AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday vetoed a bill that would provide additional pay to public school teachers who receive special national certification.
Such money would be better spent on teacher training, the governor said in his veto message.
“I am not vetoing this bill because I disagree with the benefits of National Board Certification,” LePage wrote. “Rather, I am vetoing it because it is a Band-Aid to a problem — the need for highly qualified teachers — requiring a larger more coordinated statewide solution.
“Moreover, this bill requires teachers to partially fund the program, while simultaneously paying union dues which are squandered on a host of activities not even remotely related to professional development.”
He also used the veto to again criticize the state teachers union, the Maine Education Association, for backing a campaign to legalize same-sex marriage this fall.
“The MEA announced its endorsement recently of the same-sex marriage proposal on the November ballot,” LePage said in a press release Tuesday. “This announcement is an example of what the union is choosing to focus on rather than expanding and enhancing opportunities for teacher development.”
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, sought to encourage teachers to mentor one another by offering salary incentives of up to $3,000 a year by 2014. The higher salaries would come after certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The money was to come from fees collected by the Department of Education to fund teacher certification.
“Rather than fund this new program on the backs of teachers, I propose eliminating teacher certification fees and working with the MEA to refocus its efforts on professional development of teachers, not the pet political projects of union bosses,” LePage wrote in his veto letter, which included a small smiley face next to his signature.
The governor said he’d match, dollar for dollar, any union fee increases that went toward “improving the profession of teaching.” He said essentially the same thing in a letter sent to MEA President Chris Galgay last week when he admonished the union for backing the marriage equality campaign.
“Too often, however, union bosses worry about a wide variety of efforts — political campaigns, lobbying, protecting bad teachers, insurances sales, and providing golf and skiing discounts — which are not related to furthering the education of our children,” LePage said in the May 24 letter. “I believe that by re-focusing your union’s energy on professional development, students will dramatically benefit.”
Rob Walker, executive director of the MEA, said Tuesday it’s the responsibility of the state and school districts to provide teachers with training they need to improve.
“It’s a red herring to sit there and say that a union is responsible for providing staff development, even though we do,” Walker said. “We’re very disappointed that the governor chose to veto a bill that only supports the people who are trying to become more effective in the classroom, and it appears that his disapproval of the Maine Education Association is being taken out on teachers.”
You gotta love this Governor! Go Paul.
Yeah. Far and fast. Just go.
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In all my decades, I never thought I’d see teachers–some of the most important people in our society–so viciously attacked and denigrated. I really was naive about how cruel and misguided we could be, and how Ignorance could take hold.
I don’t see any attacks on teachers in these posts.
Exactly. Criticizing the MEA means hating rank-and-file teachers somehow. If teachers think this is an attack on them, I hope they are telling their union to stop putting them in the hot seat.
The Unions aren’t putting them in the hot Seat!
Lepage is!
Hardly. Saying someone (on the Right, of course) doesn’t like the union means he/she hates the represented workers is standard and tiring. Calling SSM a union contract issue doesn’t make it so.
This is the era of “”Citizens United””!
Freedom of speech is unlimited!
Of course it is. But if I were a teacher, I wouldn’t want them spending resources on something other than representing me to my employer.
But’s it’s OK if you are a shareholder in a corporation that’s
spending resources on something other than making a profit?
It is, because I can choose not to give them my money. I can *not* join the union, but I can’t keep them from getting any of my money.
Personally I’d rather belong to the union, if they represent me, but they shouldn’t take my money and spend it on causes that I don’t support…or may oppose.
None of the money for Fair Share dues is paid to the political causes of the Union, unless of course you believe contracts are political.
“None” is a big word, but let’s assume that’s true. It is clearly opportunity cost.
Think about it!!
You would have that opportunity to go to a Union Meeting and voice your opinion to that matter! If brought to a vote you would have one vote as one member on the issue.
Union Charters most often are run like a Democracy.
Conversley, in a similiar situation in regard to spending your money on politics as an investor in a corporation unless you have a majority of shares , your voice would be drowned out by the share holders who where richer than you.
