How can you tell when the President of the Teachers Union is distorting the truth?
Easy -- her lips are moving!
As one school committee meeting observer noted, he's pretty sure the only completely truthful statement she makes in front of the cameras is when she gives her address -- but he is even tempted to double-check that!
Another case in point was buried at the end of Emptyprize article this week (Surprise -- the Emptyprize missed yet another opportunity to mix a little news in with their pablum !!).
President-For-Life Carlyle stated that "we will meet whenever the School Committee is ready to meet" yet there is absolutely no follow-up to a school committee member's published comment that they were left sitting at the table when the UNION'S attorney cancelled meetings. Wouldn't a logical question to the President-For-Life be -- "Hey, you say you'll meet anytime -- yet you keep cancelling meetings -- what gives?".
There was also a comment about the union working for a zero increase in FY '11. That's bullshit because the FY '11 contract still isn't settled. It may eventually be settled at a 0% -- but if not, her members will be getting retroactive increase checks as soon as the contract is signed. If they really accepted a 0% for all of FY '11 I can't imagine it would be a secret!! They have never signed a contract with a 0% increase.
Then there was a comment about the School Committee reneging on a "tentative agreement" in December of 2010. Standard procedure is for the members of the School Committee's negotiating team to reach a preliminary agreement with the union (and amongst themselves) and then go back to the full School Committee (plus one Selectmen) for a vote. Because of conflicts of interest, the current negotiating team has only 2 members.
Given those mechanics, the "tentative agreement" story is questionable at best! I would suspect that one of the two Negotiating Team members missed a meeting (which happens to people who have real jobs!) and the other one (who has a name very similar to an Australian jumping varmint) decided to advance a proposal all by herself. I would suspect that once the laughter stopped, it was pointed out that a single member (even one that knew what he/she was doing !) can't reach a "tentative agreement" on anything!
Another opportunity to mix a little "research" into the story would have been to follow-up on President-For-Life's comments on comparative salaries. As much as we enjoy stats from the Mass Teachers Association - the Mass Dept. of Education provides average salary teacher compensation for every district in the Commonwealth (Click Here). Here's some better details of average salaries for FY '10:
| DISTRICT | Average Salary |
| NAUSET | $80,494 |
| BARNSTABLE | $72,234 |
| CAPE COD | $71,421 |
| FALMOUTH | $71,156 |
| MASHPEE | $69,883 |
| SANDWICH | $69,609 |
| STATE AVG | $68,781 |
| CHATHAM | $68,534 |
| UPPER CAPE COD | $67,543 |
| DENNIS YARMOUTH | $67,513 |
| BOURNE | $66,010 |
| BREWSTER | $65,360 |
| HARWICH | $62,322 |
| ORLEANS | $62,159 |
| PROVINCETOWN | $59,187 |
The more this nonsense drags on, the more I agree with Mike Merolla (not something you hear every day!) -- negotiations should be televised. Let the world see what really is going on -- I would bet the whole process could be wrapped up in no time!
I was once criticized by President-For-Life for referring to the "Theatrics of Negotiation" (when some of her members gave my daughter a hard time during the negotiation of the last contract) -- lately it's become a theater of the absurd. It's unfortunate that her antics and rancid rhetoric seem to have have continued to prolong and distort the negotiating process. She seems to have gone out of her way to stick a finger in the proverbial eye of every taxpayer and even members of every other town and school union. She has done nothing except harm to her cause, her members, her employer, and -- worst of all -- our students.
I hope union members can encourage her to get another hobby.
48 comments:
What a surprise -- The Sandwich Enterprise ran another story with no fact-checking, or follow-up questions!
You'd think they would have gotten tired of being used by the Union by now!
Teachers will never stand up to the union president. They can coast along and ignore 9/10ths of the union nonsense that goes on. They simply have to carry signs around once in a blue moon and occasionally stand at a SC mtg holding signs demanding "respect". Eventually, the lemmings will follow Commander Carlysle off the side of a cliff! It simply can't happen soon enough!
It's a damn shame --- most of the teachers are doing a great job, and deserve more money --- but they will never get it as long as her and the SHS teachers run the show.
