Hiccup In DC

Some action on the proposed new teachers’ contract in D.C.  The city’s CFO won’t certify it because of outstanding financial questions

WashPost ed board sees a way through on one outstanding  issue, whether private foundations can make their funding contingent.  That issue strikes me as easily resolvable, too.   It’s not unreasonable for grants to be conditioned on the continuation and stability of a program and there is middle ground there.  Paying for the overall contract and the moving target budget issues seem the bigger obstacle at this point.

Needless to say, big implications depending on how this plays out, and not just in D.C.

3 Replies to “Hiccup In DC”

  1. Traditionally, the biggest threat to education in this country has been the difficulty in hiring qualified professionals for our schools, especially in urban areas. Many men have long eschewed K-12 teaching positions and now previously captive women have other career choices. If corporate America is allowed to erode hard-won teacher benefits and due process rights, it will become even more difficult to attract talented people to the teaching profession. These are the people who serve the children of the United States.

    So, yes, the situation in DC has huge implications. Never before has Wall Street tried to coerce a school district to make changes that might or might not be agreeable to its citizens. If these financiers are allowed to triumph, not only will citizens see a huge chunk of their school tax dollars disappear into corporate pockets, but we will have lost a public school system that has been the bedrock of our democracy. Fortunately the American public is catching on and will never allow this to happen.

  2. One little issue? Is that all?

    Goodness gracious. Why not let those wonderful foundations have their way with us? We will get a (tiny bit) of funding and lock ourselves into a long term obligation. In return, the wonderfullness of negotiating with a person who is not quite as honest as the corner pusher.

    Sustainability? Piffle! Temporary help is the answer to every question when you are wearing temporary help colored glasses.

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