"...thins bein' in need of doin'," said Ebonic Bleu

In our last editorial, it was explained that a great deal of change has occurred in the way TVCSD, New York State and the nation's educational environments are more recently perceiving "things." The state, for example, has rocked the very foundations of the K-12 system. Standardized tests, a greater mandated number of Regents credits required for graduation, core curriculums, direct instruction, the failures of whole language and progressive education in general, academic requirements for schools of education, more stringent standards for the acquisition of teacher credentials, charter schools: all these things and more have, it seems almost overnight, leaped from the pages of best sellers and an increasing flood of newspaper articles of recent years into reality.

For their first thirty years, the daydreaming elitists argued in favor of a more forceful introduction of progressive educational concepts into the workings of the K-12 system. Gaining the ear of influential fools, in and out of the state's legislature, they got their way. Then they argued that still more energy and financial resources were required, suggesting that the "effort was being given but lip service." Reminiscent of European pogroms and medieval exorcists, the politically liberal-agended progressives drove the demons of "standards, direct instruction and rote learning" from the classrooms and hallways of America's primary and secondary schools. When their system turned out uneducated youths, they insisted - like the communist brainwashing efforts in Korea and China - that society was still not working hard enough to bring about the required changes they sought. The failure was ALWAYS to be found in American society, uncommitted federal as well as state legislators and not, where it belonged, in the mindset of elitist prigs so entirely enraptured with their own thinking.

Finally, in the last twenty years and overwhelming apparent in the last decade, businessmen, philosophers and pragmatic taxicab drivers have simultaneously come to the same conclusion, the educrats are "full of crap." Legislators too have come to recognize this, and grown weary of the less than veiled threat of malicious teacher union lobbying efforts. They have started taking steps to level the playing field, giving consideration to charter schools with their limited union influence.

Like the lawyers, who before them grew to prominence, influence and public disdain; the teachers and their unions stand to lose their own dignity in what can only be described as an avaricious pursuit of affluence and power, brought on by feelings of inadequacy and incompetence on the one hand and conflicting paranoid delusions of self-importance and grandeur on the other.

The result of all this: "Things are changing, for the better."

However, these are "things" best changed and controlled at levels far above that of local politics. But, what remains to be done here, in the Three Villages? If so much is being done that will trickle down to the K-12 level, what could we possibly do of very much importance? Well, two things. Two things that the Waking Bear© believes require immediate efforts to, in one case, reverse and, in another, eliminate.

1. The salaries for teachers have to come under control. They are preposterous. Tenured TVCSD teachers salaries rose 23.13% in the last three calendar years. This must stop. Please read the Waking Bear's Have you heard about the "5-4-3 Club?" and check out the posted 1996 v. 1999 Salary Comparisons for all tenured teachers.
2. Tenure is an abomination, the demise of which is long overdue. It provides a protection totally unwarranted in the new millenium. There are more than enough features in law, to protect employees from the vagaries of politics and management, non-existent when the concept of tenure was first implemented. Tenure protects the incompetent. Like welfare, it takes away the incentive and motivation to excel. And, when such things as a student population drop of 30% occurs, school districts must continue to maintain disproportionately high numbers of teachers in make-work programs because they can't be fired. Imagine, maintaining a payroll 30% greater than needed to protect the jobs and income of people providing little to no benefit to the community. It's absurd.

These are the "things" the Waking Bear© will be directing its millenium attention to. And, God help us, if the Board of Education doesn't make an effort to help. They are all that stands between the teachers and a district fiscal crisis of enormous proportions. If the Board did not see what the affect of the last contract would be when they signed it in 1997, they now have the database of salaries on our website to enlighten them. The average tenured teacher's salary is now $77,304 up from $60,869 in September of 1996. Projecting those 8% per year increases out a mere decade gets down right scary.

Contract negotiations will begin shortly into the new year [2000.] Keep in touch with what is going on. Demand that the Board make its intentions public. Once the bargaining begins, there will be no public statements about progress permitted. Don't let them proceed without their first announcing what is is they are seeking. When the process is over, we can compare their pipedreams with the new contract's reality.

If the Board chooses to keep its negotiations a deep, dark secret from beginning to end, you've got something you can do to let them know your displeased. Simply give them the kiss-of-death, a BUDGET - NO VOTE.