The Truth Maker would add that at one time a reporter would take notes of any meeting and before writing about it and have an article in the paper, they would ask a few simple questions, especially when it comes to news that affects so many folks. One of the long time problems we here in Sandwich have seen is when a reporter fails to do the follow up work to provide a balanced and honest report. Unfortunitly this can be very easy fix, but no one is taking the effort to make that occur.
The community at large is greatly affected when a reporter decides what is the truth of the issue and replaces it with there own iterpretation in print.
Any one can stand before any committee and make a presentation, with false and inaccurate numbers, but a reporter with the right credencials will print just what they heard, unless they themselves could verify what was just spoken about.
As My Mother would say, there will always be two sides to every story and we need to listen to both sides before making any judgements,that tell only one side of the story.
Now when you factor in the long time friendship some reporters may have with those making the presentation , it soon becomes evident, why in some cases the actual truth is not printed, by the press involved.
It is called placing a spin on the topic that best suits the reporters view at that time, disregarding the facts that were not spoken about and should have found its way into the newspaper for all to make a judgment, as to who is really speaking with a forked tongue.
Those that know how , like the leadership of the present union understand that they can spew out whatever they want and for now, in most cases, it gets printed with out any questions. In this case, both the union and the reporter are using each other. That to me is an undeniable fact, that continues to distort any news of importance, here in Sandwich and elsewhere.
In my opinion no news, printed in any newspaper should make it into the paper, until all information can be verified, all questions answered, and that both sides of an issue have been interviewed to bring about an article that is balanced and forth right
I would like to know how many teachers are members of the union. For that matter I would like to know how many non-teachers are members of the union. Thanks Bob for the statistics on teacher compensation. I looked at the School Budget and was rather shocked at how much salary goes out to non-teachers, yet the Superintendent says he will have to cut teachers to meet the budget constraints. That seems rather absurd, though I know it is the usual political school budget speak. Too bad more parents aren't at least aware of the political nonsense. We all want what is best for the kids of Sandwich but only the Superintendent, the School Committee and the Union can actually get it. I agree with you Bob about the importance of honesty. I hope parents and citizens start looking at all this and demand honesty.
Years ago the teaching profession was made up of individuals motivated by something more than a paycheck, time off and stipends. It seems those days are long past.
Nothing wrong with self-interest and selfishness in and of itself; it motivates many of us.
The problem with the Sandwich Teachers Union is that they pretend to be motivated by and serving that higher nobler calling, when in fact they’re simply pursuing a very personal agenda, very narrow, completely selfish agenda. It’s their hypocrisy that I resent not their agenda.
I understand the prior post --- but I dont think the union represents the views of most teachers. Unfortunately, several have told me that a very vocal minority has intimidated them from speaking out.
I believe that this blog is part of a very vocal minority that intimidates and bullies the truth.
Ever notice that anyone who defends the “majority” of teachers as being “good” or “caring” or “concerned” or “interested in the kids” also has to say “but they’ve remained silent about their Union’s bullying.”
Since when did remaining silent when observing wrongs become ok?
Since when did remaining silent while good peoples’ reputations were smeared become ok?
Since when did teaching stop being about role modeling good, right and decent behavior?
A silent majority isn’t worth anything to anyone ever.
I can’t defend or abide or respect anyone who sees wrong and fails to speak or act or protest. There is nothing about the “majority” of Sandwich teachers that I would praise. Those that do defend them defend the unconscionable. It’s that serious.
The Truth Maker would say to Concerned parent, the factual account of the Union leaders here in Sandwich have and will remain intimidating to those that really care about our children here in Sandwich. That is untill, the membership vote in new leaders.
If a small group of Union leaders can express the concerns, as it represents the whole body of its members then the problems will never go away or will get resolved.
One simple way would be for those really concerned on how the educational message is being projected would be for them to not sign up as a union member, that is one option avaialable to them.
That would reduce the cash flow and limit what they can spend in promoting there spin on the issues at hand.
Yes the time was over 10 years ago when a change was needed, but the window of opportunity has now decreased as more and more teachers and families are at wits end, as to where this will all take our school district in educating the children of our town.
We all survive this world on terms we can accept as our values. It is not for me to judge others motives. It is more difficult not to judge peoples actions. That said we are all hypocritical at times. We are all enablers at times. Those teachers that keep quiet to protect their jobs or their emotional well being have a right to do that. What we see in this situation is the same outcome in so many social/organizational issues. We see that enabling wrong makes it almost impossible for success and progress to be sustained. There are others in local government organizations besides teachers that do the same thing. Sandwich is like I would imagine many other towns in this respect. Government is the main industry here. We need managers, unions, and leaders to hold the line and protect the citizens and the taxpayer from an imbalance of power. And we need better policy in our schools and all our town organizations to protect our kids and citizens from abuse of power.
