I had this idea that I wanted to start every post off with a hip hop lyric that would correspond with the topic that I would be addressing. I thought this idea fit me perfectly since I'm the self proclaimed "Hip Hop Head" (No, I still haven't gotten clean). But, I realized after Reading "Cerebral Gumbo" the other day, that I had in fact, stole this concept from Rhonda Richardson (Her blog is actually pretty good, check it out if you can). So, at the expense of being labeled a "biter", I'm gonna switch it up and use quotes from movies and television shows. Then I'll allow you all the chance to guess where it's from in the comment box. Alright. You ready?
"The bigger the lie, the more they'll believe"
I'm just gonna start off this post saying that I love kids. I love interacting with kids. Some day I wish to have my own, but that day is a long ways away. It seems that there is something that is in the works that will jeopardize if i continue to work with kids. Not following? Keep reading!
Last year, a certain school system in which I am an employee, decided to hire 900 new teachers. A little bit of a surprise seeing as how in years prior the number of hasn't been close to 600, but not really shocking news. If there are 900 positions that needed to be filled, and you have the money to do it, then who are we as taxpayers to stop you? The problem is, in September we were told that somebody screwed up their math and we had a budget deficit. Which means someone has to lose their job.
I know what you're thinking..."Why wouldn't they make sure that there was enough money before they started their summer hiring spree?" Just keep reading and you can make your own assessment.
So, October comes and about 266 (approximately) teachers lose their job. Not only the teachers that were just hired, but all types of teachers. Older teachers, teachers with years of experience, and a portion of the aforementioned 900 teachers all received letters saying that they would no longer be employed by the school system. A devastation in an already troubled economy.
Then around February, the chancellor of this great school system received word that yet again someones math had been screwed up; And instead of a 34 million dollar deficit, the school system actually has a 43 million dollar surplus (I guess someone has dyslexia?) Which means that there was a gap of about 77 million dollars that wasn't accounted for.
At the time that this news was received by our great leader, the school system and the teachers union were also working on a contract. Those contract talks could've stalled if the chancellor had decided to admit that someone mad a mistake. So that information wasn't given out until word that the school system and teachers union had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. This happened around mid April. This new contract has called for all teachers to get raises across the board, along with incentive based pay for high achieving teachers. Since the city that this school system resides can't possibly pay for all of these raises, the money will have to come from "outside sources", along with the money that was saved from the mix-up that caused almost 300 teachers to lose their jobs.
After the report of the "surplus" was released, the city officials started back peddling and reporting that the extra money was a myth. Which means that somebody's math was off yet again.
I'm sure this question has to come to mind after reading that, "Where will they get the money to fund those raises if there isn't really a surplus?"
Well it seems that the chancellor was able to round up some more money to pay for that.
If your antenna's have gone up by reading that story, then here are some more facts that will send them through the roof. The mayor of the city in which this has taken place is up for re-election. If he isn't re-elected, then 9 times out of 10 the chancellor will lose her jobs. The "outside funds" that will fuel the teacher contract is tied to the chancellor remaining the chancellor of this school system. Even though it was never confirmed, the chancellor has eluded to wanting the older teachers in the school system, that won't conform to her agenda, to be pushed out. Okay, here's what I think!
The chancellor came in wanting complete control over who to hire and fire. She can't do that with a teachers union. So she proposes a raise a few years back that will give every teacher the chance to be fired by giving up their union rights. Nobody went for that, so she had to go back to the drawing board. She hires 900 new teachers, then conveniently has to have a rift, where she places all teachers on a level playing field, regardless of experience or tenure, because of a budget shortfall. Then in an election year where her job security is on the line, she finds 77 million and other funds to give teachers a raise (who hadn't had a raise in about 9 years) and incentive based pay. Then after it was reported that there was no extra money, she found some...
I know that this may not anger some of you because it doesn't really affect you, but I'm hot over here. Even if all of these things are one giant coincidence, why isn't her incompetence put into question? And if she was able to find money to give teachers a raise, then why couldn't she find money to help those teachers, or at least some, keep their jobs?
I smell so much bullshit that I feel like I'm on a farm. If something isn't done about this then I don't know how I could continue to be apart of this particular school system. I'm not proposing that Rhee, oops my bad, I mean the chancellor of this school system is fired, I think she needs a good, old fashioned, Joe Jackson ass whoopin'! The fact that she is able to do what she wants without consequence is a bad example to the very children that we are attempting to educate. And if this is how it's gonna be then I want no parts of it. Please know that all of this is my opinion and none of it is confirmed, but "I'm Just Sayin"...
