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Teachers and service workers say they’ve had enough [WV]
WV MetroNews ^ | February 17, 2017 | Chris Lawrence

Posted on 02/18/2018 3:44:54 AM PST by buckalfa

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There will be no public school next Thursday or Friday anywhere in West Virginia. Whether classes resume on Monday remained up in the air. The West Virginia teachers unions and service personnel organizations all agreed to authorize the first ever walkout in all 55 counties of teachers and service personnel.

“We’re done. We’re done waiting. We waited and have given them chances and they didn’t want to take it seriously,” said Teacher Christiana Frye of Cabell Midland High School. “Honestly I’m praying two days is enough because some people can’t afford to be out longer than that, but the way they’ve treated us so far I don’t know that it will.”

Cathy Pizzino, a teacher at Robert C. Byrd High School in Clarksburg was dug in for whatever it takes.

“We’ll be out a whole hell of a lot longer than two days,” she said. “I’m ready for 20, 30 whatever it is. I told my kids, it’s going to be a long haul.”

Thousands of teachers stood more than two hours in a cold and driving rain on Saturday, covering the Lincoln Plaza of the State Capitol. There, they pledged solidarity and believe the work stoppage will be the pressure needed to get improvements. The teachers agreed pay was an issue, but by no means the only issue.

“It’s the PEIA, it’s the wanting to take our seniority, it’s allowing uncertified teachers to come in and teach our classes,” said Donna Roberts who teaches at Sherman Elementary in Boone County. “It’s about a whole lot more than a paycheck.”

“I don’t think it’s fair that my benefits are determined by my husband’s or my family’s total income,” added Brenda Bolyard a teacher in Taylor County. “It’s ridiculous.”

While most agree the work stoppage is necessary, they also agreed it was worrisome to know students will not be in school those days.

“It’s not anything we want to do,” Roberts added. “But when we’re facing not being able to pay our bills month to month, we have to do something.”

“I actually have two children in the school system myself and even if I wasn’t a teacher, I’d be right there with their teachers,” said Frye. “They are helping to shape my children’s future and we are worried about the students.”

Although a strike by public employees in is illegal, West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee indicated on MetroNews Talkline it isn’t something the union considered a factor.

“What are they going to do, fire 15,000 people?” Lee rhetorically asked when questioned about the legality of the work stoppage.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: West Virginia
KEYWORDS: strike; teachers; wv
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To: buckalfa

Fire them all and go back to locally hired and run school systems. Centralized one size fits all schooling is a horrific failure.

Government employees should not be unionized because they will hold the public up for ransom.


41 posted on 02/18/2018 6:27:16 AM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: fella

Fire them all. It will work out well over a year or so after the unions are crushed.


42 posted on 02/18/2018 6:38:28 AM PST by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: PapaBear3625

If you recall, back when the Air Traffic Controllers went on strike and the great man, President Reagan fired those who went out on strike, the libs went nuts and predicted air traffic doom.
oh well, that didn’t happen just as if the Governor of W. by GOD Virginia fired those who strike it would be fine but the libs would say the end is near.


43 posted on 02/18/2018 6:38:45 AM PST by Joe Boucher (President Trump makes obammy look like the punk he is.)
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To: fella
The philosophic foundation of government schooling is socialism. It was the nation's first socialist entitlement.

Solutions: Fire the teachers. Issue vouchers immediately.

44 posted on 02/18/2018 6:44:16 AM PST by wintertime (Stop treating government teachers like they are reincarnated Mother Teresas!)
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To: hal ogen
It wouldn't take a year. A month at the most.

Karate schools would hire teachers and open schools.
The chain daycare centers would have schools open within a week.
Ballet schools and community theaters would open schools.
The local soccer clubs would rent space and open schools.
The YMCA and YWCA would have schools open within the week.
Summer camps would have boarding schools open within the week.

There is one exception. Mormons would have schools open on Monday.

