Category Archives: Wisconsin Education

HOOD WINKED! In the hood, more and more people are starting to see 2+2 DO NOT = 4.

Posted by Wonder Woman on

HOOD WINKED!

In the hood, more and more people are starting to understand or realize 2+2 DO NOT = 4.

People are waking up to understand that supporting rich union white men means less and less WE get in government benefits and discretionary spending for those of us needing government assistance just to get by these days. Yes this means you, you waiting on Vliet to get your Quest and BadgerCare. I’m talking to those of you who are waiting to get scholarships and aid for school, daycare, and medicine. Those of us holding our breath to see what kinds of co-pays we will be assessed for BadgerCare after this mess is over with. Make sure you understand what is really at stake before you go out there and keep supporting that tired old mantra about Republicans and who is against us. It is going to cost us big time if we keep supporting those who do not support us! Who else do you think they will pick on if we don’t stand one good time and voice our objections to this new union master?

Surprisingly I hear this more and more and I think people are getting it!! We are either for rich white men getting more money and keeping their billions, or we are united in a joint effort and alliance to support this Republican governor for the good of our own cause….US!

Located in the heart of the Inner City of Milwaukee Wisconsin is the JUSTUS League Headquarters and right there is where I sit in my fortress of solitude and ponder over this mess of an urban dwelling that used to be so vibrant and full of life. I can only think what one thing remains constant.

The DEMOCRAT Party’s Choke hold On the Black Community!

Blacks move in and out, other races move out, jobs gone, drugs, crime, and disease back and festering to higher levels than ever before. The only thing that remains the same is our love for Democrats and everything they tell us to support. I have already embraced a different path and if not for those of us who call out this relationship gone bad, some people would just be happy with the same old, same old. I may not be any more right than the next person, but I see the devil in ALL his forms and this is not what the hell Democracy looks like when I walk down North Avenue.

Lena and Spencer talk, run, and they hide, but at the end of the day we all see the same thing. The hood is still the same as it ever was. They have made little if any impact, they throw us a bone every once in a while to make sure their Couriers, Journals, and Times keep their names visible but what do they really do for YOU?

They keep telling us “it’s the rich business wealthy, evil corporations” and those types raping our communities and taking our opportunities and jobs. Don’t you get tired of hearing the same ish over and over again? When will they own some of this problem and stop getting paid off the backs of blacks?

But WE need to call out the real demons if we’re ever going to get somewhere. I see the real criminals being OUR black representatives first and foremost! Another criminal of the black community is the talking head at the main “news” paper that seems to never do too much here in the city for our young black boys or writers, but sure knows how to stay paid. The other criminals are those black “blue blood” families and bougie negros who want to seem like us (when convenient), but are in bed with the devil himself. Those are the leaders of the attack and rape on black Milwaukee and black everybody! 

Ask yourself this question, they had it their way in this state for almost 2 decades and what did they accomplish? What good did you see from this state in its 2 decades of Democracy? Or will you let them off the hook by blaming GWB and other Republicans? The easy marks!

Let’s break it down shall we?

  • Increased costs for insurance for those of us driving. Thanks black representatives!
  • Payday loan scandals that directly hurt US because who else needs a loan. Thanks black representatives!
  • Lena, Spencer, Tamara are all union funded and branded. They also accept PayDay loan money and love a little something, something from the Arabs as well. Did you really think those corner stores and gas stations just opened up over night without some help? As much as Willie Hines worked to try and keep them at bay, his counterparts in the state worked equally as hard to make it easier for them to open up shop and avoid taxes OUR businesses must pay to do the same business.
  • Finger printing by police at random stops to place US in their databases to be called up when they need to pin something on US. Thanks black representatives!
  • Millions of dollars funneled to Cadillac pensions of white men running unions at the cost of our kids educations and futures.

So I say all this to start a discussion about what is OUR reality and what we expect and how do we use this next election to get what we need to not just maintain but to say ENOUGH!

They say people support them but if we look, there are more of us coming out to show some concern for our own way of life. What about you? Did you notice that Lena spent more time on getting Alberta Darling recalled than on your needs, finding jobs, and helping the truly poor? Does it concern you that she and our other black elected get big money to keep us “in line?” Are we sheep and they are our herders or are we going to back it up and flip the script to show them the muscle we have in this community.

