Oooh I bet you are all on the edge of your seat wondering what in the world I am gonna talk about today. Then again, you may care less. Anyhow, unless you don't live in town or under a rock, I'm sure you have heard about the Strongsville, OH Teachers Strike going on right now. I'm just gonna come right out and say that I am not a supporter of the teachers in this case. Really, I am not a supporter of Labor Unions. So unless your job on a day to day basis is life treatening such as law enforcement or firefighting, that sort of thing, there is no need for them. Just so all of you know by definition Labor Unions are an organized associatian of workers, often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. Way back, mid 19th century or so in response to the industrial revolution the labor unions began to form and rightfully so, they needed them then. People including children, were being treated unfairly in the work place, factories etc... because their were no laws to protect them. Over the years Labor Unions got to be too big, too powerful and the reason for them being around became distorted. Now their are laws in place to protect people in the work place so Labor Unions are no longer necessary. Now with the 2008-10 Economic Crisis unions have become an issue and are on the decline in popularity.
Now here's my beef with the whole thing. First off, I still can't figure out how Labor Unions have crept in all these different areas. If someone can answer me that question intellegently, I'd appreciate it. The average teacher salary in Strongsville City is $47,140, not bad at all for being in the suburbs.
| Grade Level | Average | 10th percentile | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-school | $21,447 | $16,209 | $17,601 | $20,050 | $23,618 | $28,409 |
| Kindergarten | $46,547 | $26,775 | $32,422 | $42,038 | $60,748 | $73,035 |
| Elementary | $55,270 | $29,752 | $39,527 | $57,743 | $70,344 | $80,400 |
| Middle school | $52,579 | $33,038 | $39,341 | $51,821 | $64,633 | $77,355 |
| High school | $59,860 | $37,088 | $46,060 | $60,229 | $74,223 | $84,050 |
What's the reason, for teachers to have a union and don't give me the old stand by answer of, "It's for the sake of the children" bologny. That doesn't mean anything. For instance this strike that is going on does not and I repeat, does not have anything to do with the children. It has everything to do with the teachers themselves. One of the reasons is because they do not like the fact that their is a freeze on pay increases...ok, so what! I have worked for a couple companies that put freezes on pay increases, it's just the way it is. Suck it up like the rest of us. Why should you have the option to say, "I don't like that, so I'm not going to work until you give me what I want!" WHAT!? So now you have made a worse situation for the children and for yourselves. You are doing the exact thing that schools are trying to ban and that my friends is Bullying. You are bullying the board into giving you what you want. I believe union officials use the word, negotiating an agreement. Either way, it's bullying.
Continuing on...say my passion is to be a teacher but I do not want to be a part of a union, I don't think that is an option and I would be told that I can either join or they will find someone else. Also there are a lot of poor teachers out there just waiting out the time until they can retire. Unions make it near to impossible for them to be fired for poor performance. How about you don't do your job well repeatedly, you get handed a pink slip and they hire one of the thousands of other qualified teachers willing to take their place. Another thing is they have off 3-4 months out of the year AND still get paid so how can you possibly complain? Don't get me wrong, teaching is tough and I give props to them and those who work in the inner city schools that many times have to pay for the supplies of the classroom out of there own pocket, however, my job is tough too. How about those people who used to sit outside of the Marc's Store in Berea, on lawn chairs with signs telling people not to shop there because they do not support unions? They are there rain or shine for years? How about WORKING! You mean to tell me that those people are being protected under the labor union to do that day in and day out for years? That makes no sense and if you can explain it to me, I would appreciate it because as of right now I have not gotten a good answer. I think it's called, taking advantage of the situation.
So now look what you have created by going on strike. You have put the children in an environment that is crowded and chaotic. Substitute teachers are in charge of 3-4 classrooms full of children. They are not being taught anything. They are going to school to color, play cards, text and socialize. The superintendent actually said that the children were not in any danger and that they should be going to school. Um, really? You think that that environment is a positive one? Then the teachers on the picket line are not even following the laws and it is getting out of hand. Wow, what positive role models.
I have a lot of very intellegent, hard working teacher friends and family out there who love what they do and do it well, some of which will read this and I mean no disrespect to you but I believe you would agree that this perticular situation is out of hand. If I lived in Strongsville, I would start homeschooling like a few of my friends who do live in that city, are. I feel for all those parents who's children are going through this. What a stressful situation your are being put in.
Now onto Guns... Ha, no I won't go into that today. I'll save that for another day.
3/9/2013-
Today is Saturday, almost a week since the teachers strike in Strongsville has been going on. Here are my thoughts on it now. Yeah, I still feel the same way, if not more so. Just because I don't live in Strongsville and my kids do not attend that school system doesn't mean I do not have strong feelings on the situation. I know some might disagree with my feelings and that is perfectly fine with me, I don't expect everyone to share what I believe on everything I post. I love hearing other points of view. I believe that if you put something out there on any social media, you absolutely have to expect to receive other thoughts on the matter. So for those of you afraid to comment or say anything, just know I welcome them all. Of course I think it goes without saying that since I do not curse or disrespect anyone, I will not tolerate it in return. Ok, got that out of the way...
As far as the strike, here are some new lows on the part of the teachers who are picketting and posting on different public social media's: Calling the substitues Scabs and negatively bashing them saying they are out for there jobs and that they are not qualified to be taking there place in the classrooms, so a settlement has to be made so those teachers can get back to work. Are you kidding me???? Those so-called Scabs, as they so indearingly referred to them as, are being asked/hired to do the work that they are refusing to do. It is by no means there fault. They are doing the best they can with the situation they were put into. Obviously they are qualified.
They have caused the city to be less safe both by driving and causing a chaotic situation outside the BOE and the school on Rt 82. Each area that they are picketting in, there are one or more police officers to, keep the peace and a controlled environment. Now, is that a proper use of our law enforcement? I think not!
The children walking or driving by seeing there teacher on the pickett line and watching them display poor conduct, is unacceptable, period! The children don't know whether to wave to them or cry. Then saying that if the BOE would come to an agreement, this would not happen. Um, no! Good for the BOE on not giving in to the ridiculous demands and not allowing themselves to be bullied.
Good for the parents of the community on stepping in to help where ever it's needed, alot of them are. Also, good for those parents who are now responding in protest to the teachers on the pickett line, but sadly that is stooping to their level if they are also picketting.
Believe me, I know not all of the teachers who are on strike necessarly agree with how this is being handled and are in the middle of this whole thing, with there hands tied. That is a sad state of affairs right there.
So again I ask for someone to please give me logical explainations as to why this is being tolerated? In my opinion, those teachers who are doing the bullying and picketting should be given there walking papers and they can pickett themselves right down to the Unempolyment Agency, buh bye.With their being so many people without jobs and barely able to put food on there table, this is a disgrace and those teachers should be ashamed of themselves.
Now I would like to give a shout out to some awesome teachers that have made a huge impact in my childerens lives:
All the teachers and staff at All Saints Lutheran Preschool
Mrs. McNeeley, both Anna and Sophie's kindergarten teacher at Olmsted Early Childhood Center
Mrs. Rivera, Anna's 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Falls - Lenox Primary School
Mrs. Stanszak, Anna's 4th grade teacher at Olmsted Intermediate School
I am certain that they are the reason both my kids love school and have learned so much! For all of that, I am So Very Gratefull!
Good Morning Honey, I agree with you whole heartedly! The ones really hurting are the children. If things don't settle soon, I see summer school in the future for them. Well said Bonnie, Mom
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