"And we need better policy in our schools ... to protect our kids and citizens from abuse of power."
Anon 9:45, I'll bite... would you be more specific, please? What policy/ies do we need in our schools to protect kids and citizens from abuse of power?
I'm betting 9:45 is hoping somebody will actually enforce restrictions against union activities on School time --- and to prohibit the teachers union from using kids as bargaining chips.
2/21/12 7:20 AM Excellent statement. The SEA leader Carlisle played the same games with our negotiation team and that went 15 months, mediation, along with picketing, targeting our children and accusing us of not meeting with them. LIE Emerson and SEA lawyer made a ton of money on all the delays too. She deliberately fed the teachers b.s. thruout the process as well, or kept them in the dark at times too.
By the end of it, Ms. Laura actions and bad faith thruout the process made me sick.
The teachers said they were afraid back then and also when the witch hunt for Dr. J. was going on.
Teachers failed to do anything so now they have to live with their inactions.
I've done this process before with our union: 1. It's simple you call a union rep down for a day say you want to have an election for president. 2. nominate someone and everyone has a secret ballot.
3. Thus no retaliation.
By not changing their leader for so many years and allowing their leaders actions to continue is just a sign they condone the leaders actions.
Especially after how Dr. Johnson was treated. That would have been the time to change your president teachers.
Stop hiding behind retaliation and do something otherwise don't complain about your school system.
Mike Merolla's idea of televising all negotiations is brillant and will truly show who doesn't bargain in good faith, but in lying.
The United States Supreme Court is currently hearing a case about a man who claimed Military Honors that he never received. This man, Xavier Alvarez, says his false military honors claims are freedom of speech even though a Federal Law called the Stolen Valor exists. Soooooo, if the Supreme Court finds lying is freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment 'ol Laura can say anything she wants. Moving lips will become a way of life
Policy that needs attention:
-Teacher conduct
-Bully behavior adult staff to kids
-student and parent rights during a discipline issue
-student privacy: Facebook monitoring
-parity for discipline action: If it is known in the student population that one student is getting away with a code violation, there needs to be a safe place for students or parents to go and bring this to administration attention
-A fair and non intimidating appeal process for justice dished out through the revolving doors of our Assistant Principals at the HS and in our elementary schools
-how teachers talk to parents or guardians
-communication policy for teachers in response to parents questions and concerns
-policy relating to some kind of budget ceiling for variety of sports as that fact grows more and more to effects budgets
-healthier policy about student dances so the word is not out in the community that sex is actually happening on the dance floor
-employee policy on the school side like the town side to protect employees, proper employe evaluations
-policy about the amount of fundraising going out in the community from the schools
-fundraising on school property during school time for non-profits
-policy about how much teachers can ask parents to kick in, in the way of yearly supplies or as the year goes along.
Policy about what school teachers and staff actually accomplish on the tax payer's dime during professional development days and all those other 1/2 days that out number most other towns
Clear policy and understanding relative to the community school's cost in High School building
-policy about no videos of DVD's subbing for teaching
-policy about amount of non-teaching time consumed through other activities.
Ok, that's a start for the schools. Feel free to add on.
On the town side
-customer service training policy, how anyone on the tax payers dime talks to taxpayers, answers questions etc.
-no power plays on the part of safety professionals, after all, we all want to feel safe in our town.
-policy limiting the ability of anyone to walk into town offices without appointments and take staff time and deter staff agendas
-policy for employees concerning comments they make to press
-policy for employees and what they are obligated to do at the request of taxpayers without going through a rational chain of command so the staff can better manage their time (since we are so short staffed)
-policy for all staff to put in some kind of regular office hours so people can get a hold of them
-policy for DPW staff or any staff to be well trained in a new programs so they have complete understanding when the public has questions.
-clear policy and guidelines where any program is concerned
-clear and consistent policy about all actions that involve citizens going through committees to achieve something
-policy about how citizen volunteers can be removed from committees
-better policy about upkeep of our beach and rec. areas during the season
That's a start for the town. Feel free to add on.
