The Fight Continues

My last post about #RedforEd was my message that I support this effort 110%. That support will not stop until all demands are addressed.

Late last week, Gov. Ducey announced his plan to meet the 20% pay increase that #RedforEd had on their list of items that needed addressing. For those that missed it, the Gov asked the Az Legislature to approve his plan for 9% increase along with that wonderful 1% he planned on giving them. So, 10%! He announced 5% over the next 2 years to get them to the 20%. Many people are saying – well, you got your 20%. So, enough already…

1. In no way can the Az Legislature approve a budget that spans more than one year. So, the promise of 5% the next two years – is just that a promise. Many would say, “An empty promise!”
2. With no real explanation of where the money is coming from, it makes getting those funds a reality – a bit hard to believe. The Az Legislature continues to provide massive tax cuts to corporations with the words of our Az economy is growing – we have to do that. But where is the money coming from?
3. The fact is 10% – as nice as that sounds leaves the teachers short by 10% to still be last in average in our geographical area! Over the next 2 years, do we think that the neighboring states are not going to increase their teacher salaries? So, as always Az teachers will be falling further behind.
4. Let’s bring up that fact that in his plan – he completely did not address the support staff personnel. Last time I checked there are quite of few others that work to make education of our students happen! Why would he forgot them? Not enough money? If you are pulling it from a hidden source – why not pull more than? Or is it to pit the teachers against the support staff?
5. Another area that his plan did not address is the funding per student! Az continues to lag behind in average spending per student. Still no plan to address that piece.

It is time for the state to really look at fixing their public education system! For the past 15years, the Az legislature has done everything possible to dismantle the system. Tax credits to help fund private schools at donation rates 5X what can be given to public schools. Add their voucher program and how they want to expand that – means more dollars being removed. No voucher can have a price associated that is not higher than the average per student cost that is visible to us all today! But you can bet that will not be the case! It is time for them to stop standing their with the School Choice mantra – when they really are working to privatizing education.

The GOP Think Tanks and Ad creators are probably hard at work figuring out how to spin the message! Their attempt at trying to slow the #RedforEd effort was left with 2 messages. If you walk out you will be hurting low income families that need their children to go to school. Well, most school districts and teachers have been working with making sure that parents and the children will have a place to go, if a walkout has to happen. The other message is centered on telling everyone that if they were to lower their administration costs, then maybe the money could go to the teachers… Well, if the state really wanted to address this issue – wouldn’t they be better served to set up a state structure that will insure that cost for administrators will be decrease, because they would own it! But, their is not addressing that issue – as it truly goes against the privatizing of public education.

Those GOP Think Tanks and Ad creators are focusing that Gov Ducey expressed his plan for teachers – as short as it is… He did not address the #RedforED request. So, build your message that teachers are greedy, whiny people. The facts are they are really in it for the students! They are not stopping with themselves. They understand that it totally takes a village to raise our children. They want the state to do their part! I want the state to do their part!

If that means my taxes will go up for education – I am all in. I have been all in for many years! If that means I have to campaign to insure that the right folks get elected – I am all in. It is time to really get a change for this state – it has been for way too long controlled by the wrong folks. We need new blood, we need folks that think outside the box and not what is told to them by the lobbyists, think tanks and whoever is pulling the purse strings. We need people willing to stand up and do the right things for