Corporate Charters Most Often are run by the Golden Rule.
Those with the most Gold get To Rule!
I agree that my voice in the corporation would be drowned out, but I don’t have to give them my money. I MUST give some to the MEA. And talk about having my voice drowned out, I don’t imagine the union being responsive to my ideas. But it shouldn’t matter, because my labor organization has no business “supporting” political candidates or causes.
That’s our gov for you
Teachers shouldn’t take this personally. I mean after all, when was the last time we heard Mr. LePage say anything good about anybody? He’s all about the negativity. Take negativity away from him and he’d vanish in a big poof of black smoke.
At least LePage stands up for what he believes in. Sometimes it is incorrect. Most politicians crumble with the pressure of the prevailing wind. Gay marraige is not for the MEA.
No teacher has been attacked, in fact many have been spared. Handing out bonuses to teachers? Which ones get the money and which one does not? Who chooses? How are the evaluations done and a conclusion reached that one teacher has earned a bonus and another has not? Unions take teacher money and spend it on same sex marriage campaigns, how does that further the teacher cause? LePage wants to use the money for teacher training, how is that bad?
I know Spruce, its that you just hate LePage and will say anything including make things up to bring your message home.
Remember: criticizing the union = hating teachers
Maybe you should research what it takes to reach national certification before you make these comments!!
LePage attacks teachers’ unions, unions in general and even his own Executive branch emolyees while glorifying business. The sun never sets on this governor’s attacks on labor, ie, most of us.
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I for one love the smiley face! Glad my Gov. has what it takes to be politically incorrect! He’s for the original intent of an education for students. Get an education and then go get a job and be a productive member of society! Union bosses are overpaid bullies and deserve a :( !!
Oh what utter ignorance and nonsense. YOUR joke of a fool gov’s party, YOUR party, is going get royally smashed in November and your goofy gov is going to be the lamest of ducks.
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strike
Amen. Down with the political incorrectness.
6.5 hours a day 36 1/2 weeks a year. I should hope they put in a few extra hours of work.
1 in 5 of our best and brightest arrive at college unprepared despite getting the seal of approval from our dedicated, professional educators.
Do you actually, personally know any teachers? What percent of them work 6.5 hours a day 36 1/2 weeks a year? I am a teacher, and I have three other teachers in my family. We work extremely long days, usually working at least part of every weekend. I have been working 10 hour days for the past 6 months. I have worked 6 days a week (granted, “only” 6 hours on Saturday or Sunday in addition to my weekday hours) for the past 6 months.
I care about teaching, I care about students, and I am sick of being put down, insulted and used as a scapegoat for society’s ills.
Clearly, you didn’t really pay attention in school, or you would realize that most teachers work very hard. We are, unfortunately, not able to control or choose the “clientele” we work with. If the student and parents do not value education, if the student does not pay attention in class, it is next to impossible to make that student learn. In the old days, such students would drop out and find menial labor jobs. We are now told that increasing the retention rate and graduation rate is of vital importance.
I’m glad I didn’t have you in class. I am pretty certain you would have been one of the students who arrived at class tardy, without having done homework, daydreamed or distracted others during class, then complained that you didn’t understand the course material for the test.
I urge you to do your homework. Get to know some current teachers. Find out what we really do. Talk to students about their best and favorite teachers, and what they learned from them.
I think you’d be surprised to find we are not all sitting at home eating Slimjims and watching Three’s Company reruns at 3:00 every afternoon. We are typically in our classrooms from 7 am to 5 or 6 pm, then take work home to do after dinner. We volunteer for many additional school activities, because we care about the students and the future. We DO instead of just griping about what others don’t do.
I also have teachers in my family and the amount of money they spend on their students for basic necessities and school supplies is unbelieveable…and they do not ask to be reimbursed (they know they WON’T be reimbursed) yet they continue to spend to benefit the students. I am also sick of the demonization of our teachers in maine….stand ’em up, side by side, with the states politicians and we’ll see who the workers are!
