Recent changes in Wisconsin's collective bargaining law have restored fairness to the process of teacher contract negotiations. Unfortunately, the changes also have opened the door to misconceptions and finger pointing. There is more fear than information out there.
On behalf of the Wisconsin Education Association Council - our union of 98,000 educators - I'd like to share the perspective of teachers like me, who have dedicated themselves to educating our children.
Simply put, bargaining involves educators - who know firsthand what happens in our schools - in discussions with the school board about how resources are allocated to benefit students.
Educators know we're in a tough economy. Fair bargaining will be important as school boards and educators address issues important to the entire school experience, such as class sizes, preparation time and school safety. Bargaining also is about training, working conditions and a lot more.
Keep in mind that the process of bargaining doesn't dictate the amount of money districts receive. Pointing fingers of blame at educators as the cause of school funding shortfalls may be the easy answer, but that won't get us anywhere and it won't help our students.
The fact is that Wisconsin has been dealing with funding cuts to our schools for years. The crisis already was here and has been worsened by the worldwide recession and Wisconsin's slumping economy.
Wisconsin has an outdated school funding formula that needs to be fixed. Under the current system, declining school enrollments have resulted in decreased state funding, while revenue caps have restricted tax rates. School districts have been forced to do whatever they can to make up the shortage. Some have cut staff and eliminated programs, while others have increased class sizes and put other needs on hold. None of this is the result of bargaining.
Before we point fingers, let's remember our schools are the hearts of our communities, and that investments in public education are extremely important. Under our current funding system, more and more students find themselves with limited educational opportunities, and communities are wondering what can be done. Wisconsin, known for its place among the top school systems in America, is at a crossroads.
There are many people out there with good ideas and good intentions. As educators, we have been working with parents, school board members, administrators and business leaders across the state to look for a better way to fund our schools. We will continue to work together, with the common goal of upholding Wisconsin's strong tradition of public education.
We believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and that great schools benefit everyone. A healthy, fact-based debate is important but, rather than pointing fingers, now is the time to join hands and move forward with a solution that benefits Wisconsin's children and protects taxpayers, our communities and our quality of education.
- Mary Bell is a teacher from Wisconsin Rapids and the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.
On behalf of the Wisconsin Education Association Council - our union of 98,000 educators - I'd like to share the perspective of teachers like me, who have dedicated themselves to educating our children.
Simply put, bargaining involves educators - who know firsthand what happens in our schools - in discussions with the school board about how resources are allocated to benefit students.
Educators know we're in a tough economy. Fair bargaining will be important as school boards and educators address issues important to the entire school experience, such as class sizes, preparation time and school safety. Bargaining also is about training, working conditions and a lot more.
Keep in mind that the process of bargaining doesn't dictate the amount of money districts receive. Pointing fingers of blame at educators as the cause of school funding shortfalls may be the easy answer, but that won't get us anywhere and it won't help our students.
The fact is that Wisconsin has been dealing with funding cuts to our schools for years. The crisis already was here and has been worsened by the worldwide recession and Wisconsin's slumping economy.
Wisconsin has an outdated school funding formula that needs to be fixed. Under the current system, declining school enrollments have resulted in decreased state funding, while revenue caps have restricted tax rates. School districts have been forced to do whatever they can to make up the shortage. Some have cut staff and eliminated programs, while others have increased class sizes and put other needs on hold. None of this is the result of bargaining.
Before we point fingers, let's remember our schools are the hearts of our communities, and that investments in public education are extremely important. Under our current funding system, more and more students find themselves with limited educational opportunities, and communities are wondering what can be done. Wisconsin, known for its place among the top school systems in America, is at a crossroads.
There are many people out there with good ideas and good intentions. As educators, we have been working with parents, school board members, administrators and business leaders across the state to look for a better way to fund our schools. We will continue to work together, with the common goal of upholding Wisconsin's strong tradition of public education.
We believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and that great schools benefit everyone. A healthy, fact-based debate is important but, rather than pointing fingers, now is the time to join hands and move forward with a solution that benefits Wisconsin's children and protects taxpayers, our communities and our quality of education.
- Mary Bell is a teacher from Wisconsin Rapids and the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.