The Truth Maker would ask the host of this world famous blog, if he can get the wood dummy to grow a longer nose every time the School Union leaders open there mouths?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( an non-partisan goverment agency), the average teacher's compensation (including benefits) per hour worked is twice that of all other private sector employees.
However, I actually think the salary is commensurate with the job. The problem is that the system is not merit based. The good teachers could actually make more money if they did not have the shackles of the union and could negotiate individually.
"The system is not merit based"...excellent point. The nation is struggling with this problem. If our best teachers get fired because they have not been in a districts system long enough and there is no good policy within the district to address merit based evaluations, it looks like Sandwich. We need a system that insures the best teachers and staff are retained. A system that adheres to "last in first " is a disgrace and does not serve educational goals. So don't pretend that educational goals are guiding this district until a merit based system is explored. Students First, google it.
NICE JOB SC TOWN 3%;SCHOOLS 1%.SO MUCH FOR THE NEW SC MEMBERS AND THE LONG TERM MEMBERS FIGHTING FOR THE SCHOOLS.JUST A SIDE NOTE NICE JOB SELECTMEN TO HAVE A SCHOOL BUDGET DISCUSSION WHEN THE SUPER WAS ON VACATION.NICE JOB SHAUN HAVING ALL THE SC MEMBERS SHOW UP AT THE SELECTMENS MEETING.GEE WONDER WHY KIDS ARE LEAVING.THE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE ANY SUPPORT FROM THE SC. ATLEAST THE PREVIOUS LONG TERM MEMBERS FOUGHT FOR OUR SCHOOLS
She's baaaack .... and as illiterate as ever ...
I thought the Caps Queen had been banned?
The "former long-term members" of the SC never successfully fought for anything! They let the union walk all over them and left taxpayers with a bloated payroll that consumes most of the school budget.
The chaos they caused also helped destroy the public's confidence in the system which is certainly not helping both the mass exodus AND the public indifference to the latest budget "crisis".
The Budget needs to get done -- regardless of when the Supt chooses to take vaca. You can't blame the BOS for that!
So ... are going to take out papers again?
The Truth Maker would ask how many votes does it take to give out another $400,000 that just was declared as reformulated cash?? Where do you think this money tree came from,In the present budget?
Once again a good job of looking like we all care about the taxpayers interest in this budget.
Both sides have pulled a little wool over some ones eyes.
TM, Don't see your point. Those are not additional tax dollars voted at the BOS meeting to go into proposed budget.
All Caps, The Superintendent was at last weeks BOS meeting to talk about his budget.
A tri-board meeting was held in early December to discuss budget guidelines and Pierce moved the budget guidelines based on the Town Manager's projected budget numbers. The schools were told at that meeting over and over that the guidelines did not mean figures set in stone by two BOS members.
Down the line, the schools came in with a request for more money after the SC did it's budget. The BOS chair was up in arms.
The Super tried to make his case last week but went way off track unfortunately.
The SC chair made excellent comments during the public forum portion of Thursday's BOS meeting. Everyone knew it was vacation, there was no anti-school plan. That is why the Super. had been invited to the BOS meeting the week before.
The budget voting discussion by the Selectman Thursday, which included three motions was the craziest I have ever seen. Now, It is what it is and it isn't over. If people think the budget needs to change they need to get to public forum, they need to get to Fin Com, they need to contact Fin Com members and Selectman, they need to write respectful letters in the papers, they need to post respectfully on the blogs, they need to organize and maybe get a citizens petition going. There are ways to take action. And yes the SC can still advocate for better budget numbers for the schools.
The CCTimes has it all figured out about the Sandwich Schools. Read today's editorial. According to them it is simple, the town needs to show we appreciate our teachers. Parents should do this and should do that. I have never seen so many should's in my life outside fundamentalism. Years ago I happened upon a lecture about the most useless word in the english language...should. It doesn't express an action, it expresses judgement and a guilt trip. I must admit that has stuck with me ever since and frankly life experience has proven to me that is a fair point about the word should and what's behind it. Once again the CCTimes does a number on Sandwich.
The Truth Maker would respond by stating that the budget had been decided upon, as to who would receive what, long before any tri board meeting was ever planned.
