For the last few years, the Waking Bear has published an ever-updated article about the Three Village Central School District's "5-4-3 Club." When it was first released, with much fanfare and union president - Sheila MacFadyen's - panic at a school board meeting, the then reigning and feigning Queen of Naught - Mary Barter - and BOE retinue banned its distribution. But, before all copies were ordered swept from view, several dozen did get into the hands of people attending the meeting. And, as the board meeting began in earnest, a man stood to say that he "took exception to the bombastic and insulting-to-teacher rhetoric of the document but found the information presented of concern and worthy of public concern." The Board essentially responded by saying "Uh, huh." and moved on to more pressing issues. Well, that same document - Have you heard about the 5-4-3 Club? - is still stirring people's blood. If you haven't seen it, we urge you to get a copy. You'll froth at the mouth.

A few months ago, a writer for the Waking Bear obtained a copy of the teachers' salaries for the school year 1999-2000, available per New York State and the District's Freedom of Information requirements. The same writer had made similar requests in past years and putting the combined information into a database, a comparison was made of the salary status of tenured teachers in September 1996 versus that of September 1999.

You can see the results and average increase of 23+% for yourself by clicking onto the posted internet page[s] of your choice and seeing how "poorly" the much put upon teachers of the Three Village Central School District have done. And, according to a review of the sources, they did so with very few of them increasing their [educational/training] "level."

We have the entire database in a single file. Please be patient during downloading, as it is a big file. The level of internet traffic and the speed of your modem will determine the speed of the transfer.

We will not belabor the obvious insanity of such salaries. You can see that for yourself. Instead, we will ask the following, however:

Why, when they are getting automatic and large LONGEVITY increases annually, are teachers given the further 'burdensome-to-taxpayers' increases in SALARY?

Why were such LARGE increases provided to those nearing retirement? And, did the fact that union president Sheila MacFadyen was approaching her own [30 years & out] retirement opportunity impact on the contract settlement and the increases provided to those in their closing years with the district???

Does the Board of Education think that offering early retirement incentives, amounting to thousands more in pensions per year, is an advantage to District residents? Shifting the burden from salary to pension moves the taxpayers expense from district school taxes to state pension costs. WE STILL PAY. And, the Board of Education has done us and the residents of upstate New York - who will have to subsidize our poor fiscal management practices - a disservice.

When will the majority of Three Villagers start paying attention to the voting turnout of teachers, their families and PTA pawns? What teachers, their union officers and teachers' families want is NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUR CHILDREN, the school district as a whole, or that of the vast majority of residents having no connection at all with the school. You must begin to study whom you're voting for and what they represent. When you do, you will be shocked to see just how many of them are teachers, still members of teachers unions, and/or supported by NEA, UFT or NYSUT [union] funds.

The Waking Bear has in the past advocated telling district officials what you want. Our efforts have been directed toward informing the public of the travesties being perpetrated upon them, their children and grandchildren. We have advocated communicating your thoughts to the Board and the District's Superintendent. That has now changed. Though we will continue to educate, we are advocating NO CONTACT with the Board or school officials. Instead, get smart, save your rage. When the May elections arrive and nothing has been done to reverse the trend to toward ever higher incomes for teachers and tenure continues to inhibit layoffs, firing and productivity gains, simply:
VOTE THE DAMN BUDGET DOWN, ...DOWN, ...DOWN!

That will get their attention.