Now I am not saying Republicans got it right all the time, but on this one issue, for this brief moment, we need to rise up and be counted. We need to say to hell with the Democrats this one time and start a new trend and take back both parties (possibly add a new party) and remind them who the hell is in charge and whose money counts in the end.

Family, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

April 5th I am asking for your voice and your vote. Do not sit by idly and let them get away with the biggest lynching of all time on OUR poor. Will you join me? Will you send them a mandate that unions have their fair share and it is time we gets ours too!

Peace Family,

WW

 

Analysis shows emails to Walker favored budget repair bill

 

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_ca97c286-fe25-5074-8cb0-5f9a2c240df8.html

Gov. Scott Walker was right: The angry crowds in Madison didn’t tell the whole story of how Wisconsinites felt.

In the week after Walker announced his plan to dramatically curtail public employees’ collective bargaining rights in the state budget repair bill, a wide majority of the emails to him expressed support, an analysis of those emails indicates.

They ALL know the only force to be reckoned with, the true silent, majority is the working poor and poor. We get dumped on, just because, by both parties because we are somehow content with the scraps we are given. I am not content to let the rich get richer.

Confirmation that Gov Walker has done Wisconsin a favor!

Posted by Little tortillas on

Cut through all the histrionics and the self-righteous indignation, Wisconsinites will find that the political and economic landscape has changed (for the better) especially for those school districts who did not rush to cut sweet heart deals with unions ahead of this liberating law. Some of you realize how trans-formative this is. It puts citizens back in control of their schools, rewards good teachers with merit pay and will ultimately improve the quality of education our children deserve.

This is the first school superintendent and school board president to speak up and as the law becomes reality, there is no doubt in my mind that you will hear an overwhelming chorus of similar voices praising its merits!

Unfortunately for those of you in districts with teacher union dominated school boards who did rush ahead to cut deals before the Budget Repair Bill becomes law, you will be limited to the distasteful choice of eliminating positions and programs because your boards limited your options with these very lucrative deals.

Striking the right bargain in Wisconsin – The Governor’s case

Posted by Little tortillas on

I am posting the Governor’s case so that TMD readers can read it for themselves instead of listening to biased spin. While I don’t expect it to change the minds of the ideologically rigid, my hope is that some of you will question the false assumptions and see the misinformation regarding the Governor’s plan.

Is it no wonder that the community continues to overwhelmingly support liberal politicians and solutions when all the Black media outlets frame issues from the same perspective! When the other talk radio station and news outlets carried the Governor’s press conferences explaining his rational, Black media like 1290 AM ignored it (I know this because I’m a regular listener).

So here is the Governor in his own words:

Striking the right bargain in Wisconsin

By Scott Walker, Wednesday, March 16, 8:11 PM
Imagine the outrage if government workers did not have collective bargaining for wages and benefits. Consider the massive protests that would be staged by labor leaders all across the country.
Think I’m talking about Wisconsin? No, I’m talking about the federal government.
Contrary to what the Obama administration would lead you to believe, most employees of the federal government do not have collective bargaining for wages and benefits. That means the budget reform plan we signed into law in Wisconsin on Friday is more generous than what President Obama offers federal employees.
Our reform plan calls for a 5.8 percent pension contribution from government workers, including myself, and a 12.6 percent health insurance premium payment. Both are well below what middle-class, private-sector workers pay. Federal workers, however, pay an average of 28 percent of health insurance costs.
It’s enough to make you wonder why there are no protesters circling the White House.
My brother is a banquet manager and occasional bartender at a hotel. He pays nearly $800 a month for his family’s health insurance and can put away only a little bit toward his 401(k). He would love the plan I’m offering to public employees.
As my brother recognizes, our plan is a good deal for government workers when compared with what other middle-class workers are paying for benefits. It would be a great deal for federal workers.
Nearly every state in the country is facing a large budget deficit, just like the federal government. Many states are cutting billions of dollars in funding for schools and local governments, resulting in massive layoffs or massive property tax increases — or both.
In Wisconsin, we are choosing a different way. The Wisconsin way allows local governments to balance the budget through reasonable benefit contributions. These reasonable contributions will save local governments almost $1.5 billion.
The financial savings in our budget reforms will protect 1,500 jobs this fiscal year and 10,000 jobs over the next two years. The savings come from giving state and local governments the tools to manage benefit costs through collective bargaining reform.
Some have questioned the need to reform collective bargaining. After all, they say, the union bosses in Washington said publicly that their workers were ready to pay a little bit more for their benefits. But the truth is that as the national union bosses were saying one thing, their locals were doing something entirely different. Over the past several weeks, local unions across Wisconsin have pursued contracts without new pension or health insurance contributions. Some have even pushed through pay increases.
Their actions leave one wondering how tone-deaf and out of touch union bosses are with what’s happening in the private sector. Even the president instituted a pay freeze on government workers this year, something he was able to do only because federal employees enjoy fewer collective bargaining rights than do Wisconsin workers — even with our recent reforms.
Beyond balancing budgets, our reforms give schools — as well as state and local governments — the tools to improve their operations. We allow them to reward merit and performance instead of facing the barriers of collective bargaining that all too often block innovation and reform. Because of our reforms, government will become more efficient and effective for the people.
Ultimately, our budget repair bill is about the next generation. We are making the difficult decisions now so that our children don’t have to make even more difficult choices to balance the budget we left them.
A lot of people have made their voices heard during this debate, including the president and the union bosses. But middle-class taxpayers who want a government that works for them also deserve a voice. Now they have one.
The writer, a Republican, is governor of Wisconsin.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING = $ FOR NOTHING

