Monday, June 4, 2012

What Act 10 Has Cost Us All - Our Public Education!

We covered Act 10 recently here, and also set up a facebook page for people to share their experiences! While many of the stories were touching and telling one stood out to me. I was given permission to share it here.
Governor Walker's attack on public employees was the deciding factor for me to end my graduate school pursuits. Our family simply couldn't afford to have me drive to Milwaukee from Green Bay to attend anymore, while simultaneously paying for child care. My wife's wages were severely cut due to bedrest in the hospital last year and maternity leave, but it was Governor Walker's cuts that drove our salaries down to almost qualify for food stamps and to qualify for WIC benefits. Actually, we likely qualify for food stamps this summer, as our wages always decrease in the summer and Governor Walker's cuts have pushed them even lower.

As for my wife, a teacher, that has been demonized as a 'bad teacher' and a 'parasite' throughout the year, she's been looking for work elsewhere. She teaches in De Pere at a great school, as everyone in northeast Wisconsin is aware. There were 1,250 applicants for her position when she was hired seven years ago. A couple weeks ago, she had three interviews in five days (one over the phone and two via Skype) with wealthy school districts in the suburbs of the Twin Cities.

Because these districts are wealthy, they are able to better anticipate future hiring needs and have the resources to begin the applicant search earlier than most districts, according to one of the principals that interviewed her. By searching for teachers early, these districts work to snatch-up the best applicants. All three districts offered her positions and gave her the choice of selecting whatever grade level she desired.

One of the principals called her five times and called her principal twice trying to get in contact with my wife last to offer her the job. We thought she would surely take a significant pay cut, because we've heard most schools don't honor prior experience when determining salaries. Plus, Minnesota leads the country in primary/secondary education and these are highly desirable districts to work in. Instead, she received a pay raise over the salary Governor Walker cut in the first place.

So, the accusation that only 'bad teachers' and 'parasites' are going to leave the Wisconsin teaching field are false. We love Wisconsin. We came here because of the quality of education here. My wife and I both earned our bachelor's and master's degrees in Wisconsin schools. We looked forward to sending our kids to Wisconsin schools. This isn't the case anymore.

A wise professor told me when I was considering graduate school, that I should go, because education is one thing no one can take from me. He was right; now my wife and I will take our education and experience with us. If we reversed Governor Walker's policies today, it would take at least a decade to get the education system to resemble its former self.

You can't get retired teachers and professors back. You can't get experienced professors back that took better jobs elsewhere. You can't get experienced teachers back that took better jobs elsewhere. You have to start over with new hires and work to hold on to the remaining wonderful educators and develop their talents. Still, the strain put on the experienced educators that remain in Wisconsin is severe.

The fallout at UW-Green Bay is extraordinary. I've been hired as a full-time adjunct professor for the next year in order to fill holes left by numerous professors. UWGB is hiring grad students to drive from Madison/Milwaukee to fill other teaching holes. Students aren't going to receive the high quality education I received as a student, yet they're paying even more than I had to. We're leaving Wisconsin for a variety of reasons, but the deciding factor is Governor Walker and his policies. If you're not aware of the effects his polices are having on schools and universities, please visit one of them and talk to teachers, professors, and administrators.

BS - Green Bay.

Act 10 has cost the state of WI $1 billion but in reality it has cost our great state so much more!

We have had a civil war, public workers who have worked so hard for us have been demonized, we have lost valuable experience in teachers and other professions that we will never be able to replace, local businesses are hurting because the middle class does not have the money to spend supporting them, $1 billion less of taxable income has come into the state, and much much more etc...

It is nationally recognized that for the sake of public education here and elsewhere, Scott Walker must be defeated. Please Vote Tom Barrett on June 5th.

One last story to take back to your community. Act 10 basically ended teachers unions in Wisconsin. Scott Walker pretends to be for Education reform< but wants to make sure teachers do not have a seat at the table. To be perfectly clear Scott Walker wants to "reform education" but he has no interest in hearing from or working with the teachers who are in the classrooms, with our children all day long.

