The Brecksville Board of Education would not answer a direct question from a resident about planning time for staff.
A resident asked the Brecksville Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, July 17th asked how it would save the district money by cutting planning time. The resident was met with vague responses from the Brecksville Board of Education who would not answer the direct question.
This is another illustration of how the Brecksville Board of Education does not understand the job of a teacher, a speech and language pathologist, a school psychologist, or a guidance counselor. We CLEARLY continue to plan well before and after school hours, well after the planning time we already get (HS & MS= 400 minutes, elem.= 315 minutes), well after the doors close and the lights are turned off. This is longer than an eight hour day. The staff CLEARLY understands the value of planning!
Furthermore, at the elementary level, the teachers get 315 minutes of planning time per week by taking their students to a “specials” class like media center, computer lab, art, P.E., or music. Every there are 60 minutes of art; two 40 minutes P.E.; two 35 minutes music adds up to 190 minutes leaving only 5 minutes for media and 5 minutes for computer; this does not even count lunch/recess. We guess the kiddos can't have lunch/recess because that would give the teachers more planning time than they “should” have. Or will the Brecksville Board of Education be taking special classes away? Will every child's day be reduced to "save money?" It is much easier to tell the public you're reducing planning time than to say you are cutting special classes. Just like it is easier to put an advisory sentence at the bottom of a contract section rather than to outright delete things from that section.
Ann Marie Williams
8:00 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
This makes me the most angry. The fact that our community voted in 4 people who don't have the understanding necessary to answer this simple question. If you know anything about an Elementary teacher's day, you know that planning time takes place when the students are at phys ed, art, music, library or recess. The answer to that resident's question would have to be "yes."
The answer to all of this is very simple. We need to put our students first and in doing that, we need to provide for our teachers. Teachers work above and beyond their contracts on a daily basis. There is no need to be stingy with time here.
Please get this contract taken care of. My daughter wants to start High School on a positive note. We're counting on this Board to put our children first.
lyn
10:06 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I find it rather disturbing that between July 20 and July 27, there have been 8 blogs on the Patch by the "BEA/BOSS Employees". I guess it's allowed, but it just doesn't "taste" right. Besides that, it's too much "in your face", has the appearance of campaigning, and many people read these and think they are reading an actual Patch news article, rather than a blog. I think I would find it more acceptable if it came from a person rather than some organization where no name of a person is attached to take responsibility for being the author. But, just my opinion.
Matt
10:21 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Lyn:
I see you've been following these blogs very closely. You should know that the Board is making it difficult for the teachers to have a voice. They are filing unfair charges and sending orders to stop communicating with parents and students. The only way they can have a safe voice is to post as an organization.
Although I am only able to get on these sites from time to time, one thing that we all should believe in is the freedom of speech and that freedom should come without the fear of retaliation from an employer who is spending all kinds of money to eliminate any type of speech from their oppposition.
They Board is trying every avenue possible to shut their voice down. Whether you believe what they are saying or not, they should have the right and safety to express their views.
lyn
10:31 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I certainly believe in freedom of speech; however, many employers DO ask and/or require that public discussion of certain things be withheld. That includes talking to the press and using Facebook as a means of communicating.
When I mentioned "too much in your face" and campaigning, it was actually letting them know that at some point people not only turn a deaf ear to what is said, but they turn against you.
What good is accomplished by bashing the Board? If the Board were to put these same types of blogs out there, I can only imagine the uproar. Why not leave the negotiating to the parties at the table? Let the union do its job and pass your concerns on to them.
Matt
10:35 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Didn't the Board make negotiations public by posting all of the proposals on their Web site before negotiations even began?
If the Board really wanted to leave the negotiating to the parties at the table the would have not posted their Negotiations Website with videos and all. Can't have it both ways.
Or is it okay for them to present their position to the public and not okay for the Union to do the same?
lyn
10:44 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I actually see nothing wrong with both contract proposals being made public. I wish that was always done, in every district, because it is the taxpayer who is ultimately paying these wages. A contract is a tangible item, which is much different than opinion, bashing, or misinterpretations of contract content.
lyn
10:50 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
And regarding "not okay for the Union to do the same?"
Has the Union been speaking, or is it the teachers?
Robert K.