Posted by Wonder Woman on

Unions and Collective Bargaining Have Got To Divorce!

And for those who still refuse to believe that unions are seriously out of control…

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING = $ FOR NOTHING

By Charlie Sykes

Story Created: Mar 8, 2011  

  1. Employer must provide bulletin boards to post information about union social and recreational activities. The size and location of the board is subject to collective bargaining.

    2. 

2. When a local union meets the following conditions are subject to bargaining:

 

1. lighting,

2. vision care and examinations,

3. noise,

4. chairs,

5. desks,

6. footrests,

7. adjustable terminals and keyboards,

8. work environment design (wall cover, carpet, windows),

9. room temperature,

  1. Starting of vehicles during cold weather is subject to collective bargaining.
  2. Paid time off to donate blood.

 

 

A Year’s Worth of Pay for 30 Days of Work

 

Under the Green Bay School District’s collectively bargained Emeritus Program, teaches can retire and receive a year’s worth of salary for working only 30 days over a three year period. This is paid in addition to their already guaranteed pension and health care payouts. (We coverd this yesterday…)

 

At the average annual salary for a Green Bay teacher of $51,355, this amounts to a daily rate of pay of $1,711.83, or an hourly rate of $213.98. Since most retiring teachers receive higher than average salary, these amounts are, in practice, much higher.

 

Source: WLUK-TV, 3/3/11

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/140-green-bay-teachers-looking-to-retire

 

 

Teachers Receiving Two Pensions

 

Due to a 1982 provision of their collective bargaining agreement, Milwaukee Public School teachers actually receive two pensions upon retirement instead of one. The contribution to the second pension is equal to 4.2% of a teacher’s salary, with the school district making 100% of the contribution, just like they do for the first pension. This extra benefit costs taxpayers more than $16 million per year.

 

Source: February 17, 2010 Press Release, Process of developing FY11 budget begins Milwaukee Public Schools

 

 

Almost $10,000 Per Year for Doing Nothing

 

While the Green Bay Emeritus Program actually requires teachers to at least show up for work, the Madison Emeritus Program doesn’t even require that. In addition to their pension payouts, retired Madison public school teachers receive annual payments of at least $9,884.18 per year for enrolling in the Emeritus Program, which requires ZERO days of work.

 

When this program began, 20 days of work per year were required. Through collective bargaining, the union successfully negotiated this down to zero days.

 

Source: Madison Teachers Inc. Website

http://www.madisonteachers.org/Forms-Intranet/retirement%20info%20teachers%2009-10.pdf

While You’re Waiting for Superman, Wonder Woman Is Already Here!

Posted by Wonder Woman on

While You’re Waiting for Superman Wonder Woman Is Already Here!

I have heard the complaints from those opposed to Governor Walker’s budget and I have listened, putting aside my own personal biases and Conservatism to try and get a handle on what we are dealing with as far as the schools go.

