MAYBE NOW I WANNA BE A TEAMSTER

I'm beginning to think that we need another organization to represent us. An organization that is not afraid to look at the Board and say "NO". An organization that will go to the edge for us. An organization that is not afraid to go to jail for what is right. This county is big enough for TWO. Some healthy competition is good. I'm weary of "accepting" the status quo because "the law says we can't (fill in the blank)". I'm looking for leadership. Remember when unions would take out full page ads in order to win over public sentiment? Or at least get their message out!

Dear Hillsborough County voters,

You voted for a constitutional amendment because you wanted smaller classes for your children. Nobody in their right mind would disagree. You were ignored by everybody from the governor to the local school boards. Since no one came forward with any logical or compelling reason not to vote for the smaller classes, the amendment passed. The governor and former superintendent figured that they'd be gone when the poop hit the fan. They were right.

So what do we do now? I'd like to see them say to the state "NO WAY". Unfortunately one of their favorite comments is that they have a "constitutional obligation to (fill in the blank)". The Superintendent is not going to say "As a former teacher it is not in the best interest of my district to comply with an impossible state mandate on the backs of one segment of workers."

So far here is what I see in the crystal ball if we stay the course:

Teachers will teach, leave everything at school and go home.
No sponsors for anything. (Prom, Grad Night, dances, etc)
No sponsors for clubs.
Limited letters of recommendation - or blatantly obvious fill-in-the-blank templates.
Extended time to grade work and get it to the students.
More ScanTron multiple choice tests.
Parents who want to know why the grades aren't on Edline as quick as they used to be.
No after school duties assigned or filled.
No chaperones.
Phone call and email response complaints to the principal.
District paperwork chronically late, missing or full of careless errors.
Teachers purposefully scheduling medical visits on a common day.
Chronic substitute shortages.
Teachers teaching 7 out of 7 periods. (Covering classes)
Increasingly more teachers calling in sick creating a vicious cycle.
School gets "cancelled" because not enough teachers or substitutes show up.
FCAT scores tank.
The state DOE steps in.
Either the Amendment gets "recalled" or an amendment allowing teachers to strike gets on the ballot.

Sincerely,


I never liked the idea of unions per se. I always seemed to do more than the teacher in the next room and yet still got paid the same. I always figured that my money could buy a lawyer if I needed one. I still do. BUT this is affecting my friends and colleagues like nothing else.

So who knows how to solicit union representation? Who says it as to be NEA affiliated? Who says that the county can't negotiate with a union of middle and high school teachers? Or just high school teachers? Can we start our own?

We are ripe for the picking. Maybe, just maybe I wanna be a teamster.

PS. Please see "goader's" comment in 'ROSSAC' post.