To make matters worse, do you know who he has put in charge and listens to regarding education reform???

Disgraced lobbyist and convicted felon Scott Jensen and Rich in Retail! Instead of your degreed teacher who has dedicated their lives to education, being the ones who set Wisconsin education policy in the Govenor Walker administration it is now a twentysomething political hack from Delaware named Michael Brickman.
Wisconsin CAN and MUST do better!!

20 comments:

  1. Accually It is more like 2.1 Billion lost in State wide spending

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  2. What a bunch of manure most of that De Pere letter was. he whined "My wife's wages were severely cut due to bedrest in the hospital last year and maternity leave" what does this have to do with Walker? His wife was unable to work, because she was pregnant then she had a baby and took maternity leave, that was her choice. How was that walkers fault? The rest of his letter is just as pathetic.

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    1. You sir...are an ignorant ass!!! I hope Walker comes after you next.

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    2. You seem to have read the letter through the filter of what you already want to believe. While he included the factor of his wife's pregnancy/leave, he pointed out that it was the Walker pay cuts that drove them to the poverty line. "Pathetic" is an easy word to throw around when you don't have an intelligent analysis.

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  3. What is great about Wisconsin, it's next to the great state of Minnesota.


    The Twin Cities of Minnesota have supplied much wealth to the western central parts of Wisconsin.

    From Wisconsin workers being able to drive over the border for higher "cities wages," to the upper classes of the Twin Cities being able to come out and buy up relatively cheap land for their secondary/ weekend homes.

    St. Croix county didn't become the fastest growing county in the last 10 years because of anything from Madison. Wisconsin has the cheap land, and the cheap labor force.

    I'm happy that the family that shared their experiences have found a potential for a much better existence.


    It is too bad that our Republican elite don't consider people assets when they are counting their beans.
    (even Walmart knows, "our people make the difference.")

    Minnesota is winning big in this way.

    Just think, with the UW reciprocity discount, how many very middle class families are able to send their kids to a Wisconsin school for peanuts, and then make it all a tax write-off on top of it?

    Wisconsin taxpayers getting a return on that investment? Maybe not...

    Or even the Wisconsin kids who go and work over in the Twin Cities after getting out of school.

    Or here with our neighbors from the northeast in the letter have shared, it's not a good neighborhood anymore for them.

    If I had the opportunity and was in their place, I would be doing the very same thing.


    WIS Against the Fist, with all due respect, you obviously do not have children. I am sorry that your personal over-consumption of freedom hit a road bump today. I hope your tires don't lose their shine, because it is all about you.

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  4. Um Fistie, If you actually read and comprehend, nowhere is Walker blamed for the wifes income cuts due to health problems. The wifes wages were cut by Walker, then health issues caused the wages to fall even further. The only thing that is pathetic here is your obviously less than par comprehension skills. No doubt giving you a false sense of a "genius among men". Go ahead, go scurry to TMJ. They need gullible rubes like you to keep them #1.

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  5. Oh yes, Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan will have their pick of the best Wisconsin teachers this summer. Each of these states already pays teachers more than Wisconsin does even before Walker's cuts. Iowa not so much.

    I grew up in a small school district that could only afford to hire teachers straight out of college who moved on after one or two years. Math and science was often taught by teachers who had been trained in English or history. They taught out of the text book. If you asked them a question they had to look up the answer. They did their best but they were at a disadvantage.

    When I moved to a rich school district to start high school I discovered that I was at least a year behind everyone else in math and science.

    Soon, children in most schools in this state will find themselves in the same situation. Anyone who thinks this will improve the economy of this state is nuts. A second rate educational system leads to low wage jobs and poverty.

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    1. On the other hand, this is good for our labor force: low wage jobs.