My Mother in Law was a teacher a special needs teacher as a matter of fact. She got screwed by your little union system. She was let go from probation period and other teachers who the schools knew were bad were kept on because of the ….. Union! She was even recognized in a down-east newspaper for her teaching because she was so good. Still…. the one school couldn’t hire her on because of other more worse teachers staying on that they HAVE to keep because of the union CRAP. Yes teachers work very hard. My Mother in Law did right up until the last few months before her liver failed. The system and the UNION FAILED HER!
It could be that your mother in law knew somebody at the paper. You have no idea how effective she was as a teacher, and honestly neither does the newspaper. She clearly either got caught up in a numbers game (layoffs) or she was not as good as you claim.
Tenure sucks, suck at teaching and sstay aboard because you are tenured or represented by the Union.
Thank you for your contribution. Seriously. I was a teacher and I left. I didn’t appreciat the No Child Left Behind and the administration telling me what to teach and when to teach. I also don’t like parents! LOL.
However you signed on knowing the hours. I work from 4am to 8pm, my fiance works late into the evening. We are in social work. We work 12 months a year like that. I think you’d be suprised at how many people besides teachers work hard. Nurses work 12 hour shifts. I wish the teachers would stop beating the long hours and society owes them.
Nurses are generally hourly workers. If they work over 40 hours a week they are compensated for it. If you are working over 40 hour weeks in social work, it is time to have a conversation with your boss. No other profession is paid so little and expected to work so much.
Half of the teachers do not work in the summer. This is supported by a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics where they interviewed teachers. No, it is not time to have a conversation with the boss. Managed care, billable hours, performance objects are dominating that profession. If you do not meet performance objectives you are terminated. No unions to protect social workers. Nurses work 52 weeks of the year. They might get overtime, however little rest, little time at home. It all balances out. Reward teachers individually, not the collective. More then half have no business teaching!
Yet despite that, teachers on average work 1950 hours a year. Coincidentally the same number of years worked by the average social worker (37.5 per week on average). It sounds to me like either you need to join a union or get another job since you clearly cannot accomplish the tasks in your job in a timely manner.
Why is it common for people to personally attack others when they do not like what others have to say? BLS indicates that the average high school teacher makes $34.06 per hour (2005). The average public school teacher was paid 36% more per hour than the average
non-sales white-collar worker and 11% more than the average professional
specialty and technical worker.Full-time public school teachers work on average 36.5 hours per week during
weeks that they are working. By comparison, white-collar workers (excluding
sales) work 39.4 hours, and professional specialty and technical workers work
39.0 hours per week. Private school teachers work 38.3 hours per week.
Compared with public school teachers, editors and reporters earn 24% less;
architects, 11% less; psychologists, 9% less; chemists, 5% less; mechanical
engineers, 6% less; and economists, 1% less.
oh, if I joined a Union I would not have a job. I”m a Program Administrator. I work in excess of 40 hours, it is my choice I don’t expect recognition. I work for the people who work for me. My fiancee is a social worker; she is salaried at 40 hours and works 50-60 hours year round. She is expected to bill 30 face-face hours. She works with children and often has to intervene with special education and mainstream teachers. Her face-to-face time does not include IEP, special ed meetings, parent meetings, and volunteering for Special Olympics. She doesn’t get teach workshops and school vacations to catch up on paperwork. So before you attack people think.
“More then half have no business teaching!”
Really? Any data to support that claim or is all just ideology?
“Just Say No” to Unqualified Teachers, Anne Lewis
Qualified Teachers for All, New Pittsburg Courier
A few articles
6.5 hours a day? I wish. Many teachers spend more time than that doing what needs to be done.
I should hope so. You do realize that most salaried professionals work far more that 8 hours a day for 48 or more weeks a year, right?
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Small business owners…..maybe we should recognize them. They take pay cuts when business isn’t good, are teachers willing to take a pay cut when times are tight in the school district? I resepct and value the teachers but they deserve the same recognition as everyone!