First  it is important to note that while many consider the “fleeing 14” heroes, it is also important for you to know that they are allowing time for the school districts to put into place new contracts with the unions. These new contracts and negotiations are 16 months overdue and counting. Remember these teachers in many districts have been working without contracts for over a year. Why then did they wait? Was it that the unions thought Barrett would be the man and they could get even more concessions then they have now? Was it that they thought they had some leverage over the state and would bargain for more wasteful spending? Why didn’t their guy Doyle, get these negotiations finished in 16 months? Many questions and only speculation as to why!

Also one other thing to note is that if you ever wonder why they are really gone, check on Ballotpedia to find out who is “outsourcing” their campaigns and true intentions. Meaning who is pulling everyone’s strings!

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

We all agree we want to see our kids get ahead but the main sticking point is the wasteful spending in the districts and the notion that the unions run the show not the taxpayers. It is a simple concept, not one student should go without out if our districts would be fiscally responsible and not beholden to unions. With all the money we have spent for public education, we are still seeing little progress and even more waste and abuse of tax money. When people recommend merit-based pay or vestment (a secured position) based on achievement, the unions run away from these things. Why do they keep fighting for the rights of bad employees, wasteful boards, and downright criminals? Why do they not embrace forward thinking programs regarding the competency of their teachers, secretaries, and all public education workers? Or for that matter fight for programs that are educating our kids effectively before fighting for Viagra?

 

Case I: Waste on Your Watch

In Green Bay there is such a thing called the “Emeritus” Program that allows teachers to only work 10 days into their year and get even more payouts. This is a travesty of justice and an outright crime against taxpayers but yet a collectively bargained agreement.

Green Bay’s “Emeritus” Program

From Try 2 Focus / Brad Van Lanen

http://brvanlanen.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/green-bays-emeritus-program/

 

The Emeritus Program gives one full year’s salary paid over three years. That is in addition to pension benefits. The Emeritus Program is something that has been negotiated into the teachers’ contract through collective bargaining.

Note that over the next three years teachers would have to provide only 10 days of service to the district to receive the equivalent of one year’s salary.

Back to me…

Many opponents say that Walker’s Budget Repair will only hurt students and trounce on their budgets and programs that help our kids achieve. Where’s the big achievement, is my first question? Secondly, their account of “harm to students” is proportionally way off base. These budgets are now being negotiated prior to the repair bill’s passing or its failing. They are salvaging the ridiculously unfair benefit and pension packages that we are trying to recover from. These new budgets could have waited until a new governor was in place (as is the custom), or the bill was in place, or could have considered that this state is paying way too much in benefits and pensions and realigned themselves without force showing fiscal constraint and good stewardship of tax monies.

One must wonder what kind of people would rather keep the status quo of gross overspending with little oversight and not consider that spending needs to start in the classroom first and foremost. If you look at just MPS, they could save millions in costs and reductions if they would negotiate fairly, realizing that the taxpayer is the employer not the WEAC or MTEA.

Case II: Is Anybody Home?

MPS holds the deed to 27 school properties that could be sold or better yet used. They do have several charter schools renting space in non MPS buildings. Worse yet, they are paying rent to (dare I say) Christian entities!!!

MPS pays PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF MILWAUKEE $12,502.46 per month ($426,672.26 over the past three years) to house Kilmer South High School, an alternative school that only has about 350 students.

Do also keep in mind that the district is reporting massive amounts of population decline in the past 3 years, so I guess they don’t really need those buildings anytime soon.

Some of this property has been sought after with relentless vigor and lots of money being thrown on the table because it is considered prime land or real estate. Yet our superintendent refuses to sell these vacant buildings, sighting that he wants to hold on to the property because they may need it one day. We are talking about buildings that are beyond repair, have atmospheres that are not conducive to current learning trends, and do not take into account that we are trying to eliminate bussing and eventually returning back to neighborhood schools. Not to mention that we are employing and paying for maintenance staff to keep these buildings up to code.

A report from James Causey about the MPS Vacancies:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/112890204.html

 

Case III: Abuse, Fraud, and Accountability from MPS to MATC

Another problem of MPS, MATC, and school districts throughout the state has been the continued mismanagement of funds. No person has been jailed or even penalized for these countless acts of fraud. MPS’s former superintendent laughed off the “staplergate” controversy and said they would look into it. Yet no one has been held accountable unless you count the poor taxpayers who keep unwilling and unknowingly fund these crimes.

