BEA, "....it’s nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen"

[J Hoffa]

With the passage yesterday of right to work;  Proposal 2 in November (Voters rejecting the collective bargaining amendment); the August addition of a principal to our school system, and the recent cutting of the resource officer;  I thought it might be enlightening to visit the BEA site to see the position of the teacher's union and what direction BEA is currently providing their membership.

As taken from the BEA site,
 http://www.bedfordteachers.org/

Voucher Plan
"...........it’s nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen"; and  ,,,,,,,,,,,,," how you can help stop this destruction of Michigan’s public education system."

I doubt that this will be the destruction of the Michigan public education system.  However, I would like to see what direction it takes and if there are elements of the plan that can lead to improving the education system. It is clear, at least on the world stage, that we are falling behind other countries.  In addition, for me, it is hard to remove the sour taste of "tenure over talent" that has been a mainstay of public education system for so long.

"Crazy Things People Say To Teachers -- And How To Respond"

I found this section of the BEA site particularly interesting. 

"it's exhausting fielding all those annoying questions about the teaching profession from your well-meaning but clueless family." 

Boy, if they think their own family is clueless, what do they think of us lowly tax payers that pay the bill?

As I went through this extensive section of the site, it occurred to me that there must be many in their  membership that are also a bit clueless;  as BEA felt it necessary to dedicate so much space and effort to fill them in on how to respond. 

[StopTheBurning]

I don't know much about all the other stuff but the voucher system sure does seem to be detrimental to public education as we knew it.  Bedford is looking at a reduced student poppulation and not needing all the resources they have now but a charter school starts up draining off the better kids and sucking up resources from the state.  i say better kids because if you are a trouble maker they won't keep you, they send you back to BPS.  BPS has to deal with them.   It's been reported the charter schools have limited benefits and low pay.  How long is that going to continue?  It will all change.   Owners of charter schools are involved to make money, nothing else.

[Nikki]

I supposed I could look this up, but it's easier to ask all of you.  If the proposal on the November  ballot failed, then how can the State Legislatures turn around and make it a law anyway?  If this is case, why bother voting on proposals?   

[StopTheBurning]

Well I certainly don't know the answer to your question.  But elected politicians make laws.
Disgruntled citizens that don't get their way sponsor proposals.

[PackersFan]

I don't know the exact answer to your question, Nikki.

But, in the election, the main issue to be decided was to amend the State constitution.
If I remember correctly, none of the issues passed...mainly, I think, because people
did not want to amend the constitution...not necessarily because of the actual political
issue they were voting on.

Just my thoughts...

[StopTheBurning]

PF, that was my position.  I didn't think it was necessary to amend the constitution.