The $400,000 being talked about is possibly the result of the savings realized by the Town in the Transfer stations operations. The savings from the reduction of Tipping fees, the increase profit from the sale of metal, Inaccurate cost projections, all from the Towns side of the ledger. Instead of this savings going into the new formulated account for the Transfer station, as a starting balance for the new fisical year, It was headed for free cash,Free cash to be distributed with a 70% to the schools and 30% to the town. However, it has been reformulted into another back door overide for the taxpayers to pay.
The $400,000 will buy onetime benifits adding more structual deficit to next years budget.
So much about the recent rant by the Chair of the Board Of Selectmen during this budget process, makes one wonder what is the actual truth and underlining reasons for such behavor at a public meeting?
The sentimental nonsense contained in some of these posts is unbelievable! Talk about revisionist history!
The recent dysfunction in our schools was and is the direct result of a small, brave group challenging a community culture and school governance system that abhors accountability and treasures the status quo. Otherwise:
Wouldn’t we know how much it costs to operate the pool and wouldn’t that cost appear somewhere in the School budget as its own line item?
Wouldn’t we know how much it costs to subsidize the entire Community School and wouldn’t that cost appear somewhere in the School budget as its own line item?
Wouldn’t we know how much it has been set aside for the settlement costs associated with the ongoing teacher contract negotiations and wouldn’t that cost appear somewhere in the School budget as its own line item?
Wouldn’t anyone on the current School Committee have challenged the gross inflation of energy expenses in the proposed School budget before the Selectmen pointed it out?
Our schools are a mess because the folks running the schools don’t like transparency, accountability or performance measures and benchmarks. That everyone in our government has ignored 3 years of independent audit reports highlighting the financial shenanigans taking place in our schools says it all.
Ours is a school system and government system that strives for mediocrity: from our schools, our school leaders, our politicians and our town employees; and, at this ignoble goal we succeed.
And this is why hundreds of parents and students have fled the school system. And, its why the only thing slowing the stampede is the charter schools lottery limits and the cost of John Paul. This is, pure and simple, a flight to quality and an escape from the nonsense that is Sandwich town politics. There’s no curing what ails this school system. This school system functions exactly as designed and run.
Once again our Pulitzer none winning CC Times pulls another balancing act with its OPed piece today concerning the teachers contract. Look carefully at the letters section and amazingly, there is Richards Augstine's letter essentially laying out the salary facts for teachers, much like Bob has done for us here. Stir the pot...thats all its about. Once before I said that the teachers should have a contract. I failed to better express my feeling that 'THEY' may not like what they get however they do deserve a contact in accordance with their union affiliation. Where the CC Times failed today was to take their analysis to the realistic end. Demand that the President of the Teachers Union resign FOR THE GOOD OF THE KIDS AND HER TEACHERS. The minute she is gone, you will see a contract that neither side will live with.
I don't know TM.... I think the Transfer Station/DPW is doing quite well. The entrance to the dump has a new fence covering a fence painted the same blue and white colors to match the sign on Rt. 130 complete with the gold balls. How do you like them apples?
"I think the Transfer Station/DPW is doing quite well. The entrance to the dump has a new fence covering a fence painted the same blue and white colors to match the sign on Rt. 130 complete with the gold balls."
Speaking of Giant Balls ....
Why are we spending money for a Town Tree Crew and Police detail to spend several days over the past few weeks manicuring the trees along both sides of Route 130? Much of this work was even on the opposite side of the street from the power lines. Even then, maintaining power lines would seem to be an NSTAR expense -- not a Sandwich expense.
Other than keeping a DPW crew busy, increasing police overtime, and possibly providing somebody with some nice firewood, what was the purpose of this boondoggle?
If "Pay as you throw" was implemented to reduce DPW costs, THIS is what we are using the savings for?
And speaking of Rte 130 -- what's the purpose of the stupid split rail fence that the Town put up on part of the road several years ago -- other than to provide more work for the Town crews that built and now maintain it.
I don't know how the Town can keep claiming poverty and then do stupid projects like these.
Excellent Points David.
TM, I respectfully disagree with your evaluation of the financial decisions made through the budget process. I think your analysis is off. Maybe it is a bit reactionary. You are "all over the place." The $400,000 showed up because of better and more current dollar projection numbers. I really don't think it has anything to do with the transfer station. The vote was about where our dollar resources should go in this budget.
