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[Ecrofirt]

I don't know how it is in everyone else's areas, but where I live the beginning of the school year ALWAYS means at least one local school district is on strike.

I understand that teachers and school boards will end up having contract disputes. I just think striking during the school year is fucking retarded, and should not be done. Last year a local district had its teachers go on strike during finals week. The result was graduation got completely fucked, and kids had two weeks of no school that happened during the middle of their scheduled final exams.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I really think things like this should be resolved during the summer break.

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

The words strike and timely, will never coexist in the same sentence

 

[DDayton]

Devil's advocate time... I believe they strike during the most inopportune times because it makes the general public mad at the district, and forces the district to do something.

(I have my own opinions about the validity of various teacher strikes, but the reasoning behind them is fairly sound... at least from the eyes of the union.)

Edit: I can't believe I missed this, but... teachers can't strike during the summer. We don't work during the summer... striking when you are off from work doesn't really do much of anything.

 

[Ecrofirt]

Devil's advocate time... I believe they strike during the most inopportune times because it makes the general public mad at the district, and forces the district to do something.

(I have my own opinions about the validity of various teacher strikes, but the reasoning behind them is fairly sound... at least from the eyes of the union.)

Edit: I can't believe I missed this, but... teachers can't strike during the summer. We don't work during the summer... striking when you are off from work doesn't really do much of anything.

The impression I get from local news and friends and whatnot is that the teachers are the ones that are more frowned upon when they strike. People usually end up getting pissed at the teachers for being "greedy".

I'd have to argue your point about striking when you aren't working, although I'm sure I'm on the losing side. If this was a case of factory workers striking during an off season, I'd agree with you. With it being teachers, I feel completely differently. You're potentially fucking up the education for a generation of kids when you go on strike.

I feel there should probably be regulations put on when and how teachers can strike, and how a school district has to deal with it. Maybe a senario where you can't strike during the school year, but school cannot be interrupted because of a strike. This would force teachers to strike during the summer, but it would also force the district to resolve the issue somehow before day one of school.

It's probably not a very good solution, but I just think it's probably a bit better than screwing up with the learning process for a few thousand kids.

 

[suaveric]

The impression I get from local news and friends and whatnot is that the teachers are the ones that are more frowned upon when they strike. People usually end up getting pissed at the teachers for being "greedy".

I'd have to argue your point about striking when you aren't working, although I'm sure I'm on the losing side. If this was a case of factory workers striking during an off season, I'd agree with you. With it being teachers, I feel completely differently. You're potentially fucking up the education for a generation of kids when you go on strike.

I feel there should probably be regulations put on when and how teachers can strike, and how a school district has to deal with it. Maybe a senario where you can't strike during the school year, but school cannot be interrupted because of a strike. This would force teachers to strike during the summer, but it would also force the district to resolve the issue somehow before day one of school.

It's probably not a very good solution, but I just think it's probably a bit better than screwing up with the learning process for a few thousand kids.

These kids are not damaged for life because they had to stop school for a few weeks.

 

[MrAngryFace]

Teachers are currently not getting paid enough for what they do, but its not like schools have the money to pay them either.

 

[Ecrofirt]

Teachers are currently not getting paid enough for what they do, but its not like schools have the money to pay them either.

I'm not trying to come off as someone sho doesn't think teachers don't get paid enough, just so that's clear.

 

[Triumph]

I'm not trying to come off as someone sho doesn't think teachers don't get paid enough, just so that's clear.

Quit voting Republican, then.

 

[Ecrofirt]

Quit voting Republican, then.

Thanks for trying to derail my topic.

Why don't you go giggle it up to some PBF and stay out of here if you can't offer anything really constructive to the discussion?

 

[Triumph]

Thanks for trying to derail my topic.

Why don't you go giggle it up to some PBF and styay out of here if you can't offer anything really constructive to the argument?

You don't like PBF? For shame.

Seriously, the whole idea of a union striking is to do it at the time when it will be most effective to get them what they want. So a teacher's union striking just when school is about to go back in session or right before graduation is the best time for them to strike from their viewpoint.

If US society would reward these people for what must be soul deadening work in watching successively dumber generations try to learn, this wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Ecrofirt]

You don't like PBF? For shame.

Seriously, the whole idea of a union striking is to do it at the time when it will be most effective to get them what they want. So a teacher's union striking just when school is about to go back in session or right before graduation is the best time for them to strike from their viewpoint.

If US society would reward these people for what must be soul deadening work in watching successively dumber generations try to learn, this wouldn't be an issue.

That's much more useful to the discussion. Thank you.

 

[Mandark]

It takes two sides for a strike to happen. Workers don't suddenly stop working out of nowhere: They make demands for months or years which are not met, then set an ultimatum which is not met by ownership or management.

If you think teachers should have higher salaries in real life, then you can't take away their primary negotiating tool. Think instead about what you have contributed to the situation: Do you vote for the teachers' union's preferred candidates? Have you ever written a letter to a county council or school board member telling them where you stand on this?

Teachers have chosen a profession which very obviously contributes to the larger social good. To have this held against them when it comes time to talk about dollars and cents seems backwards.

 

[MrAngryFace]

The education system is sorta fucked. There are a lot of teachers who spend their own money buying supplies for children in the lower grades, and then there are parents who refuse to buy supplies and yes ive seen teachers come in and buy supplies for those kids too.

Most of a schools money beyond elementary is funneled into bullshit sports programs which only generate money to supply themselves.

Its all fuckin stupid.

 

[Shinobi]

Teacher strikes are bullshit.

Education boards are bullshit.

Education funding is bullshit.

The school system in general is bullshit.

There's my insightful contribution to this thread.