The Softer Side
After yesterdays article, I decided to take a look at what the teachers are possibly feeling if we just set aside the anger and resentment they have toward the Edison Local School Board. Yesterday I pointed out several events that were a little on the disturbing side, but deep down inside I still believe these teachers are good people who truly want to help our children become well rounded adults.
The teachers of Edison Local School District have every reason to strike in protest against the raw deal presented to them. They did not even get a say in the ratification of a new contract, it was just implemented by the illustrious Lisa Carmichael. Because the inability for the Edison Local School District to properly manage funds they are on the verge of a fiscal emergency that has caused these teachers to walk off there job and stand up for what they believe is fair; this alone shows good character and camaraderie. They have gone above and beyond to the best of their ability to give our children a good education with what they are provided and believe me they are not provided with much. These people became teachers because they believe in our children and want to help mold a better future through education. This is a commendable feat considering that teachers are usually the least paid and most overworked career out there, and the people do it because they have a love and passion for learning and passing on the knowledge.
Emotions run high in a time like this for the teachers, their families, the children and their families. A teacher can be a become a ray of hope to a lot of children these days and for children to watch a person that they look up to have to battle an ugly circumstance such as a strike can be disheartening and sometimes fatal to the relationship between a teacher and their students, but these teachers are strong and will stick together. Once they get back in the classroom I am positive they will use the experience gained while facing these adverse times as a learning tool. They will teach these children from experience and that is something that can never be duplicated.
I leave you with a few comments from several anonymous teachers in the Edison Local School District:
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I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the wonderful parents who supported us today. It was scary out there, but when you came with hugs, hot coffee, hot chocolate, and SUPPORT it made me feel proud to be a teacher in Edison Local. Many problems have come and gone in our district, and I NEVER dreamed that I would be on the picket line instead of in my classroom doing what I love...teaching your little ones.
I am heart broken that I am thought so little of by my administration, but so loved by your little girls and boys. What am I doing wrong?? I have not slept much in recent nights, because the fear of losing my job, my home, etc. has kept me wide awake. But I am now determined, with one whole day of picketing under my belt, to go the distance because Edison Local KIDS and TEACHERS are WORTH it!!!!!!!
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As a teacher I want to thank everyone for their support. It truly means a lot to all of us. We all felt that today was productive because of the community support that has been given to Edison's teachers. The cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate are greatly appreciated!
If you are looking for a "plan of action", come on out and join your child's teachers. It would be great to see our community and teachers voicing their opinions together on the picket lines.
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I spoke with several teachers on the picket line today, and they are hanging in there. They are cold, tired, and figbthing for their livelihood out on those lines. I could tell that just the few kind words that I had for them meant so very much. They thanked me, they cheered, they were obviously touched by such a simple gesture. It' doesn't have to take a lot of your time to show support, and believe me....they are SOO appreciative of it! These are good people who deserve a fair contract!
# Posted By Jeannie
| 11/8/07 5:10 PM
I just saw MIZZ Carmichael on the news with her "grasping for last straws" report on
how bad the picketing has gotten in the last 36 hours. Well, as I always say, what goes around
comes back to hit you 3 times as bad. She let that information fly as a last resort, "PLAYING"
to the emotions of the community and using the students and parents as scapegoats in this as
she always has. She is a patsy to the school board and that is all she is. You've got Taylor in there
calling all the shots and money going down the tubes. They need to be held accountable for
EVERY DIME SPENT since Taylor was voted in. Not passing the levy by the community just shows
us HOW BAD THIS ADMINISTRATION REALLY IS! The board is trying to tear us apart, but if we stand
together and show solidarity, we will be the victors in all of this and come out much stronger
than before! Our children are our top priority and for MIZZ CARMICHAEL to use their emotions
in that video is just another sad, pathetic way to get what they want. They don't care about
this community. They never have and never will and the sooner they are voted out, the better
this community will be!!! WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS!!!!!!!!!
# Posted By Renee
| 11/9/07 1:08 PM
You are EXACTLY right! The entire Edison Local Community needs to stand together and be strong and show Carmichael and the BOE that THEY work for US and it is NOT the other way around! It is OUR money that they are wasting and OUR children who are suffering because of it!
OF COURSE a strike is going to get heated and have ugly moments..these people are fighting for their livelihood! I think it's very pathetic that Lisa sees fit to use these moments AGAINST them! These are the people who teach our children and they are DAMN GOOD AT IT! The teachers AND the students deserve SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS!!!!
