Maryland is known as a strong union state, and it would seem improbable to Marylanders that the current battle in Wisconsin could be replicated here. Maryland's budget deficit is less pronounced than that of Wisconsin, though its combined state debt and pension deficits place it among the top 20 states in debt burden. It retains its triple A bond rating largely because of constitutional provisions that are being eroded and because its electorate has many public workers not resistant to new taxation.
The Wisconsin controversy has been framed as a controversy about money. As Clive Crook of the London Financial Times has pointed out, underneath it there are more important issues concerning the quality of public services. Because Maryland's governor has indulged its unions, the governance issues will ultimately manifest themselves here in virulent form.
Marylanders need instruction in how entrenched the state's teachers' unions are:
1. Eleven counties, including all the more populous ones, allow unions to collect "agency fees" from nonmembers, generating huge war chests. While in theory such fees are not supposed to be used for political purposes, a famous lawsuit in Washington state revealed that nearly 80 percent of "agency fees" are in fact so used. A smaller number of counties allow check-offs for political action committees; all allow check-offs for union dues.
2. The State Board of Education has only qualified authority over teacher certification. A special board, eight of whose 24 members are named by unions and six of whom are from teachers' colleges, can only be over-ridden by a three-fourths vote of the State Board. Thus, with only narrow exceptions, qualified scientists must take nearly a year of "education" courses to be eligible to teach in Maryland schools, and two years of such courses are required for even the most successful teacher to become a principal. By statute, superintendents, except in Baltimore City, must have two years of graduate work in education.
3. Under a law signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley last year, another special board, two of whose five members are named by unions, has the last word in resolving impasses in school labor negotiations.
4. Local union contracts impose maximums on the length of the school year, limitations originally derived from the needs of agricultural societies
Source
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I don't think it will happen here.....BUT, I beieve the unioins are taking notice. The electorate are not happy with the stasis quo.
ReplyDeleteO;Malley is in bed with unions hell
ReplyDeletehe is Maryland's number one Mobster
Those of you who think teaching these youn people today is easy have obviously NEVER spent anytime in the classroom. We have to adopt every issue from every aspect of their lives and try to make wonderful adults out of them. A near impossible task. You also think that we are union only to beat tha taxpayers out of money. If you would ever have to deal with the local boe, or the state and federal boe, you would realize that their has to be some oversight as to what goes on in the schools. We spend a tremendous amount of time dealing with disciplinary issues that would be ignored without some protection from the union. Heck, we can't even break up a fight between you little babies without fear of getting fired or worse yet sued! If you take away all of our protections you will end up with teachers that were unable to gain employment anywhere else. Really, who would want this job? Keep lowering the value of teaching jobs and you will be homeschooling because no one else will want the job. Now try outsourcing that one.
ReplyDeletemaryland has the weakist unions , typical MD union people are just plain lazy , just greedy.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:01. No one is trying to undervalue teachers. Honestly. In fact, most people feel that if the government AND unions got out of the teaching business schools could be privatized, teachers would have more control over their classrooms and schools could pay the best with much more money than you are receiving now.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe 5:01 is a teacher. Bad grammar, dysfunctional sentences, no point made but for a bunch of whining. Unfortunately the value of teaching jobs is at an all time low but the citizens are forced to overpay them. The most honest statement is "teachers were unable to gain employment anywhere else." Guess that's why they became teachers.
ReplyDeleteif teachers as a "block" had spoken up long ago regarding these issues and the issue of "insurance" you would not be in the mess you're in. get a spine and start speaking up. demand changes that have been needed for years. the flight out of the government schools happened for the reasons you speak of but none of you would get together (as i said) as a block and say enough is enough......
ReplyDelete5:01, if you are really a teacher, please learn the difference between "there" and "their."
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:25, that it what we are doing now. We had to organize as a education association in order to stick together. We fight all of the bad decisions that were handed out by the federal government and also at the state level. Discipline issues, no child left behind, and race to the top are all programs that are hurting our children and we are doing all we can to get rid of these.
