Comments on: Budget breakdown for Oakland schools

By: anon

anon — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:38:25 +0000

I have to agree with Geteducated. My salary has been cut but I’m still expected to do the same amount of work, and my husband’s company is starting furloughs next month. We both don’t get fully-paid health coverage or a pension. In fact, we both have advanced degrees for “prestigous positions” and our net salary works out less than a teacher gets at OUSD for the same years of experience, after considering all the benefits (medical, dental, pension, etc.) teachers recveive.

Both of our children’s teachers don’t want to strike (and didn’t strike in the spring), because THEY GET IT-times are tight for all, and we can’t get blood from a stone. They think that Tony Smith’s offer of a slight raise is more than fair, considering the situation. We feel lucky to have work, and the teachers should too right now.

By: geteducated

geteducated — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:09:48 +0000

harlemmoon:
A strike will send the message to parents loud and clear that the students are NOT the priority. It will tell parents who are struggling in these tough times that a teacher pay increase or COLA is more important than thier child. Parents are sick of reading how bad the teachers have it in the same papers that they are reading to try to pick up more hours or find a job. The unions are feeding the teachers a line the community as a whole will not swallow.
Tough times.

By: ILoveTeachers

ILoveTeachers — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:17:52 +0000

When was the last time all of the teachers got together in one room for anything? Not even a strike vote could bring out more than 30% of them… I don’t blame Tony for that, but it’s definitely an opportunity waiting to happen.

By: harlemmoon

harlemmoon — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:45:46 +0000

Maybe Smith could smile and shake hands with teachers as they head out the door for their next strike??

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:57:56 +0000

Thanks for your nice note, Jesse James. I’m glad to be of service!

Interesting question about Smith. Do you remember the last time an Oakland superintendent or state administrator held a meeting with teachers across the district?

By: Jesse James

Jesse James — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:50:27 +0000

Thank you Katy. I only subscribe to the Trib for you! I work in OUSD but don’t really know anything that happens because communication is so limited. Did you know Tony Smith has never met with teachers as a whole? He has never come to our school when it was in session. I feel like I see him less and know less than when we were under the state administrators. All this to say, thank you for being there–and for being impartial as well.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:20:42 +0000

The board unanimously approved the cuts to adult ed, but it’s holding a special meeting next Tuesday, 6/29, to pass the final budget.

By: Jesse James

Jesse James — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:18:26 +0000

Katy–do you have any news about last night’s meeting? Was everything approved?

By: 'Merican Dream

'Merican Dream — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:04:02 +0000

San Francisco is a city AND County, so they have special rules governing thier school district. They don’t have a “county” to report to because they are one and the same.

By: TheTruthHurts

TheTruthHurts — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:18:19 +0000

While I hope CA doesn’t get to Greece status as Nextset predicts, we are certainly on that path. The main ingredient allowing this to happen is DENIAL!!!

If the public wants to avoid the crime and lack of productivity that Cranky mentions, it will have to step up and PAY FOR IT. Ounce of prevention . . . If they/we don’t pay for it, they will get what they have coming.

While union rules across the country have exacerbated the problem, it is still just a fundamental question of what is more important – the money in your pocket or the service you can buy with that money. The state is us. The country is us. The public will decide and unfortunately, they’re going to have to decide while the money in their pockets is shrinking (siphoned off by international banks and corporations).

If we avoid Greece, it’ll likely be because we’ve established a new social contract that redefines the contributions made by those who’ve received the spoils of capitalism along with those who take from the system without obligation to provide.