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Tag Archives: teachers

Save it, print it, frame it, nail it to the schoolhouse door

29 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

1st Legislative District, Corona virus, COVID-19, education, General Assembly, Jess Piper, pandemic, social media, teachers, Twitter

This morning:

Jess Piper @EnglishTeach07
Here’s what I know after years in public education: teachers will be blamed for any perceived lack of learning during this pandemic. It’ll be “unions” or “lazy teachers” or “low standards”.

It won’t make any sense, but it never does.
8:23 AM · Dec 29, 2020

Exactly this.

Previously:

Jess Piper (D) in the 1st Legislative District – the time is now (November 22, 2020)

Campaign Finance: they’re serious

29 Friday Aug 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2014, Amendment 3, campaignfinance, education, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, teachers

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, more serious money for the folks opposed to Amendment 3 – [which is designed to] punishing education professionals – on the November ballot:

C141258 08/29/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Missouri State Teachers Assn Legislative Impact Committee PO Box 458 Columbia MO 65205 8/28/2014 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Over the years one learns well that standing on the sidelines is no longer an option.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: pawn to queen’s bishop $125,000.00 (August 27, 2014)

Understatement (July 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: even more in (July 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: all in (July 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Nope, the boat’s still not big enough. (June 4, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Campaign Finance: pawn to queen’s bishop $125,000.00

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2014, Amendment 3, campaign finance, education, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, teachers

Ah, Amendment 3, the ballot initiative on the November ballot promoted by someone with a lot of money who wants voters to screw public education across the State of Missouri. There are a lot of people opposed, though.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141258 08/27/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION American Federation of Teachers 555 New Jersey Ave NW Washington DC 20001 8/26/2014 $125,000.00

[emphasis added]

Not quite chess playing territory. But then again, they have a lot of pissed off teachers on their side.

C141258: Committee In Support Of Public Education

Po Box 458 Committee Type: Campaign

Columbia Mo 65205

[….] Established Date: 04/17/2014

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Constitutional Amendment 3 11/04/2014 Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To Require Teachers To Be Evaluated By A Standards Based Performance Evaluation System/Statewide Oppose

[….]

[emphasis added]

Next move.

Previously:

Understatement (July 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: even more in (July 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: all in (July 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Nope, the boat’s still not big enough. (June 4, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Nope, the boat’s still not big enough.

05 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, education, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, MSTA, NEA, teacher evaluation, teachers

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141258 06/04/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS Central MSTA Region 1422 Grandview Drive Warrensburg MO 64093 6/4/2014 $10,000.00

C141258: Committee In Support Of Public Educators

Po Box 458 Committee Type: Campaign

Columbia Mo 65205

[….] Established Date: 04/17/2014

[….]

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

2014-024 Relating To Teacher Performance Evaluation Systems 11/04/2014 Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To Require Teachers To Be Evaluated By A Standards Based Performance Evaluation System Oppose

[emphasis added]

It takes a lot more money than that to buy into a professional chess match.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat

28 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, education, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, MSTA, NEA, PAC, teachers

Previously: Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

141258 05/28/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS Northwest MSTA Region 2911 Blackwell Road St Joseph MO 64506 5/28/2014 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

Fancy that MSTA and Missouri NEA, working together.

It’s not nearly enough yet to weather the coming astroturf storm.

Campaign Finance: schooling

19 Monday May 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, MNEA, PAC, teachers

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141258 05/19/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS Northeast Region 56408 Highway VV Green City MO 63545 5/19/2014 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s a new PAC:

C141258: Committee In Support Of Public Educators

Po Box 458 Committee Type: Campaign

Columbia Mo 65205

(573) 442-3127 Established Date: 04/17/2014

[….]

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

2014-024 Relating To Teacher Performance Evaluation Systems 11/04/2014 Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To Require Teachers To Be Evaluated By A Standards Based Performance Evaluation System Oppose

Ah, they’re opposed to “busy work” which has no bearing on reality.

From their May 9,2014 campaign finance report:

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS [pdf] 5/9/2014

MO National Education Association

1810 E Elm Street

Jefferson City MO 65107

4/17/2014

$4,000.00

MO Legislative Impact Committee

P.O. Box 458

Columbia MO 65205

4/17/2014

$4,000.00

MO Legislative Impact Committee

P.O. Box 458

Columbia MO 65205

4/21/2014

$4,000.00

MO National Education Association

1810 E Elm Street

Jefferson City MO 65107

4/21/2014

$4,000.00

MO Legislative Impact Committee

P.O. Box 458

Columbia MO 65205

4/22/2014

$4,000.00

MO National Education Association

1810 E Elm Street

Jefferson City MO 65107

4/22/2014

$4,000.00

MO Legislative Impact Committee

P.O. Box 458

Columbia MO 65205

4/23/2014

$4,000.00

MO National Education Association

1810 E Elm Street

Jefferson City MO 65107

4/23/2014

$4,000.00

MO National Education Association

1810 E Elm Street

Jefferson City MO 65107

4/24/2014

$4,000.00

[emphasis added]

Unfortunately there are others opposed to public educators with much deeper pockets.

Brody: You’re gonna need a bigger boat.

Campaign Finance: a contribution of only $20.00 is a stronger statement

26 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Astroturf, campaign finance, education, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Rex Sinquefield, teachers, tenure

You just need 37,500 people to chip in. And then vote.

Previously: Campaign Finance: Wouldn’t it be easier to just write them a check directly? (April 14, 2014)

Do you think he took it as a suggestion?

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121045 04/25/2014 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 4/24/2014 $750,000.00

[emphasis added]

Nah, he couldn’t have, could he?