ReplyDeleteInteresting.... I don't see STUDENT mentioned.
ReplyDeleteY'all should watch Waiting for Superman.
the government needs to get out of the education business. The standards are to low and they are doing a terrible job. I have no idea who is to blame and really don't care. The one thing I do know is that my kids go to private school and the teachers there are not in a union, hell they aren't even certified and the aren't working toward the holy grail of "tenure". They can be terminated and often are. There are no discipline problems because kids who don't know how to behave are asked to leave. Oh and my daughter scored a minimum of 1.5 years above grade level and almost 3 years in math. So they are getting a better education without any of the drama. It does kind of suck to pay taxes for the failing public school and having to pay an aditional $1000/month for a good education.
ReplyDeleteHoly Grail of Tenure...LOL!
ReplyDelete2 Years and 1 day and BOOM your tenured!
The word has no real meaning anymore.
I am not a teacher but I am a State employee. What nobody seems to realize in this debate is that public employee unions in the State of Maryland do not have binding arbitration and can not strike. Therefore, all we can get with our collective bargaining rights is what the State wants to give us.
ReplyDeleteAll of the things that are in the proposed MPEC contract with the State were agreed to by the Governor’s Office without any threats by the union or the employees. Even with this, if the legislature doesn't approve it we don't get anything. All we asked for was our salaries to be restored to what they were three years ago.
Yes there is a $750 bonus if approved by the legislature but I will have to pay taxes on that which means I might see half of it. There are provisions for a raise in two years if the money is available and the legislature approves it.
I can understand people thinking I have it made because of my pension and my medical benefits. These were in place when I was hired and were part of the reason I took the job. I pay into those benefits at the rate the State sets and it would appear that I am going to have to pay more after this legislative session.
This is the fourth time since I went to the work for the State that it has raised the amount that I pay into my pension and I’m not complaining but, if the State would pay their agreed to share, it wouldn't be so under funded. (They have also raided it a couple of times and used the money for something else and they never replaced the money.)
I make considerably less than someone doing my job in the public sector does so the benefits are in fact part of my salary. I don't get paid for overtime and have not in years. And to those who say that they shouldn't be paying for my benefits with their tax dollars; guess what, I pay taxes too. Considering that fact, you don't pay my union dues, I do.
Finally, people complain because teachers get paid so much and only work nine months. Legislators in the State of Maryland only work 31/2 months a year and you pay them $43,500 while presiding officers earn $56,500. They also get up to $110 a day for lodging and $41 a day for meals. You can feed a family for $41 a day and you can rent a house for a lot less than $2,000 a month.
Hate to bring this up, but your NEA union is at the forefront pushing the liberal agenda items that are hamstringing you as teachers.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought about that?
You support Dems, your union buys them with your dues, and then they put policies in place that destroy the schools.
Like what?
Name the liberal policy, from banning spanking to sex ed to multiculturalism.
Much of what the liberal dems are doing is DESTROYING America, and your school environment, too.
7:57
ReplyDeleteIt is the people who control the Democratic Party.
It is also the people who control the Republican Party.
Think about it. It is not a lot of people. Get it?
It's amazing to me how little respect teachers get around here. They are responsible for our children 6 or 7 hours a day and almost everything I hear is negative. They are overpaid, they are failing us, they can't get fired, and they are a waste of money. I got news for you, there are more good teachers than bad ones. Yes maybe some should be fired, but tell me who doesn't have some bad employees when you have a large number of employees. Besides, a lot of the money spent in our school systems goes to administrators, offices, vehicles, and the like. If you really think the teachers are that bad you should start spending time in the schools and show some examples instead of just saying they suck with no real proof.
ReplyDeleteFor those who can afford it, private/parochial schools are the way to go. There are teachers who are designated/certified as "highly qualified" in the state of Maryland who are making 2/3 of what public school teachers make, and the school climate is amazing. True old school teaching and learning, and imagine this....respect.
ReplyDelete