I think it would be helpful to start a new post for "stupid DPW projects."
I'll bet that blog would generate some choice comments.
The Truth Maker would respond that one should not confuse The cost of the transfer station and the cost for clearing dead trees. Those operational cost come out of two different line item accounts for the DPW. Once the Transfer station is officially placed into an enterprise account all of the money generated by the transfer operation will remain in that account and cannot be used by any other line item under the DPW.
It will remain a rovolving account where income money will pay for only salaries for those working at the transfer station and all equipment being used by this operation.
Now, as to the commom use of the word by the school, when it comes to being transparent by the present superindendant, in regards to D. Sargants remarks one can see that every thing he has posted in the matter of the POOL, community school and the teachers contract has a great deal of merit.
The present school budget does not have one word of mention in regards to the above subject matter, Yet every one knows that money is present in this proposed budget for all three purposes. So how can the leadership of the district continue to say that the budget is transparent , when obviously it is not.
What is obvious however, is the spin on putting another program idea before the district, at the expence of removing another that we have place a great deal of time and money to get implimented.
Let along a great deal of anomosity in the Sandwich community in implimenting the present program being removed.
What has happened to the study in regards to the operation of the pool and community school and why does that continue to be a dark secret?
Stupid projects? You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait untill this Thursday nights' Selectmans meeting. It will be one for the ages.
The Truth Maker would respond to annoy 8.32 in regards to the $400,000 additional expendures,now considered for the town and school.Where it came from really does not matter, what matters is how it is being used. Most likely this money would have gone into Stabiliztion.
Now it will be spent on employing more personal for both the school and town. Understanding that will undoubtly cause more structual deficits in next years budget.
process.
Also by spending the money in this way, instead of deducting that amount from the overall tax rate for the taxpayers,It amounts to a back door overide, for the taxpayers of Sandwich.
And will not be sustainable next year????
If the new Recycling , enterprise account starts off with $400,000 for the transfer station then I would agree that the savings so far has come from some other means,
So to be clear If you presented the budget like you did at the tri board meeting and indicated that the numbers were all that was available, why is it now you have found another $400,000 that will not have any affect on the taxpayers going down the road, because it will, from where I am sitting>
How many times have you stated that onetime money should not be used to place people on the payroll, to increase the structual deficit, which from where I am looking, it will. I await your responce
TM, You reference to a back door override is not accurate, though I understand its political implications. The triboard was more about political theatre I think, though I would hope well intended. The decisions about what the guidelines would be to school and municipal was decided in advance at a meeting that did not include Canfield I'm told. Pierce's motion was part of a rational process if you want to look at it in a positive light. Guidelines at that meeting were based on dollar amount numbers that changed. Bud was clear, as were others that those numbers might change.
Putting tax money to work for the taxpayers is not a bad thing. I think that is what the BOS vote Thursday reflected. No one has supernatural knowledge about the future. It is responsible to put tax dollars to work for the people who pay them, in my humble opinion. I was impressed that this BOS actually did that.
The town does need to build budgets that are sustainable, but given the fact the future can't be read, that is a pragmatic decision, or at least it should be. Clearly what we have been doing for the past couple of decades is not working.
Time to stop wasting time on political non-speak and solve the problems Sandwich faces.
SC is reporting a 22% response rate to their survey -- hmmm, that sounds like a very high response rate. What are the chances? I'm sure they have a solid security system in place so that all responses are valid. It brings to mind the SEA survey results a few years back. That was a boondoggle, but surely, we've learned our lesson from good surveys gone bad in the past, right?
The new supt is naive if he doesn't think his survey was bombed by the union and other special interests. Given the apathy I've seen, I can't realistically imagine getting 22% of anybody to do anything.
He would have been better off addressing it to those who have pulled their kids out of the District -- they're the ones paying attention.
A survey? Really?
Limited class offerings that continue to shrink. Almost constant employee job “actions.” The revolving door that is the Superintendent’s office. New curriculum and teaching methods every 3 years like clockwork without proof that any work. And, a budget that hasn’t grown in more than 5 years. Plus alternative schools that have real records of success.
Does anyone really need a survey to understand why folks who can are leaving the schools in droves?
Bumper sticker ides - Sandwich: Life’s Better With Your Head In The Sand.
