to work.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 30, 2011 16:54:13 GMT -5 jkapp said:

I believe Milwaukee is losing kids, while the burbs outside of Milwaukee are growing...Milwaukee is one of the most unsafe cities in Wisconsin in regards to crime (even though its safer comparably to other large cities), so I think families are moving outside of the city and commuting in to work.

This is what I think. I can't find any supporting documentation- but I seem to recall that this issue was as simple as the money being redirected to where the kids are. I'll keep looking- but I seem to remember that was the REAL upshot.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

This message has been deleted. Duplicate.

[reasonfreedom]

Jun 30, 2011 16:23:54 GMT -5 bean29 said:

Milwaukee does not benefit from the collective bargaining changes b/c the Milwaukee teachers signed a 3 year contract before the changes took effect. They are losing a significant portion of State Funding and are barred from making it up via property tax increases.

Personally I think Milwaukee is so extremely poverty riddled that the majority of their Schools funding should come from the state. The housing/property tax potential in Milwaukee is poor at best.

That said, I was and am in favor of the collective bargaining changes - but all is not perfect. Changes should be considered to cushion the blow.

Not sure if they have less students. The School Choice expansion will negatively impact their budget too. For every student that enrolls in Choice the School District loses $$ somehow in the funding formula. In addition to that, the Choice schools can kick kids out after a short time and keep the $$ the state paid them, but the public school system must take those kids in, even though they do not get $$ to pay for them.

So they should get money from the state which is in debt? Makes sense to me.

[formerexpat]

Thornton called on the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association to reconsider the district's request that teachers pay 5.8% of their salaries toward their pensions, which would have reduced the number of layoffs by about 200 teachers.

Make sure you update us and let us know which option the MTEA chooses.

[Deleted]

You know the unions had ALREADY agreed to pay more for their health care and pensions, don't you...

[Deleted]

Jun 30, 2011 21:59:26 GMT -5 oped said:

You know the unions had ALREADY agreed to pay more for their health care and pensions, don't you...

Well if they agreed why are they still not paying?
Because they decided to rush contracts through before the law took effect enabling them to not pay the increase until contract expires.
Some expire in 2 years, some in 3. MTEA was not the only district that did this. District here has been asked to reopen contracts and have refused. Obviously they are not as agreeable as they would like you to believe.
Thank you Scott Walker!

[cereb]

"More liberal bullhockeypucks simply BLOWN UP by the facts."




I'm thinking...not so much eh?

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 30, 2011 22:56:50 GMT -5 cereb said:

"More liberal bullhockeypucks simply BLOWN UP by the facts."




I'm thinking...not so much eh?

Well, I guess if that's what you think...

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 30, 2011 21:07:47 GMT -5 formerexpat said:

Thornton called on the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association to reconsider the district's request that teachers pay 5.8% of their salaries toward their pensions, which would have reduced the number of layoffs by about 200 teachers.

Make sure you update us and let us know which option the MTEA chooses.

It'll be interesting to see, won't it?

[lakhota]

The “Big Five” Lies in the Walker Budget – in his own words…

bdgrdemocracy.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/the-big-five-lies-in-the-walker-budget-in-his-own-words/

[cereb]

"Well, I guess if that's what you think..."



What I think is that most people who are smart enough are taking the let's wait and see how this washes out approach ...instead of landing on a battleship with a "mission accomplished" banner.


You really should get off the us versus them BS. It's old and boring and it just negates any kind of discussion. Really. Knock it off, it's totally unnecessary.