Local Teachers Outraged Over Gov. Walker's Budget Proposal

Fair

59°

Feels Like: 58 °
More Weather

Conditions at Wausau Downtown Airport, WI

Posted: Sat 10:46 PM, Feb 12, 2011

A A

Reporter: Liz Hayes Email

Updated: Sat 10:51 PM, Feb 12, 2011

Back to HomePage

Local Teachers Outraged Over Gov. Walker's Budget Proposal

Local teachers are expressing outrage to Governor Scott Walker's proposal to change state union rights.

Gov. Walker says the state is broke and has no money to negotiate, so he's taking away bargaining rights and reducing benefits which will cost the average state worker thousands of dollars a year.

Area teachers say education is being unfairly targeted, and fear the cuts will mean less quality teachers and education.

"We feel like we're a target and we feel like there are better ways of doing this and we just wanna know why we are the target," said Shelley Miller, a second grade teacher at Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Wausau.

Cathy Ordemann, a teacher at Merrill High School says the proposal is a full on attack, which will negatively affect her community.

"If you put a cap on all those individuals that work there that's 212 teachers alone... that's gonna have a trickle down effect on the private businesses because if the money's not available, they money can't be spent," she said.

Along with taking away bargaining rights, the governor's proposal would put a cap on salary increases.

Ordemann and Miller fear educators will quit, quality teachers will be even harder to find, and students will be the ones losing in the end.

They say it the proposal passes, they'll be forced to pay $5,000 to $6,000 more a year in benefits.

The bill is expected to be voted on Thursday.

Governor Walker said Friday at a news conference that his budget proposal should not come as a surprise to anyone, and that it was part of his campaign promise.

Next Story >

Read Comments

All comments must adhere to the WSAW.com discussion rules.

by Anonymous on Feb 17, 2011 at 12:04 AM

Has anyone stopped to think about the affect this strike has on our children in these schools right now? These children are not going to school tomorrow because of this issue. When did teaching children become about your salary? Why did you become a teacher in the first place? It certainly wasn't for the money or you would have chosen a different profession. If you care more about the money than you are about providing an education for these children then maybe you should find a new profession.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by BJ Location: western WI on Feb 15, 2011 at 06:26 PM

This is not about "punishing" teachers, it's about our Governor trying to balance our budget! Listen to the man, he said he can not go to the table to negotiate with the Unions because our state is broke... NO money! You need to have something on both sides to negotiate. I have a lot of respect for Scott Walker that he is at least trying to make our state live within our means. As for teachers, who can blame anyone for being upset when something at their job changes for the worse? My husband's company moved a few years ago and now his commute is 45 minutes instead of 25. He decided to keep his current job and travel the extra time, than quit and try to find another job in this economy. Teachers and other state employees will have to make those choices too now. I agree with the person who said unions should not exist for government jobs. Teachers, in particular, would have a much better occupation if only they were willing to be compensated by worth instead of tenure!

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Pete Location: Wausau on Feb 15, 2011 at 10:24 AM

T.C., you make a good point. I will disagree with you on two of those arguments. One, since 1993, school districts were capped on the amount of money they could spend, so teachers bargained for benefits rather than salaries. Almost all teachers that I have spoken with are understanding about contributing to their health insurance and pensions. Two, with the bargaining that has existed for the past 50 years, to have those benefits taken away, which is very possible without bargaining protection, is very scary to someone who has had that for their 30 year careers. Gov. Walker is trying to kill the union, not just balance the budget.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Anonymous Location: Wausau on Feb 15, 2011 at 10:01 AM

There are good and bad teachers and with a union it is almost impossible to get rid of them. Unions played a role in attaining fair working conditions and pay; however, I doubt they were intended to reward non-productive employees. This applies to ALL unions...not just for public employees. Municipalities should be given a budget that can not be exceeded and see how productive and efficient the become. Healthcare cost have increase because Americans are unhealthy and teachers have no incentive to improve. Paying a portion will be an incentive.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Anonymous on Feb 14, 2011 at 06:05 PM

Kind of funny calling people spoiled children when your thinking that if you don't have or can't get something, nobody should have it. Or, I don't care as long as my taxes don't go up. This is discrimination against public employees. The budget is every Wisconsin citizens problem to fix.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Anonymous on Feb 14, 2011 at 05:03 PM

If you are unable to post without a grammatical error you should really reconsider opposing quality education or risk having future generations with a similar lack in intellect. Without educators you would not be able to read, write, or formulate a clear thought after analyzing and synthesizing the information provided by both sides of the situation. While it is true that some professions spend more years pursuing a degree, it is also true that without elementary and secondary teachers those people would never have been able to achieve such high goals. I am proud to be in the education field and I am proud to work way more hours than I am paid for in the hopes of enlightening future generations to think for themselves and have a voice. Eeyore once said, "to the uneducated, an A is just three sticks." Do not let this state become one that is only capable of seeing sticks.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Mary Location: Chippewa Valley on Feb 14, 2011 at 04:00 PM

You go Badger - if the general public realized the amount of hours teachers put it (yes, I am one), they would never again call it a part-time job!

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by badger on Feb 14, 2011 at 03:27 PM

It sounds like a lot of people are unhappy with their jobs and have to attack others so they feel better. Just what the owners want their employees to do so they don't focus on the real problems. Here are some facts: 1. When i was a teacher i worked an average of 55 hours a week for 36 weeks. Add in a class to keep my certification (about 10 hours) and i worked about 1990 hours. A person who works 40 hours a week for 50 weeks a year (2 weeks for vacation) works about 2000 hours a year. 2. Workers have always been compensated based upon their training and expertise. i would not expect to make as much as a doctor or lawyer because i chose not to invest that much in my training. Did the workers the Gov is comparing teachers to have to invest in the same level of training that they do? 3. Most raises are eaten up by increases in the cost of health insurance (maybe that is real problem?) 4. Why is it ok for the Gov to redistribute my wealth, but when Obama tries hes a socialist?

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Andrea Location: Stevens Point on Feb 14, 2011 at 01:14 PM

The comments here are truly insightful! Teachers are whiners, spoiled children, are only in it for the benefits, don't have to sacrifice anything, and don't know what it's like in the real world. I am a teacher and I am proud of my profession. I am not whining, I am standing up for what I believe in. I am not a spoiled child, I am a professional who dedicated my life to teach your children how to be successful in whatever career path they chose to pursue. I am not in this profession for the pay or the benefits, I can take my college education and degrees and work in the private sector for twice the amount I am currently working for. However, I CHOOSE to teach because I want to make a difference in the lives of our students. Taking away our bargaining rights is going to have a detrimental effect on our education system. Poke fun at us, sling mud at us, call us names - we have done no such thing to you or anyone in the "private sector" ... so what gives YOU that right?

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.
by Trent Location: Stevens Point on Feb 14, 2011 at 08:11 AM

Waaa, waaaa.Cry me a river. So you would have to pay 12.6 percent into med. Big deal, still sounds alot better than what I have to pay in the private sector which is nearly 24 percent. Its not only teachers, all state employees, about time they start paying for medical.The reason to take away bargaining power is because its just like taking something away from a spoiled child, put them in the corner until they stop crying. The unions did such a good job in the automotive industry and everywhere else,huh.

[ Report Abuse ]

You have successfully replied to this comment.