# Posted By Jeannie
| 11/9/07 10:38 PM
Screw the teachers the market is just showing what these nitwits are really worth, and they can' accept it. Whats the saying, those who can do, those who can't teach?
Let the lazy SOBs get another job if they want more $. They can think they are worth more, but apparently society is saying differently.
# Posted By Bob
| 11/10/07 11:43 PM
Thank you to all the parents, students, businesses, and kind people in the community that are supporting the Edison Local Teachers. I never in my
life thought I would be involved in a strike but I have to do what I have to do. We as Edison Local teachers have had years where we took 0%, just
to keep our benefits we have worked so hard for. If we let the board impose this contract then they can come back in 3 year and lower our salary
and cut our benefits. Other Unions would not tolerate an imposed contract.
I know when I started teaching for $10,000 that your steel workers
were making $50,000 and had good benefits. Don't cry to us just because we want to make a good living. I don't just work 9 months and enjoy
my summer. I had to go to classes and get another degree for over 20 years. I don't just work from 7:35 - 3:00. I have activites with the students,
papers to grade, events to attend and things that support MY students.
I care and I apprecate all the support we have seen from our parents,
students and members of the community. The video shown on Thur did not show that IMAC security pushed through the teachers to go on the road
to the milk truck. And that he was pushing and trying to trip our teachers as we tried to stop the truck from making a delivery. Also the truck did
not deliver ANY milk to the high school. There are two sides to every event. Ms. Carmichael uses the IMAC thugs video for her own purposes.
She does not show how we have let the busses with students through, waving and smiling at the students. She does now show how we treat some of
our OAPSE workers and appreciate the way they have treated us.She did not show the video of the first day when two of her bus drivers tried to run
over the teachers. One being Bob Hanlin, who gunned and raced his engine to run us over. He didn't care who he hit. In the afternoon he drove in
with an non-school employee (one of his private workers) on his bus to get his truck from the bus pen. IF he could have hit/run over a teacher without
hitting his precious truck he would have. Does Mrs. Carmichael show what her OAPSE workers have done to the ELEA members.
She does not show one of her bus drivers winging the bird at us with students on the bus. She does not care about the teachers only herself. Remember by
the board imposing the teachers contract that means all Aministrators get a 2% raise for the next three years, they also have their health care benefits
cut and are making more money.
I don't know how many parents have come to us, asked to cross to get their kids,
telling us that Ms. Carmichael has lied and they will not be back until we are back in the classrooms. I could go on and on but the truth will come out.
# Posted By AJ
| 11/11/07 12:52 AM
To Bob:
Society? Where are you from? Latvia? YOU, Bob are the minority and I don't see many
others voicing the same opinion as you, except you. Your last name wouldn't be IMAC would it?
Oh, and you may want to dig up your second-grade reader again. You can't spell worth a crap.
# Posted By Renee
| 11/11/07 7:27 PM
I am sickened by the comments by Bob. Where do you get off? Our teachers are incredible beings that love our children. No teacher became a teacher thinking they were going to be rich. Teacher become teachers because they love what they do. It is not an easy job, and they certainly are underpaid. I do NOT believe for a second that any of our teachers want to spend hour upon hour, in the freezing cold, picketing instead of teaching. They are doing what they have to in order to survive. I am a parent of a second grader at Pleasant Hill. I was at the picket line to show my support on Wednesday, and will return again tomorrow. It was heartbreaking. We, the parents, need to show our support! We need to do whatever it takes to get our teachers back in the classrooms. That is where they belong. To the teachers, please know that you are loved and supported!!!!!!! By the parents, and certainly by the students that miss you. Please ignore the ignorant people like Bob. No one feels that way. WE LOVE OUR WILDCAT TEACHERS AND WE SUPPORT YOU!!!!!!!! My child, along with many others will NOT attend school until you the teachers return.
# Posted By Angie
| 11/12/07 12:21 AM
We read your blogs, We sympathize with you but we understand that the children must be our primary concern. Subs have families, subs ARE educators, subs are only a temporary replacement. ADULTS iron out your differences and get on with educating the children. Parents try meeting your childs/ childrens substitute teacher you may be surprised at what you find.
# Posted By educator 2
| 11/12/07 11:36 AM
"Parents try meeting your childs/ childrens substitute teacher you may be surprised at what you find.
