Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: Bill regulating teacher union rep funding fails in House’

Can these folks be any more transparent? Do they really care about public education, or do they want to weaken public education? Without the education union, schools would be weakened to the point of dissolution by now. Who do the supporters of this bill think they're fooling?

Finally our legislators decide to be real conservatives and give local control to a school district and the socialist Parents for Choice in Education pop up complaining against it. I can't help but feel that PCE wants to control everything in our school rather than letting an elected school board control my children's education.

Lets see if this bill was passed it would save a little more than $75,000, that should just about plug the shortfall in this years budget. If the THREE school districts who are paying a portion of the the salary think this is of value to there individual districts, why should the legislature involve themselves in what should be a local issue. It is funny that the Utah legislature is always complaining about federal interference in state affairs, but they have no problem trying to interfere in local school, county, and city business. Bravo to those who were smart enough to vote this bill down.

to Anonymous:

"Who do the supporters of this bill think they're fooling?" Now that its clear you are a union member...here is an announcement to you: People across this country are sick and tired of paying for union thugs...get the unions out of public schools and watch the success that happens, I dare you. Just look at EVERYTHING unions are involved in at you see waste and corruption. It is a crime we pay the salaries of union leaders...when did that become constitutional? Is anyone else still in shock an learning about this little tid-bit of info? Hopefully this bill will be back next year and it will pass.

I was raised by a schoot teacher who started teaching in a one room school in the high country of colorado. Mom taugh thru into her 60s'. One time teaching was a calling not a job. One time kids respected their parents and teachers too.I cannot blame or forgive either side in this struggle there is enough to go around.
But then again I remember the toughest thing to deal with on campus was smoking behind the boys gym and a few fist fights. and I dont consider myself old.
Ya I think they care but have become so accustomed to the way things are attitude of parents and school administrators that they just go with the flow. we no longer teach kids how to learn we just learn them

By the way, it's not just three districts. It's far more. Those are just the three from the sampling used in the legislative audit. We're proud to have partnered with Senator Dayton on this bill. We also have no problem taking your criticism or your unkind comments. We'd run this bill again in a heartbeat.

You don't have to be a union member to spot anti-education legislation. The legislature has been so focused on local control and "sticking it to the feds," that I was surprised Sen. Dayton would propose a bill that clearly takes away local control. I am particularly disturbed that PCE, which was the force behind vouchers, still has pull among the noecons. The voters made it clear that they do not support the anti-public school agenda of PCE. Perhaps the legislature should worry about real issues, such as how to find more money to reduce class sizes, and move away from their anti-educator legislation.

Many may oppose this issue based on their feelings about the NEA/UEA or AFT. (I don't like much about the NEA but love the work of the local associations.) The real issue here is the value of unions in public education.

School districts were not forced to support the activities of association leaders. They chose to work with instead of against them. Consider the many difficult judgment calls district administrators have to make using evidence that is often hearsay and subjective. A small misreading of a situation can ruin a classroom, a career or change the mood of a school from cooperation to contention. Here, an employees association is a buffer.

I know many who have served on either side of the district/union table. They can (usually) negotiate as foes, then walk away as friends, sharing a concern for the good of the students. Many personnel problems were solved at the local level by the efforts of association leaders. These leaders have persuaded some teachers to leave the profession, saving so much time, frustration and possible litigation. Employees were more willing to take advice from peers than bosses.

Bury the bill and the hatchet.

Robyn if it truly "far" more than three why don't you name them. I think there may be one or two more, but I don't think it goes beyond that. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am sure we will see the bill again and again. I wish legislators would follow their own advice they give to the feds and leave local issues to local districts. If you live in the Salt Lake School District boundaries and have a problem with what is going on by all means attend board meetings, share your concerns with board members, but please lets leave local issues at the local level.

Taxpayer dollars should not be funding union salaries. Period. I've already written a letter to my representative and I will be working to get his opponent elected in the fall.

This simply doesn't make sense to have districts supporting the union in this way.

For those who continue to blindly support it, I would ask that you step back and take a look from a broader perspective. Can you honestly support this practice?

Maturity requires that you stop the knee-jerk I hate PCE attitude. Your opposition to this bill shows your blind bias against school choice. It is just silly and makes opponents of this bill look just as silly.

Of course our tax dollars must not go to union salaries. OF COURSE! This isn't rocket science, but it is a great way to reveal people's irrational biases.

It will pass next time when legislators have had time to think and don't get tricked by a phony "local control" argument. So, parents should be able to beat their kids right, because that is the ultimate "local control"?

The schools fail to teach critical thinking skills and it is showing in our legislators and our populace!

Wake up folks. The real agenda in Utah is to weaken public education to the point where private education is the only option. Notice that we cut school funding in good years and bad. Notice we don't want to give our teachers the credit they're due. Notice that the folks pushing the agenda are connected to vouchers, to charter schools, and to privatization. Under the threat of socialism, fascism is indeed alive in the State of Utah.

This should be a wake-up call to a transparent attempt to weaken public education by erasing unions. P.E. is already on its knees. Thank goodness the legislature didn't deal it a death blow. How many of us could home school our kids?

Come on guys, you can't really believe that teachers unions are interested in our children's educational outcomes. If that were true, on principle alone, they would reject one penny from the district budget. Especially in lean budget years. Those crying "socialism" should look up the meaning. Public education is THE EPITOMY of socialism. Competition and accountability are a must if Utah's public schools are to be fixed. Not one more dollar of school district money should go to union leaders salaries!

The cries about this being a "local issue" are a total red herring. The teachers union could care less about local control. The only reason they claim to support it is because "local control" currently favors them and will continue to do so since most school board members owe their election to support from the teachers union.

But this is besides the point. Local control is no excuse for blatant, unethical misuse of public dollars. It is a complete conflict of interest to have the salaries of the teacher union president, who represents the interests of the employees against those of their employers (i.e. the school board and, ideally, the taxpayer), paid for with public dollars.

It is no coincidence that the dramatic decline of our public education system began soon after the teachers unionized.

I was Public Educated and now my children and I are self educating. I never read much about Karl Marx in public school, but I guess they didn't want the cat out of the bag.
The Communist Manifesto by Kal Marx #10. Free education for all children in public schools (Centrally controlled by the government). Unions also play a big roll within communism, though be it by a different name.
Yes, our founders wanted a public system free to all as well, but based on a liberal arts education and locally controlled by the community.
Though I prefer book study, if you want a quick glimpse, look up Stupid in America, a 20/20 clip on You Tube. Then if you want some meat, read the Communist Manifesto and some of the latest national education headlines and compare them.
Don't read what PCE or the teacher's unions say, educate yourself. Your the only one that won't mislead you.