We’d rather be in the classroom, but it was time to speak out
By Terry Schoessow, Special to Workday
20 February 2011| MADISON, Wis. - If you had told any of our group of eight teachers a month ago that we would be spending a sunny afternoon in February picketing at the state capitol in Madison, we would have thought you had lost your mind. |
| As elementary school veteran staff, we would be 100 times more likely to be correcting math papers or putting up a bulletin board. Yet that is exactly what happened on Saturday, as we joined tens of thousands of fellow public workers and their sympathizers on the Capitol Square to protest the bill that would unilaterally dump our collective bargaining agreements, sick leave, retirement language, preparation time, and general union rights under the guise of “a moderate proposal” to balance the state budget. Most teachers I have heard from are willing to negotiate paying a greater portion of health care and retirement, but Governor Scott Walker has not offered to negotiate. Therefore, a trip to Madison was in order. Everyone we saw was peaceful and orderly. Signs were even posted inside and people marched around with signs stating, “This is a PEACEFUL demonstration.” |