Comments about ‘UEA switch throws wrench in works’

GO UEA and NEA! Blame is placed at your doorstep by ignorant people. In Utah it means the same people who support the 'pro family' agenda
are the insiders. Pathetic--no knowledge of history, theology, or anything remotely related to gender equality. Polygamy, yes that is the answer! Go Eagle Forum!!!

One need only look at the last 3-4 years of scheduling to tell that no one is in charge with a master schedule. What is the point of UEA if teachers that want to attend without taking (in essence) a one to two day pay cut. Give the teachers a break for once.

Now, speaking as a parent, it is a rare instance when SEP conferences and/or end of term are scheduled to coincide with UEA(See 2007 schedule with UEA on Monday-Tuesday and end of term Friday before). Both of these occurences include a Friday with no school. Yet, not enough to really do anything with scheduling wise. It would make too much sense to coordinate these times with UEA because all of the time off would combine to make a break where families not involved with UEA can actually take a significant family vacation. As it is now, three of the next four weeks will have at least one day in the week where school will not be in session, which may also contribute to how far school extends into June.

In any case, jumping around every year is difficult for all.

I still think UEA should be during the summer.

Is the UEA and accredited college level training and education organization for our teachers? Or are they an accredited or elected organization to set and influence education policy in any state?

The UEA and NEA are union organizations and act like political action committees that should not have any powers in our education system or government.

Union meetings are held during the time off from work just as this organization should be doing. Until they get an accreditation they should not be holding any educational training for teachers. They are a union and should act like a union, not a political party. They should concentrate on the teacher memebership and union policy, not the education system and government offices.

It's mind boggling that these organizations can hold these fund raising events for their own organization while these teachers are being paid. To attend these fund raising events all the teachers should be on unpaid leave if held during a school day or even the Fridays they get paid to prepare and do school tasks at home.

UEA convention would be better suited during the summer when teachers are off.

UEA/NEA is an educational wasteland. And what are schools doing taking two days off to attend the UEA convention. NObody else in the U.S. does this. If they want a convention, have it on their own time.

Even if UEA were in the summer the students would still be in school for 178 days. This break does not affect the number of school days

The UEA needs to focus on learning and not being a teachers union. In the legislature they do more harm than good.

UEA is nothing more than a liberal political arm of the democratic party which supports redistribution of wealth, big government, and tax and spend policy.
UEA leadership has consistently destroyed the reputation of the hard working teachers in this state. Teachers should stop supporting the UEA.

UEA convention is a dinosaur. It's a ready-made and taxpayer-subsidized forum for UEA to strong-arm and give teachers the union spiel -- straight from the AFL-CIO, Democratic National Committee, and Nancy Pelosi. What value added does it give to our kids and their education? Its time that people wake up and see the UEA for what it is. At the core, it is a labor union, with union mentality. Sure, there are some good but misguided individuals who are involved. But they should "just say no!" You can get liabiltiy insurance through an Umbrella Policy on the homeowners insurance, and so don't believe the rhetoric about needing UEA-provided liability insurance. Your own umbrella is probably lots cheaper anyway. And you'll be spared the leftist indoctrinations.

Just another reason that the UEA is becoming increasingly irrelevant. The teachers don't even want to belong any more.

Amen to annonymous and UEA's comments. The UEA is a union and should be treated as such. They're all about the teachers, not the students.

I used to teach in Utah, and no offense to the UEA groupies, but the majority of us were just happy to have the two days off.

I would be curious about the actual percentage of teachers who attend this conference. I didn't know many in my school who went, it was just a four day weekend.

Someone ought to create a new union for teachers that more appropriately reflects to values of most Utahns. I'm all for diversity, but the UEA is a branch of the NEA which advocates for educational policy with which most utahns don't agree.

Only 5,00 of the 22,000 teachers attend?

Mind boggling to live in a state where one month into school, districts give up 3 days of precious curriculum time (on the heels of a long weekend resulting from a career ladder day) to shut down school for a union pow wow! Apparently, oppressive unions come before educating kids, so you close school while your teachers go off to be indoctrinated about why they should hate their jobs by the single most destructive impediment to bringing our education system into the 21st century - the teachers union! BTW way to go Utah County Districts. Maybe your counterparts will buy a clue. "Fall Break" should be eliminated. Heaven forbid our kids actually get some uninterrupted learning.

Re: axmm =You said what? Didn't understand a word of it. On the sauce this morning are we?
Most teachers do not attend UEA. It is a holiday for them. However, they still have to pay substantial dues to NEA and UEA. Less than half of the teachers care anything about UEA.

The state legislature set the number of days kids are in school at 178. So if there were "3 days of precious curriculum time" this week, there would be three less days another week. If you want more time in school for your kids push the legislature to fund more days in school.

Not all teachers work a traditional schedule. Many elementary schools are year round which means that 3 of 4 teachers will be in session some time during the year.

What a shock the UEA is upset and they are the main cause of the problem. By the way who is the accrediting body that offers these career developing skills and training? I thought accreditation is mandatory.

Wake up Utah!

The UEA and its radical national body the NEA are the harbingers of mediocrity and radical agendas. If you need proof look at the legislation that the NEA supports across the nation and the policies that the UEA supports here in Utah. The UEA rallied around the middle school that had small children singing praises to Obama instead of learning their ABC's. This is the group that supports "Heather has two mommies" and similar agendas.

It is important to note that many of the rank and file teachers DO NOT support these things but as in ALL unions the rank and file has No say.

I wish teachers would rise up and take back a once proud and beneficial organization but I fear there is no stomach for such action.

The UEA conference should be held in the summer. The only ones that attend it are new teachers. There is no reason for having it during the school year.

I love the fall break idea though. The parents of my students love it as well. The tough of the year brings a lot of stress to families as everyone goes different directions. It is nice to get back together for a few days with no homework to worry about.

LOL at UEA being liberal. Yes the NEA is but the members of the UEA are the same people you go to church with on Sunday. Mostly white, republican, mormons.

I'm not a member of the UEA because I feel they do more harm than good. They provide a lightning rod for the far right wingers that want to blame all of societies problems on somebody else.

I would like the UEA to go away so the legislature couldn't blame their lack of effort towards education on the teachers and the "union".