1:12 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I believe that posting the proposals while still negotiating is illegal, but I'll reserve final judgment on that until SERB rules on that Unfair Labor Practice. I suspect that's why the Union took down their site because both were in violation.
Regardless of the outcome of the SERB ruling, the Board's objective was achieved. The staff are being portrayed as the reason for our financial situation, and that's not fair. The Dosens campaigned HARD against the levies so the Board would have (in Mark Dosen's words) "leverage in Negotiations". Now they have it, Mark's on the Board to bring the plan to fruition, but we'll still be out of money in 2016 even if both unions accept the Board's INITIAL proposals. Then what? The Board hasn't said that H.S. busing will be an outcome of these Negotiations. The Board hasn't said that pay-to-play will be reduced or even discontinued. Do you know why? They can't!! Breaking collective bargaining agreements doesn't fix the problem!! What are the long term solutions our Board has? Are there any? THAT should be our focus, folks...not the staff.
Dave Dosen never intended to get more than a single term. He simply wanted to torpedo the levy. Mark Dosen and Michael Ziegler don't want another term either. They don't care about our threats to vote against them next time. They have one goal and that is to bust the unions. Then the Dosen brothers and Mr. Ziegler will be gone. Their kids will be graduated. We will be left to deal with the carnage.
Matt
10:51 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Of course you don't see anything wrong with allowing one side to express their opinions (there is more than just proposals on the site) and silencing the opposition.
I'm sure you also support the Board publically addressing their opinions, bashings and misinterpretations of the contract content at public Board meetings.
Come on Lyn. If the Board wants to publically bash, opine and misinterpret contract contents in their Forums, the teachers have the right to do it on their forums.
What is falling on deaf ears is the rhetoric from these comments that one side has all the rights and freedom of expression and the other side doesn't.
lyn
11:02 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Matt-
I do not support either side engaging in these activities, and was not aware the board has done this. I have been following this on the Patch, Plain Dealer, and Sunpaper and have to admit I do not recall reading anything about these activities by the board. However, I have witnessed LOTS of this from the teachers. I think they should be more dignified and let the Union speak for them because they are not presenting themselves in a manner worthy of what I recall a Brecksville teacher to be.
Sorry, I have to go ... but I think we have about reached our "impasse".
lyn
11:07 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Matt-
Just rereading before I sign off, and saw your "the teachers have the right to do it on their forums". Why not keep it on their own separate website then? THAT would be the proper outlet.
Robert K.
12:54 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
lyn- which teachers are blogging on here in an undignified manner? Can you please direct me to their posts?
BEA/BOSS Employees
11:31 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Thank you for your comments. As BEA/BOSS we speak as one voice for the quality education of the students we serve. Whether it is believed or not, we want to settle the contract and desire to negotiate with the Board of Education in the best interest of every student. With the Board declaring impasse so soon (July) - this is in direct contradiction to a comment the Board made about the last negotiation process going into November to come to an equitable solution (the last process was truly good faith bargaining) - it makes it impossible to have good faith based negotiations. In fact, this Board is not bargaining at all as they will not move on any point in their contract, but rather they are negotiating (in the strictest sense of the word), and their negotiating message is - "Take it or leave it." We do not see any good faith in that, nor will anyone else if they are at all reasonable and rational.
Robert K.
12:53 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Question: In your scenario, are the kids also there the 8 hours?
Ann Marie Williams
4:31 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I can't speak to the exact number of hours teachers in this district work or are negotiating for. I only know from my experiences in Elementary schools how the day works. My kids were both at the Middle School and the extra 30 minutes that the teachers offered in the last contract worked out beautifully. Teachers had drop in morning study sessions so if my daughter had trouble in math, she could get an extra 30 minutes with her math teacher. Sometimes there were a number of students but other times it was a 3 or 4 to 1 tutoring time. It was amazing. So much better than looking for a tutor that I would have to pay and then find time to see.
Sorry, my comments are a bit out of order, I don't post here often so I didn't realize there was a character limit.
Patti Hedrick
9:17 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I know who some of the posters are but I am concerned that a lot of the comments on here (not just this post, but other posts as well) are from people who do not live in the district and are not affected by this issue at all. While everyone is entitled to their opinion I worry that the comments are getting clogged up by those who are just wanting to post rather than those who are part of this issue.