45 posted on 02/18/2018 6:49:02 AM PST by wintertime (Stop treating government teachers like they are reincarnated Mother Teresas!)
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To: Scotswife
As of Oct 2017, West Virginia is a right-to-work state.
46 posted on 02/18/2018 7:00:08 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big governent is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
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To: buckalfa

““I don’t think it’s fair that my benefits are determined by my husband’s or my family’s total income,” “

Funny, they love socialism until they are determined to be the better off.


47 posted on 02/18/2018 7:00:58 AM PST by dgbrown
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To: Scotswife

There must be a 100 things named after the grand wizzer


48 posted on 02/18/2018 7:03:43 AM PST by morphing libertarian (Build Kate's Wall)
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To: buckalfa

All those kids going hungry without their breakfasts and lunches!

Save the children!


49 posted on 02/18/2018 7:05:32 AM PST by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals.")
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To: PapaBear3625

Actually all the WVSSC decision did was to unblock the circuit court decision and remand the suit back to the lower courts with instructions not to delay the case again. RTW is not yet settled law in WV.


50 posted on 02/18/2018 7:09:15 AM PST by buckalfa (I was so much older then, but I'm younger than that now.)
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To: PapaBear3625

Excellent!
I’m not unsympathetic to the plight of any West Virginia trying to pay their bills in one of the poorest economies in the US.
But teachers unions - as a whole - have given their members the message that the plight of the tax base shouldn’t affect them.


51 posted on 02/18/2018 7:09:35 AM PST by Scotswife
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To: Lurker

Indeed - no one does it better!


52 posted on 02/18/2018 7:10:14 AM PST by Scotswife
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To: morphing libertarian

Isn’t it funny? With all the hoopla over Civil War statues?
Has anybody suggested anything named after Byrd isn’t a good idea?


53 posted on 02/18/2018 7:12:10 AM PST by Scotswife
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To: DoodleDawg; buckalfa; fieldmarshaldj
“What are they going to do, fire 15,000 people?”

"We can't drill our way out of this"

"We can't deport them all"

We're Americans - we can do any d@mn thing we set our minds to.

54 posted on 02/18/2018 7:15:51 AM PST by Hardastarboard (Three most annoying words on the internet - "Watch the Video")
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To: Scotswife

I’m not sure wv cares and antifa can’t find the state


55 posted on 02/18/2018 7:18:35 AM PST by morphing libertarian (Build Kate's Wall)
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To: morphing libertarian
Lol! That is so true! 😂
56 posted on 02/18/2018 7:26:52 AM PST by Scotswife
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To: buckalfa

A daughter is a shift lead in her WV store.

Whether it is cultural or systemic in the schools, she observes daily a certain underperformance in the WV work force.


57 posted on 02/18/2018 7:39:52 AM PST by lurk
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To: skimbell

That is the reality of the private sector, a healthy percentage of people are at will employees, they are there as long as the people in charge want them.

I have no heartburn about teachers wanting more money, everyone does. This is more about unions than it is teaching.

If these folks are unhappy with their current situation then they can find a position which is better fit, they have free will.


58 posted on 02/18/2018 7:51:17 AM PST by phormer phrog phlyer
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To: buckalfa
it’s allowing uncertified teachers to come in and teach our classes,

One does not need a certificate to be an excellent teacher. For most humans, our best teachers are our parents. For most teachers, the Education degree is a complete waste of time and money. I learned exactly 3 important/useful things while getting my Education degree... all 3 from the same person, and he was not a college professor... he was a hippie HS teacher who lived across the street from me and taught a course as an adjunct at my university.

59 posted on 02/18/2018 8:01:22 AM PST by Teacher317 (We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men)
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To: buckalfa
fire every last one the them.
60 posted on 02/18/2018 8:27:37 AM PST by Chode (You have all of the resources you are going to have. Abandon your illusions and plan accordingly.)
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