Weeeellllll, 2/26/12 10:42 was spot on. Not one public safety complex but two. To blurr, not hide, the costs there were multiple screens with assesments per household. So, a menu of costs is a the new way to explain one, two or three cups a coffee a day. I kept hearing the word "value".....but I have questions. Much like the Town Hall renovation, historical significance aside, is there any better service provided buy the town out of that building? Does the town provide more service or services from that building? Have efficiencies been realized? (that means lower taxes which have gone up) I dare say the answer is no. Ask these same questions about a new Public Safety Complex. This is not a knock on town employees. They do what they are told. Value? Really?
I am looking for a little background from those readers who have been in Sandwich longer than I. Dunham talked about the great growth that Sandwich experienced in the last decade. If this is the case, why is the focus on shutting one of the schools. I have a hard time understanding how a long term plan for the schools includes moving 400 students to the already crowded Oakrigde and Forestdale. At the same time, the town is looking at adding two new housing developments that will bring more families to the area. Can someone give me some background? Has the town grown that much over the last decade? How does this fit with the future plans for the town? Thanks!
No Option 9........DOH!
11:14, Call a selectman. See if they can explain their actions, or lack thereof.
The Truth Maker would add that if you watch the meeting , see how many times the Chair brings up questions that have allready been answered in the informational study book supplied by the committee?
Once again, he is attempting to use his power to change a committee study that we just spent taxpayers dollars on. Understanding that taxpayers money was used for this study and that most of the same recommendations have been also made in previous studies it would be helpful that he address the issues in a forthright manner, rather then attempt to impose his will over a well thought out study. This study once again supports other tax payers studies as well, as to where the main building should be placed and that is on the corner of Cotuit and Quaker.
This will be the most central place where the projected majority of citizens will be living in the future of Sandwich.
Do not hold your breath attempting to get answers from him, as I have been waiting to get answer's
on several questions I asked for well over 4 months now in regards to the Sandwich Economic Initiative Corporation at public forum, during the Selectmens meeting. Then again if the questions are to his advantage you may get them answered? Who knows?
I think there is a relationship between what looked like another attempt to ding parents with huge school fee increases at last night's meeting and the union image, shall we say. The union sits by and lets political moves be imposed upon parents year after year and do they ever speak up? Not that I recall.
Once again at last night's School Committee meeting transportation fees, parking fees, and increased sports fees came up. Maybe Dr. Canfield hasn't noticed that there is no parent group active in advocating for the schools. Does he really think parents outrage will result in an increase from the town in school funding? Please could we get rid of these political footballs once and for all. Bob Catalini is on the right track. Let me ask a simple question of the School Committee. Do you think adding fees will keep students in Sandwich schools? Will it send a positive message to the rest of the Cape about coming to Sandwich Schools?
Where fees are concerned, I am reminded of the BOS too and the members who won't support a local option task because it is a tax increase, but will support fee after fee to citizens and increases in existing fees.
after watching the SC mtg. I think the committee is cought between a rock and a hard place. I agree that FTE's should be left alone, that would only decrease programs etc. which I don't think the system can afford right now. The schools do need to be competitive with the other institutions out there. As far as the fees go, it was inevitable, especially since the town won't give the schools the 318,000 they need to keep from doing so. My sore spot with the BOS is they requested the SC keep with the town on COLA issues, i.e. 0-0-3%.Their contracts with the town employees are done, the schools are not, yet they gave them NOTHING to assist with the COLA, especially when they knew $489,000 is gone for teachers salaries from this years grant. So now the schools need to replace that money and find more for contract negotiations. The town got their 3% and I'm sure the district is looking for theirs now.The BOS is tying their hands. As far as parents sending their kids to other schools because of the fees, We the tax payers are paying those fees already, they are added into the tuition cost that we pay in full. 1.8 million in state assessments???!!! We need to keep that money in our own town, so I say give the schools what they need, improve what we can to keep OUR students here and eventually decrease that assessment number.
8:55, You're missing an important point -- the teachers union still HAS NOT taken a 0-0-3.
Depending on what deal finally gets cut with the teachers the School can still be on the hook for retroactive pay for FY 11 & 12.
If the Schools are given money now BEFORE any contract 1s settled -- what's to stop them from handing it to the spoiled brat leadership of the teachers union?
If the teachers union really wanted to help the schools -- they would have replaced their "leadership" and stopped the nonsense months ago.
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