[rlmorel]

I am angry and cynical about public education. I have been poking around the recovery.gov website, which is supposed to provide transparency to how stimulus funds were spent in your state.

While attempting to figure out how much a new visitor center at a state park in Sudbury, MA cost that had THIS blood pressure-raising sign in front of it:

I was unable to determine how much this thing cost (at least millions) but I did stumble across some stuff that I am going to try to post on here when I get it together.

They make the website and data so obtuse that even I began to lose focus after a while. But after downloading quarterly data into a spreadsheet and manipulating it, I found that in successive quarters, there were large outlays of stimulus funds, two million dollars here, two million dollars there to an entity called Minuteman Nashoba Health. These were by far the largest chunks of outlays. So when I looked it up, you know what it was?

Healthcare for teacher's unions. Damned healthcare for unions.

MY TAX DOLLARS, THAT THE GOVERNMENT TOLD US WAS CRITICAL TO KEEPING THE COUNTRY AFLOAT, ARE BEING USED FOR A LUXURY WELCOME CENTER THAT PROBABLY PROVIDES ONE FTE, AND IS BEING USED TO PROP UP LAVISH UNIONS.

Sudbury is one of the wealthiest towns in Massachusetts. and they were getting millions and millions in just a couple of quarters I looked at to pay for teacher's health care.

To say I am pissed is an understatement. So I am not in a mood to talk about how great public schools are today.

[cripplecreek]

I was a hold out on closing the public schools until Glenn Beck turned me on to this little gem a month or so back. "We are one" teacher's toolkit.

Teachers Toolkit (pdf)

It includes this handy little "student pledge form".

AS A STUDENT who believes in acting collectively and who supports workers’ right to bargain for good jobs and a better life, I am interested in doing one or more of the following (please check all that apply):

I want to connect with the union movement on my campus or in my community.

I want to help organize a teach-in like today’s for others on my campus or on a different campus.

I want to support workers’ organizing and collective bargaining struggles on my campus and in my community.

I want to learn about the AFL-CIO’s Organizing Institute programs. Please e-mail me information.

I would like to become a member of Working America, the community and student affiliate of the AFL-CIO. (www.workingamerica.org)

I would like to talk to someone about becoming an organizer for Working America.