Meanwhile, celebrate astroturf!

For now it’s still only one vote.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: here’s $31,000.00, go beat up on public school teachers (February 26, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Bah, humbug! (December 25, 2013)

Campaign Finance: how astroturf (the fake grassroots) works (August 1, 2013)

Campaign Finance: teachers are evil, except when they save kids from a tornado or a crazed gunman (May 24, 2013)

Campaign Finance: using a lot of money to beat up on teachers (May 28, 2012)

Campaign Finance: here’s $31,000.00, go beat up on public school teachers

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

initiative, missouri, Rex Sinquefield, teacher tenure, teachers

Rex Sinquefield finally got some company.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121045 02/26/2014 TEACHGREAT.ORG StudentsFirst 825 K Street 2nd Floor Sacramento CA 95814 2/24/2014 $31,000.00

[emphasis added]

StudentsFirst is Michelle Rhee‘s organization.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Bah, humbug! (December 25, 2013)

Campaign Finance: teachers are evil, except when they save kids from a tornado or a crazed gunman (May 24, 2013)

Campaign Finance: using a lot of money to beat up on teachers (May 28, 2012)

[….]

Teachgreat doesn’t quite cut it. Add a PAC on teaching and Rex Sinquefield’s money and what you get is just another astroturf organization dedicated to trashing K-12 public education.

[….]

Campaign Finance: teachers are evil, except when they save kids from a tornado or a crazed gunman

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Rex Sinquefield, teachers, tenure

But since tornadoes and crazed gunman are relatively rare, teachers are apparently evil the vast majority of the time.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121045 05/24/2013 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 5/23/2013 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

According to the Amended Statement of Committee Organization [pdf] filed on April 2, 2013 Teachgreat.org, a PAC, is supporting a “Constitutional Amendment to Art, IX, Relating to Teachers and Certificated Staff”.

And what does “Teachgreat.org” want to do with all that Rex Sinquefield money? Make teachers at will [pdf] employees.

Missouri is in a race to the bottom in education funding

28 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

college, education, Education Funding, teachers

President Obama has called for all states to race to the top in education; but for the last ten years Missouri’s legislature has put us in a race to the bottom.

Ten years ago the Suburban Journals hosted a town hall forum with all of St. Charles County’s state representatives. I asked my teacher wife if was there anything she would like for me to tell them. She simply said, “Tell them I need help.”

I told the legislators of my wife’s struggle to educate a class where 24 out of 28 children were not reading at grade level. I asked if they were willing to support a $700 million increase to bring Missouri up to national average in per pupil spending; and if not, what advise did they have for my wife in teaching her students?  All I heard was a chorus of crickets.

In 1993, Missouri was under court order to provide more equitable school funding. To comply, Missouri passed the Outstanding Schools Act which required more accountability from schools while increasing funding by $310 million. By 2001, this would raise Missouri up to 30th in the nation in per pupil spending.

Since then, Missouri has fallen back into a race back to the bottom. The latest data shows Missouri at 41st in funding with teacher pay at a dismaying 48th. The singular cause for this decline is the lack of effort at the state level. While the average state funds 46 percent of school cost, our state is at a miserable 29 percent.

Over on the college side, the picture is even bleaker. Because of draconian cuts in college funding, tuition has doubled at state universities. The effect of this has been dramatic. Ten years ago, Missouri was above average nationally in the percent of our population with a bachelor’s degree or more. Now, we have fallen into the bottom third.

Last year at the Missouri Chamber of Commerce Capital Day, I asked a panel of legislative leaders, “In the last ten years Missouri has gone from 30nd to 41st in per pupil spending. What do you think of that?” Speaker of the House Steve Tilley answered, “Money isn’t the only thing. We have a reform agenda of charter schools, elimination of tenure, and merit pay.”

Because of the setting and my respect for his office, I restrained my anger; what I really wanted to shout was, “That’s not a plan that’s an excuse.”

What Tilley is telling Missouri’s teachers is insulting. To better educate her students, my wife needs lower class size and a longer school year not the frivolous carrot on a string of merit pay. She needs the skills of special needs teachers not the threat of loss of tenure. Where is the charter school which will take all my wife’s children and do a better job? The data is in and both nationally and here in Missouri charter schools are failing.

In last year Presidential debates, Mitt Romney put money in perspective when he said Massachusetts was number one in education. He’s right; but they didn’t get there with a “money isn’t the only thing” strategy. Massachusetts is spending over $16,000 per pupil which is almost 60 percent more than Missouri.

Meanwhile, here in Missouri almost 3000 teachers have been laid off, Parents as Teachers and pre-school programs cut, gifted education and arts programs gutted, and transportation and repair budgets reduced.

My exasperation over Missouri’s race to bottom led me to send an email out to friends asking them to stand up for public education. Two weeks later 23 people came to my house. We formed The Missouri Education Caucus to speak out in support of education. Recently we have been visiting school boards to present them with data on Missouri’s pathetic funding and asking them to stand up for public education.

Simultaneously, former state representative Gary Sharpe (D-Hannibal) was forming a similar group, Missouri Public School Advocates. For MPSA’s board, Gary has collected a virtual who’s who of educators and former state legislators now dedicated to stop Missouri’s decline.

The Missouri Education Caucus, MPSA, and the Missouri chapter of the national Save Our Schools have joined hands to carry the truth about Missouri’s inadequate funding of schools. We need your help.

If you are done with Missouri’s race to the bottom: join us. . If you are wondering how you can afford to send you child to college: join us. If you want no more teachers laid off, music and art programs cut, gifted and special needs children left fending for themselves: join us and speak out. It is our children’s future you will be defending.  

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