"
WHAT?!?!? You mean all the members brought in from IMAC that had criminal records and were sent away? How many subs are actually in the school right now to teach the children? If children were such a primary concern then alot of this would not be happe happening in the first place. If children were a primary concern , IMAC would not be sending criminals in to "teach" our children. If children were a concern Lisa Carmichale would get off her ass and quit worrying about herself and resign from the board. Teachers are striking because they got a raw deal but they DO want to be in the classrooms teaching because our children ARE a concern to them. If the Edison BOARD OF EDUCATION was concerned and Lisa Carmichale was concerned there would be no criminal subs in our schools!
Subs come in to do a job, and in a time like this its a job that I am sure they don't even want to do. It is just a job to these subs. They have not connection to the community, they have no connection to the children and they have no connection to the parents. Sure the eductaion needs to continue for our children but not at the expense of exposing our children to criminals and "subs" who have nothing more than an interest to collect a paycheck. There are plenty of alternatives to getting the children educated and many of the parents in the Edison School District are doing just that as this Carmichael caused strike rages on.
# Posted By Tepes
| 11/12/07 3:10 PM
Amen! to Tepes. I couldn't have said it better. I, for one, would like to see an audit done on the board
and where the money has gone since Taylor and Carmichael came on board. I hear she drives a
Hummer, if so, those things aren't cheap, so she must have given herself a nice fat raise with the
money that is supposed to go in giving the teachers a well-deserved raise. The high school students
were out there for about an hour showing support for their teachers today, which shows you just
how much they are loved and needed. Carmichael turns a blind eye to this and for her to use that video
as she did the other day ("let the public form their own opinion) just goes to show you that she
doesn't want to be bothered with it. As long as she has her high lifestyle and her thousands of dollar
raise every year, she just doesn't care. The levy that wasn't passed in the election hurt her pockets
in DEEP places and she just couldn't believe that it ever happened. The sooner she leaves, the better. We
do NOT need her here!
# Posted By Renee
| 11/12/07 4:33 PM
I just need to say, that I am one of the substitutes that is working for this strike. Now, I do not claim to know all of the other subs, but I can tell you this. NONE of the substitutes are criminals in any way. NOT ONE! We have all had to have brand new background checks done to work this strike. (even myself who just had one completed a month ago) They have been EXTREMELY thurough about this. Anyone who was not checked, was not aloud into a classroom until they were. The "criminals" that were refered to on the news were not among the teaching staff, and their crimes to my understanding consisted of traffic violations.
Also, all of the substitutes have teaching licenses through the state of Ohio, and most went to school specifically to be teachers. This comes contrary to what I read on another website saying that none of the teachers were licensed.
Many of these substitutes are in fact from out of town, and therefore have no connection with the school district. However, there is also a significant portion of us who are local, and do feel concern for what is going on in the district. I am local, and while I am sympathetic to the teachers' cause, what most people aren't thinking about when they're screaming "get a real job" is that around here, that's easier said than done. I have been subbing for 3 years without so much as an interview. On the rare occasion that someone does retire before they've been in for 35+ years, 50 other people who are also waiting on these teachers to retire also apply & If you don't coach football then you aren't even called.
I realize that the teachers have problems with their school board, and I even understand thier hatred of the "scabs," but there is NO EXCUSE for teachers rocking a bus full of elementary students and calling them terrible names. You don't have to believe me, but it is 100% true. I have seen with my own eyes, and the security guards (who are there to protect your children from their own teachers) have it on video! Students have even told me about it. Some said they were angry at how their teachers were acting. Others said that their friend didn't come to school today because they were afraid to cross the lines... Scared, literally to tears, by their own teacher.
So what should parents really be worrying about? After seeing what these "educated" people who's "sole concern for the children" are capable of, I wouldn't want to send my child back in with them.
# Posted By rc57
| 11/14/07 10:30 PM
I would also like to add that, I realize that a few people can make it bad for everyone, and only a handfull of teachers have been getting physically violent. One teacher at the Stanton lines last Friday morning broke the window of our bus, while the others tried to tip us over. Tuesday morning a teacher followed our van from the hotel & REPEATEDLY tried to run us off the road. (really, that is not at all an exageration, he was brake checking us, pulling off on the highway & then cuttin out in front of us at the last second, riding down the center of the road & swerving not to let us pass... etc...) I saw his face even though he tried to hide it, and we turned his license plate number in to the police.
