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Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Daily Review Opines that "Hayward Teachers Show Their Ugly Side"

Hayward Teachers Show Their Ugly Side

Please comment!

7 comments:

Nick Carlson said...

I am a Hayward teacher and I disagree with the individual who wrote this opinion. That The Daily Review embraces this opinion as its own, by declining to name the author, embarrasses the newspaper. The author’s sentiment, expressed in a condescending tone, is that all Hayward teachers are not civil, because photographs have been posted of substitutes who crossed the picket line.

Substitutes who cross the picket line are not benign. They are actively defying the unionized teachers’ will to improve our remuneration to average standards. This is an improvement, which if realized, will help attract and maintain a stable group of teachers who will be able to increase their knowledge and effectiveness through professional collaboration with peers experienced in Hayward.

Substitutes who cross the picket line are actively creating their own reputations. Posting photographs of such people does not further denigrate them. It just identifies them. I have seen media and amateur videos of myself at strike rallies posted on the web. That identifies me as a striking teacher.

In the seventh paragraph The Daily Review states that posting photos of "scabs" is as bad as battery. This assertion is ludicrous. Need I explain that if this were so, The Daily review would have all of their photographers jailed by the authorities?

The Daily Review does not identify who wrote this opinion, that Hayward teachers are showing their ugly side. If The Daily Review had identified the author, I could argue directly with that person and not make the same mistake that The Daily Review does by attempting to criticize all Hayward teachers for the scab blog. We Hayward teachers are unified in support of our negotiating committee, but we are individuals and express ourselves in different ways. If that offends the sensibilities of The Daily Review, then The Daily Review misunderstands America.

Susan S. said...

Well, the Daily Review has done it again! Just when I was beginning to think the Daily Review was capable of fair and balanced reporting they came up with a slam to teachers. This tactic is an old one. Stir the pot, throw something on the fan and spread it around town. Why? To sell papers.

The Daily Review cares nothing for Hayward teachers or anything else except its own survival. There will be lots of follow-up letters going to the editor over this but isn't that just what they want? The reputation and respect for Hayward teachers is being sacrificed for their own self interest. It reminds me of our school board and administrators.

I feel so besieged. Superintendents who leave town, school board members who disconnect their e-mail, administrators who are engaged in a power grab at the expense of the students of Hayward, and now a slap in the face by the Daily Review.

julie g. said...

Thanks, Nick for your well-written reply. I hope you will post it on the Daily Review blog:

http://www.ibabuzz.com/hayword/

as well as mail it in!! I would think that identifying scabs (who are adults making a conscious choice) would be a legitimate nonviolent weapon in this fight. We really don't have a lot of others. We are already giving up our salaries and putting our bodies on the line every day.

SPF said...

I'm sure that article was written by a scab. Otherwise, why post anonymously?

Posting pictures of a scab or calling someone a scab is completely legal. After all, a scab is a scab and it is not illegal to say so. The reason why scabs are so upset by this website is that, somewhere deep inside, they realize that crossing a picket line is wrong. Sorry, scabs, but Hayward teachers are not going to let you get away with taking our jobs quietly!

And any scab who thinks that, by crossing the line, s/he is "helping take care of the kids" is dead wrong. Hayward teachers take care of Hayward's children. We are the ones who have been hired for the very important job of educating Hayward's future because we are the one who are highly qualified to do so. Scabs are not. They are not teaching our children, they are merely undermining our cause by allowing the district to prolong the strike.

And what about the excuse given by many scabs that they need the money? Hello, if you need the money, go work somewhere else!!! Hayward teachers cannot, as we are still technically employed by HUSD. REAL subs have taken jobs in other districts during the strike. And those are the people we want back in our classrooms when the strike is over. NO SCABS!!!

I am proud of the teachers who stand up for all of us by creating sites like the one the Daily Review highlighted. Keep those scab pics coming!!

Nancy said...

After reading the "results" on the HEA page, must add UNBELIEVABLE to Kathy's verbiage. What a difference a day makes! I am forcing myself not to feel stupid/naive but something is terribly askew and wrong here in RE to this school district. I applaud my co-worker and wonderful man Nick for his posting as well as Susan and Julie; can't add much. Suffice to say today (and after reading the DR article) depressed and volatile, Yes, I follow the rules and consider myself the epitome of professionalism. To post the visuals of "SCABS" is paramount; we do have the power to maintain the integrity of our profession. To assume this is slander or libel is blatantly ridiculous. I do have a question which possibly has no answers...but if someone can shed some light I would appreciate that. "Hisorically" HUSD has had some critical issues RE their choice for it's leaders etc...have they not learned? With the information on Vigil and Barry's past "records"?? Thanks for the reading. Nancy @ Eden Gardens...hoping Paulette will re-post.."GO GIRL" we worked together at Harder

Yucaipa-Calimesa Teachers said...

Just checking in.

I was offended by the comment that the subs and nonstriking teachers (SCABS!) are crossing the picket lines because "they need the money." What kind of idiocy is this? You mean we choose to go on strike because we DON"T need the money? No - we go on strike because we can't afford NOT to.

I bet these substitutes are hoping you'll get fired so they can have your jobs. Then they'll expect to work peacefully in the future alongside those of you who stood up for your rights. They don't understand that for many, many years after a strike, memories remain strong about who chose to strike and who didn't. It takes decades to heal.

It looks like your local rag is just as biased as ours. That's why our blogs are so crucial to getting our points of view out.

So "scab" is a derogatory term. Duh. Are we expected to pretend that they really don't mean to jeopardize our livehoods?

Anonymous said...

A scab is a scab!!!
I can not believe that article. Because we are teachers we play martyr all day so much so that we may mistakenly feel for everyone even a scab . But remember the scab doesn't work if we don't work. It takes a real education, countless tests evaluations and years to become a competent teacher. Scabs don't have nothing on us. If they worked two at $150 they would make the $300 they made when they crossed the line regardless of the fact that us teachers asked them not to. They can't replace us and they won't. Let the scabs try and teach the students they can't. Feel sorry for the teachers feel sorry for the parents feel sorry for the students but do not feel sorry for the scabs. At my school regular subs never show up the contract says administrators should take the students but who takes them? We do and the district pays us an hour compensation. It saves them money, and once again we are the uncompensated ones the martyrs. We all got bills and another day on strike doesn't help but I refusse to keep working with out fair compensation and I am not going to feel sorry for any scabs and you shouldn't either!