teachers, parents, students, and their supporters flooded the education center last night in support of bcsd educators, with numbers of picketers estimated to be upward of 800 ... the superintendent and his clan contend that the union is being unreasonable & that teachers don't want what the union wants -- however, at the school board meeting that followed the large, peaceful picket, karen dewalt was seen banging a gavel to try to keep order as meeting attendees chanted "BETA! BETA! BETA!"

how ridiculous of the school board to say that a proactive, responsive, and organized union such as BETA would not reflect the best interests of its own... such propaganda just unifies and mobilizes teachers more.   in fact, the school board seems to be afraid of BETA's peaceable, confident, and organized action. read below:

this just in off the wire...

I attended the Bakersfield City Schol District meeting last night. Despite being asked several times to move the meeting to the adjacent auditorium, which seats several hundred people, the School Board refused! Over 200 people were kept out of the meeting, being made to stand in the foyer and spilling out the door. We were not able to hear what transpired during the public meeting. I am a concerned taxpayer who lives in the BCSD area. I am concerned about the judgement of a School Board when they deny access to this public meeting to the very people who help pay for the schools. I am concerned about the judgement of a School Board that chooses to ignore fire and safety isseus that exist by not moving the meeting to a place where all could sit down. As a result of last night's descision, I am concerned that the School Board may not be making the best decisions for the students.

L.B., **** O**** St., Bakersfield CA 93305, 661-32*-***3

a peaceful crowd of protesters so large that the school board, befuddled, violated the law by refusing to move the meeting? who wants to bet at the next meeting, bcsd will have hired guards to "keep the order"? board members might ruin manicures if forced to bang gavels too much, after all. (yes, that was a cheap shot, and i took it.)

(this reminds me - a certain activist minister is pushing for bcsd's books to be investigated... could this be motivating the superintendent and his people to throw smoke screens up suggesting that the union is the one in the wrong? let's look into our crystal ball and foresee californian headlines one year from now... hmmm.... can we say enron or desert counseling, everyone?...)

after the recent election, the school board is now packed with even more good ol boys ... it's typical. this town, sometimes known as "bakersfailed," "backwardsfield," and the like, has an image problem. yes, we can be folksy and friendly, but we also can be reactionary,  stingy, and small-minded, sometimes appallingly so (and LAZY! herrera lost the election by under 200 votes, and mcdougle was close, as well... where were the voters???)... witness a letter that ran in today's bakersfield californian, undoubtedly written by a relative or close friend of one of the school board's more conservative members, no doubt at that board member's behest.

the letter chastised BETA president carol reichert for doing her job, suggesting that instead of standing up for the teachers and their rights, she basically should quit and  be a stay-at home mommy.  the idea that women shouldn't work, or cannot both work and successfully lead a family... wasn't that kind of hateful thinking supposed to go away decades and decades ago as americans "progressed"?

the female letter writer claims that her daughters are teachers (i guess to lend credence to her bigoted argument)... how surprising, given her viewpoint.  makes you wonder if her own girls were ever encouraged to work, or had to fight to make their own careers!

if such an incredible letter ran in the paper of a more forward-thinking community, it rightfully would be ridiculed and challenged... however, we're in "bakersfailed," and the temptation is to say, sort of like at the end of the great movie "chinatown," "forget it, jake: it's bakersfield." in other words, around here, no one really cares, and injustice and inequality prevail always.

we'll just see what happens...

bcsd school teachers, families, and their supporters will picket bcsd schools friday morning, mostly likely 15-30 mins before school starts. this would be anywhere from 7-8 am at most sites - just ask your child what time school starts.  this is an informational picket to let parents know what has been going on:

teachers have been working without a contract since july, 2006 (due to unsettled contract items - especially the one described next)

the most debated contract item is TRANSFER RIGHTS.  if BCSD gets to make the changes it wants, any teacher, from any school, at any grade level could potentially be moved without any reason given.

this means EVERYONE, even cozy and happy staffs at the top schools, or hard-working, united, making-gains staffs at some of the "bottom" schools. your favorite teachers would and could be moved, and they will, if these changes are made.

the teachers' union hasn't given in to changes in this area. the union realizes it's a slippery slope that will erode teachers' rights... not to mention make many parents and students unhappy!!!!

already, if you're reading this, you likely know that many many teachers are under extreme pressure from overbearing, punitive principals who themselves are near nervous breakdown from NCLB demands; parents at far too many schools who are indifferent to or unsupportive of school for various reasons; and the life having been sucked out of school curriculum and teaching as a profession due to NCLB... many teachers are near burn-out or quitting.

then who will teach the kids???

the current environment already is unsupportive of teachers, who are being scapegoated (along with children at the "bottom" schools)... beta is right to stand by teachers so that they can feel supported at least by someone.

if you are reading this, you likely are a person sympathetic to education and have been supportive. thank you.

of course, the ones who suffer - when teachers are barely hanging on to their jobs and peace of mind, when they have become unappreciated, disheartened, and must teach lockstep curriculum under extreme duress - is THE KIDS. 

many administrators, again, themselves near-nuts from pressure, are blaming teachers for these contract problems and the resulting organizing efforts teachers are being forced to take. "don't you care about the kids?" several have accused. "why do you want to hurt the children?"

almost without exception, no person would go into the currently near-thankless job of teaching unless he/she loved children.  of course there are the duds, as in any profession. overall, however, teachers are idealistic, committed, and loving individuals who want to better society.

if i were teaching, accusatory statements that i have heard said by principals and the "higher-ups" at BCSD  would make me want to quit in an instant... or, because i loved teaching and children so much, to continue, to fight on, to keep going, though my heart were sick with frustration.

this latter situation is where you will find most of your teachers to be. how much longer can they endure the pressure?

please consider going out to your local BCSD school friday morning for 15 minutes, to  hold a picket sign or hand out a flyer.

parents need to know why teachers are being FORCED to organize and rally their efforts. it certain is NOT because teachers don't care about kids. that is plain mean and manipulative BS.

ps - below is a link to send to friends and sign yourself, if you agree that the factory mentality of NCLB has been damaging to american children: http://www.educatorroundtab...