My point is this.... Teachers.... how would you have felt if that van would have wrecked, or that bus would have tipped and someone would have been injured, or even Killed??? You are fighting for you livelyhood....not your LIFE.
# Posted By rc57
| 11/14/07 10:54 PM
If nothing else I commend your bravery for coming on this blog and giving your point of view. Ohio Valley Blog has blogged on the teachers point of view, the parents point of view and the students point of view. Your comments help show the view from a subs perspective. This is what this blog is all about, sharing information about the hot topics in the Ohio Vallley no matter who you are and what your opinion is. I am sure some of your responses will be less than welcomed here but that is their right to disagree. However, you have brought to light another sensitive subject in the Ohio Valley, and that is how imporatnt sports are over education. That could end up being an interesting blog in the future when all the dust settles from this strike.
Do me one favor in the future though when you identify yourself as a teacher or sub on any forum or blog. Please proof read for spelling errors. Having that many misspellings in a post especially from a teacher does not look favorable.
# Posted By Tepes
| 11/14/07 11:36 PM
I am aware of the misspellings, which are mostly typing errors (don't worry, I don't teach english). Your website does not show up properly on my computer, and as such I am unable to see most of what I have written until after I post it. I am also aware that most people will disagree with my opinion, but everything I have written about incidents that have happened are complete facts, and therefore any disagreements are irrelevent.
# Posted By rc57
| 11/15/07 9:51 PM
Yeah, you subs/scabs are a real classy bunch. You flip us off, you brag how you are teaching but
really are only on the school computers or playing basketball or I've even heard playing cards. how
can you say you are teaching when there are FAR more subs/scabs than students. You are sitting
on your butts collecting $280 and then just laughing in our faces. If you don't have a "Real Job' maybe
you just haven't tried hard enough. A lot of teachers have had to leave the area to find a "Real
Job" and then returned when they had experience. Maybe you just don't have what it takes to
have a "Real Job." And for your information, it was a Steel Worker that broke the Scab Bus last
Friday--not a teacher!!!!! You need to get your facts straight and not from WTOV9.
I am so tired of things being said that the "Bad Teachers" have done this week. If you notice
Ms. Carmichael does not have any footage to show of this week--only last weeks problems before
the injunction. Hummmm had to go back for dirt. Also you talk about subbing. How's come
4 of you didn't make it to the hs before 8;45 a.m. School starts at 7:35 not 8:45. As we heard
it you scabs are partying, were hung over, and didn't make the bus on time. Hummmmm Maybe
being on time counts to have a "Real Job" also. As we see it Scabs are just that Scabs-- people
who can not get a "Real Job" for many reason. So don't whine to us that do have Real Jobs and
are fighting for our contract--not the imposed one. In closing Get A Real Job!!!!! and work
# Posted By Grizzly
| 11/16/07 1:04 PM
Grizzly, you are an idiot. Even if you are right about that steel worker, it was still condoned
by the teachers that were there. Also, no teachers were hung over. Where are you getting your information,
your slap-jawed yokal of bar here in this po-dunk area? I'm not fighting for any contract. I
do not believe in unions, as this is the finished product. You tell the teachers to get a real job,
how about you and your chronies getting a grip on reality. The ends don't justify the means.
The teachers' actions last week personify the reasons this school district is in such disarray.
Sorry if I used too many big words for you, I guess that means I have no class. Well, at least
I don't live here and never will.
# Posted By the devil
| 11/16/07 2:32 PM
To the "DEVIL" or SATAN or BEEZELBUB....
Hmmmmm.... "Chronies".. ok.. whatever.... How can you say that the reason it's in disarray is because
of the teacher's actions??? That is soooooooooooo retarded! GEEEZ.. wake up horned one.. The
teachers are FRUSTRATED! They are offered PEANUTS because THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE EVER-
UNPOPULAR MIZZZZZ CARMICHAEL have bled the district dry!! They play the shell game and then
try to intimidate ANYONE who stands in their twisted way! You say tell the teachers to get a real
job.. they HAD a real job until those idiots in the board and their patsy decided to screw it all
up...your last name wouldn't be Carmichael or Taylor would it?
# Posted By Renee
| 11/17/07 12:32 AM
re57 & devil
At least I'm going back to work. Where are you scabbing on Monday?????????
# Posted By Grizzly
| 11/18/07 5:47 PM
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