      Consider, Mr. Petrowski. He states many companies make things in Wisconsin, but then send the parts to be assembled elsewhere. He wants to bring those jobs, the jobs that companies sent out of state, out of country, and overseas years ago, and bring them back here to Wisconsin.

      No company on the mass production is going to raise the wages of assembly line workers. Well, unless the public money is used to pay for it. (example any number of companies getting grants from WEDC, etc.)

      So, we have these old white guys like Petrowski who really want to keep the working class dumb. And give these companies that shipped out to Mexico MORE public money to come back.


      All these company Republicans need is a workforce JUST smart enough to push the buttons and operate the machines.

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  6. What I dont understand is why they havent gone after the vendor side of the budget. Clearly, the schools are suffereing. For most, the $550/student cut in state funding isnt fully covered by Act 10. On the other hand, vendors who are paid with public money can still charge whatever they want for goods and services. There are even a few that are about to be handed monopoly power (Skyward). Some of those companies are wholy funded with public money. There ought to be a law setting a fair maximum markup for goods and services paid for with public money. You can still get rich off of public money but it had better be through volume.

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    1. Damn fine point.

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    2. No the correct answer under current republican rule is, you can still get rich off public money, you had just better be sharing those profits with the republican party!

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  7. "As for my wife, a teacher, that has been demonized as a 'bad teacher' and a 'parasite' throughout the year..."

    I think the issue is not the teachers themselves, but the reaction of the unions and a few select teachers that has, unfortunately, tarnished the teaching profession in Wisconsin.

    When most of the private sector has taken a big hit over the past few years (lower benefits, salaries, no raises, etc....), a nuclear reaction by the unions and a few bad apple teachers (skipping school/fake Dr.s notes, etc...)has, unfortunately, tarnished the overall profession.

    The writter of this may be best served by looking inward towards his/her own organization for changes that effect a reduction in the "civil war" in the state. Those of us on the other side of the fence should do the same. A "look in the mirror" moment.

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    1. So you believe in the communist model of bring everyone down to the lowest common denominator.....

      Teachers protesting this draconian bill in Madison is an amazing accomplishment no tarnish from that whatsoever!!!

      A look in the mirror moment for you would be too take a look at everything being done to public education and you would see that it is not about lowering costs but privatizint education so that the wealthy and the low life like scooter jensen can cash in.

      Welcome to "our side".

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    2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  8. Should this crap continue, it will be interesting to see what happens within a few years when there is suddenly a shortage of qualified teachers in Wisconsing and school boards are unable to attract good teachers. Suddenly those 'tools' that districts have been wielding with varying degrees of enthusiasm are going to tie their hands when it comes to offering incentives to bring good teachers on board.

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    1. School boards are often run by those higher on the economic scale.

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  9. Sue,

    That is the point and the goal....end public education and make it private

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  10. At no point in this sob story is Walker to blame. Evidently DePere had 1200 other people willing to fill her position and Minnesota upper end schools might be able to pay her more than DePere was paying her BEFORE Walker was sworn in. Good luck and good riddence. We can replace you easily. As for the husband travelling back and forth to Milwaukee every day when he's got a new baby on the way. He could've taken advantage of Virtual schooling,on-line courses at much cheaper rates. While we appreciate his contribution to gas tax...is it likely his Wifey is teaching the the littel children about global warming while he's running around burning thru the ozone so he can get his Masters and increase his pay according Union rules? I find it interest the letter is signed "BS" I suspect that is exactly what that sob story was.

    "what has Act 10 cost Me?" NOT a Damn thing. It's saving us from greedy Union whiners..Minnesota is welcome to them!

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    1. Yeah, that's why people lie you are paying more in taxes. But apparently, judging by your horrible spelling, you're just too stupid to understand that.

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  11. Yes nothing says education like online virtual schooling. I am sure the person who cures cancer will come from being schooled online. Nothing like sitting by yourself in your room with the tv and radio on and full access to google, that sure points to the next Einstein for sure.

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