Wisconsin Teachers, Students Face Uncertain Future

[steve2470]

http://www.thenation.com/article/158961/wisconsin-teachers-students-face-uncertain-future

Meredith Clark
March 2, 2011

“Care about educators like they care for your child.” It was impossible to miss the thousands of signs with that message in the sea of 100,000 protesters who gathered at Wisconsin’s Capitol on February 26. Since the start of the protests, teachers have been an integral part of the resistance to Governor Scott Walker’s union-busting budget repair bill. The fight against Walker’s bill is now entering its third week, and the governor has already announced that his 2011–13 budget will include more than $800 million in cuts to schools. It is a frightening time for Wisconsin’s public school teachers—and students—and this is only the beginning.

The outcome of this standoff will undoubtedly influence the way state governments across the country negotiate with organized labor. But no matter what the national implications are, here in Wisconsin thousands of public education employees are facing painful pay cuts and layoffs. People who have dedicated their lives to helping others, who entered the profession fully aware that their salaries would never be large, are looking at uncertain futures. And these cuts and uncertainty don’t affect only teachers but the quality of education available to students.

“I knew going into education that some people didn’t like educators, and that’s okay, but this is just disrespectful,” said Jill Kammer, a Middleton special education teacher with thirteen years of experience. “Both my husband and I are special-ed teachers, and we went into teaching hoping that we could afford a house and have a solid income to support a family. Now we wonder if we’ll be able to keep our home. It’s not what we wanted for our family.”

The fight over Walker’s union-busting has consequences for teachers that don’t exist for most other public employees. School districts across Wisconsin shut down, some for three days, during the first week of protests. The possibility of future union actions has teachers worried about their students. “I don’t like being out of my classroom,” said Michael Jones, another Middleton teacher. “Last week was terrible for me. I lost two days of teaching, my kids lost two days of learning. We love teaching. We love being in that room. We love that interaction.”

[Blue Owl]

1. Governor Walker Faces Uncertain Future

It's time for the people of Wisconsin to make Walker's future uncertain, not theirs.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. A group that includes everybody.