Education

Education in Context

By Justin Katz | October 4, 2007 |

Reading Thomas’s comments to my “What Profiteth a Community” post, I thought, at first, that we’d solved one area of disagreement. Consider: Isn’t there a real chicken-and-egg problem here? Justin’s right that, if we don’t have decent jobs in RI, our well-educated children will flee for greener pastures. On the other hand, what potential employers…

NEA “Pay Cut” Analysis Hostage Day Count: Day 9

By Donald B. Hawthorne | September 30, 2007 |

Still nothing from the NEA so the “pay cut” analysis hostage day count continues. Day 9 is now history. We eagerly await a response! The offer to post it here on Anchor Rising remains open. Here is our blog post describing how there is NO “pay cut.” It even includes spreadsheets with documentation of data…

NEA “Pay Cut” Analysis Hostage Day Count: Day 8

By Donald B. Hawthorne | September 29, 2007 |

Still nothing from the NEA so the “pay cut” analysis hostage day count continues. Day 8 is now history. We eagerly await a response! The offer to post it here on Anchor Rising remains open. Here is our blog post describing how there is NO “pay cut.” It even includes spreadsheets with documentation of data…

Re: Information or Poor Bargaining Practice?

By Justin Katz | September 29, 2007 |

Westerly Sun reporter Chris Keegan has answered, via email, my question about the complaint that the NEA’s Peter Gingras filed with the State Labor Relations Board against Bill Felkner. Apparently, Gringas specifically mentioned Felkner’s blog during a phone conversation with Keegan. In other words — although I don’t know whether any penalties exist for doing…

NEA “Pay Cut” Analysis Hostage Day Count: Day 7

By Donald B. Hawthorne | September 28, 2007 |

Still nothing from the NEA so the “pay cut” analysis hostage day count continues. Day 7 is now history. We eagerly await a response! The offer to post it here on Anchor Rising remains open. Here is our blog post describing how there is NO “pay cut.” It even includes spreadsheets with documentation of data…

The Hostage’s Objection

By Justin Katz | September 28, 2007 |

In a letter to the Sakonnet Times, Class of ’09 Tiverton High School student Lexy Halpen expresses her frustration with the ongoing contract negotiations of those responsible for her education: … Not only is it ridiculous that the school committee won’t fix this problem, but myself and my classmates are losing out on everything until…

NEA “Pay Cut” Analysis Hostage Day Count: Day 6

By Donald B. Hawthorne | September 27, 2007 |

Still nothing from the NEA so the “pay cut” analysis hostage day count continues. Day 6 is now history. We eagerly await a response! The offer to post it here on Anchor Rising remains open. Here is our blog post describing how there is NO “pay cut.” It even includes spreadsheets with documentation of data…

Re: Information or Poor Bargaining Practice?

By Justin Katz | September 27, 2007 |

Having investigated the laws cited in the complaint against Bill Felkner, I’m reasonably confident that I’m either missing something or somebody else is misstating something. In his Westerly Sun article (subscription required), Chris Keegan wrote the following (emphasis added): In a letter to the Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board filed on Thursday, Peter Gingras…

Leslie Carbone: Schools versus the NEA-borhood Bully

By Donald B. Hawthorne | September 27, 2007 |

Leslie Carbone, an adjunct scholar at the Lexington Institute, writes these words in a ProJo editorial entitled Schools versus the NEA-borhood bully: With the new school year under way, students, parents and teachers hoping for quality education face an ironic opponent: the National Education Association, America’s premier teachers union. When it comes to opposing common-sense…

Information or Poor Bargaining Practice?

By Monique Chartier | September 27, 2007 |

The local affiliate of NEARI has filed a complaint against Chariho Regional School Committee member William Felkner with the state Labor Relations Board for “purposely attempted to communicate directly with bargaining unit members represented by the union” by posting information on a blog. Mr. Felkner further describes the complaint: NEA negotiator Pete Gingas filed a…