The Milwaukee Public Schools system spends $3,287,671.23 of your tax dollars every day, 365 days a year.

Here is an example of where Title I / Reading Initiative spending is going:

Wisconsin Interest reviewed scores of MPS educational plans and a portion of a database of more than 400,000 MPS invoice descriptions obtained by a watchdog group, Citizens for Responsible Government.

  • Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School spent more than $680, including $550 on tickets and $57 on Bradley Center food – on a Bucks Family Night.
  • Community High School spent $742 for a field trip to the AMF Bowlero Lanes bowling alley.
  • John Burroughs Middle School paid $4,761 to a vendor described as the Funny Business Agency Inc. for “carnival set-up and services.”
  • Cass Street School spent $960 with an outfit called Fun Services.
  • H.W. Longfellow Elementary spent $528 on a trip to Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells.
  • More than $470 in Title I funds were used by Dr. George Washington Carver Academy of Mathematics and Science for a trip to a roller skating and fun center.

The accuracy of the database isn’t disputed by Roseann St. Aubin, the MPS director of communications and public affairs.

http://www.crgnetwork.com/

So what do these activities have to do with reading you ask?

And even more abuse of taxpayer dollars…Remember when…

  • Bradley Tech High School spent $1197.94 on pool supplies from LENNYS POOL SERVICE INC. Interesting to note that off hand this seems like a fair expense but with one exception. TECH HAS NO POOL!!!!

Here is a quote from that report:

Students at Bradley Tech gave their school the poorest rating with 70% of students stating that facilities were either fair or poor. This is particularly upsetting because Bradley Tech is less than three years old, yet it was built without an auditorium, athletic field, swimming pool, running track, or band/music room. What’s worse is that Tech was built without walls separating the classrooms and the hallway, making it difficult for students to learn.

And more waste:

  • MPS has spent $27,144.00 to purchase… iPod’s
  • MPS has paid $72,682.22 to The Daily Reporter, for school marketing advertisements. This is just one media outlet; MPS spends hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars per year on advertising.
  • MPS pays PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF MILWAUKEE $12,502.46 per month ($426,672.26 over the past three years) to house Kilmer South High School, an alternative school that only has about 350 students.
  • Taxpayers have paid $503,722.57 in union dues to AFSCME LOCAL 1053 for Milwaukee Educational Secretaries. Aren’t union dues usually paid by the employee?
  • MPS has paid Yogafit $13,257 for yoga mats and training DVD’s
  • MPS has spent $1,621,525.37 with the Florida based Intelistaff for temporary staffing needs. $1.6 million Milwaukee tax dollars to a Florida based company, but they haven’t spend a dime with the Milwaukee
  • MPS schools have spent $126,482.60 at the Oriental Trading Company. Some of the items they purchased (a random search of the 2,000 orders): Mardi Gras Beads, ROCK-SHAPED BALLS, Foam Snowman Doorknob Hangers
  • MPS has spent $54,438.86 at the CORK N CLEAVER restaurant for things like In-service meetings

http://badgerblogger.com/?p=9004

Get the point? This is just one school district and I could log the abuse of tax money for days and probably even years.

MATC here’s your fair share of abuse and misconduct:

MATC tuition Should be in line with that at UW system and duplicate programs eliminated

http://www.crgnetwork.com/matc3.asp

MATC OKs contract that preserves no-cost pensions

http://www.jsonline.mobi/more/news/milwaukee/116370714.htm?page=9

In a final word, people wonder why there is outrage and why our kids are not succeeding in these pirate environments where lying and cheating are the norm and good teachers are stifled by the noise of common sense.

People look to School Choice because they educate kids at $6000 while MPS charges $12,000.

Bottom line, schools are not going to work if we allow this incompetence to keep growing. They prove every single day that they have enough money but could care less if it is used on the future of our children correctly. So their outrage and ours would be better understood by those who make it impossible for us to move forward. The districts and the union administrations, and bad members are to blame. If you are a good employee, Wonder Woman wants you to know I see you. You are our only hope for survival. You always have been. Those of you who spend your own money, give of your personal time, write letters to your boards and the community and loose your jobs because you are fighting for our kids, we love you! Keep teaching and reaching and calling out injustice!

Peace Family,

WW