I’d like to know how much time you spend on your job that goes uncompensated. I’d like to know how much money you spend on your job that is not reimbursed. I’d like to know how much time you spend on your job that has little or nothing to do with what you teach( duties) .I’d like to know how much you spend to help another person’s child have what he/ she needs to do better in school.. Remember , teachers are taxpayers too.
We have a gov who doesn’t respect what they do and then complains that the Union has the audacity to take a position on a social issue. I thought everyone had a right to do that, but I guess only those groups that back him have that right! He doesn’t believe that others have that right to take positions – remember if corporations are people, unions must be too. Here we have something that may, for relatively little money, help improve instruction but he doesn’t back it and then the r’s wonder why Unions a don’t back them.November can’t get here fast enough!
Your post indicates your complete lack of understanding of what teachers do or how they work. FYI, the hours you name are “contact hours.” In order to make those hours meaningful, teachers have to plan classes, read papers, grade exams, research material, speak with parents, help students outside of class, not to mention the incredible waste of time they (and their students) must take to deal with students whose parents haven’t taught them how to behave. When do you think these things occur?
99999
Apparently not very special since the union demands that we pay them like identical widgets. The only variation in pay is for advanced degrees that have not been shown to increase effectiveness and for fogging a mirror for another year.
As far as teachers arriving at 6 and leaving at 5. They must be doing that in invisible cars, at least in Bangor. The teacher’s lot is empty until the teachers begin arriving, like factory workers, just in time to get to class. The lot is empty at 3:00 except for those teachers who are paid extra to stay later to coach a sport.
As far as working outside the contract hours. I should hope they work outside those hours. Over $50,000 per year for 6.5 hours a day and 36 1/2 weeks a year. If they aren’t putting in extra time then they’re stealing from the taxpayers.
xxxx
Lets give them medals! Nurses, doctors, firemen, police officers, social workers, and government employees work long days and do right by many people. I suspect LePage works long days.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. MEA should indeed refocus its efforts on teacher training and development. Have you actually been to one of the current “professional development days” that Maine teachers have? What a waste of time. Most teachers are compiling a grocery list or sleeping with their eyes open, because they’re sitting there, forced to listen to someone who has A. never taught in a real school for any amount of time, B. someone who’s going over yet another change in education that will never take hold, thereby boring brain-dead the effective teachers who do good jobs already or C. trying to implement the latest acronym. I also like the idea of getting rid of teacher certification fees. Those certificates shouldn’t be like Cinderella’s pumpkin; one day you’re qualified, and the next, you’re not. That’s what you go to school for; that’s what you take continuing education for. I don’t think teachers should have to pay for the privilege of getting to go to their jobs.
I’ve been to one of those, “professional development days. I’ve seen teachers actively learning, mentoring each other, and totally engaged. If you ever have another opportunity to be a part of a teacher workshop, instead of compiling your grocery list, consider becoming part of the solution. You reap what you sow.
Absolutely…people who work hard reap more benefits than those who don’t. :-)
Curiosity only here: the people who were engaged at the development days you were at–were they sitting anywhere near administration? I’ve noticed that the attention paid at these things is directly proportional to the table you’re sitting at.
There’s always a table or group of people that think the idle chit chat they have to share amongst themselves is more important than the main event, and that goes for teachers, classrooms, church, movie theaters, seminars, etc. Those that sit furthest from authority, do so, in order to get away with it. Those in the front are there to glean information.
I can’t think of a lot of reasons why a nationally certified teacher would want to teach in this state. can you inagine having LePage for a boss?
What has that got to do with withholding teacher raises? This man is an obviuos bully. What strange logic is his mind wrapped around? Punishing teachers because he doesnt like gays? Another reason to vote Dem in the legislative election. LePage couldn’t do a better job of getting Dems elected if he was campaign manager. I hope the first act of the new legislature will be to act on the petition for Recall in Maine.
Admittedly, not much. I read the whole article and was commenting on other parts of it. I believe that any teacher who gets nationally certified should be able to get a raise. At many schools, the teacher has to pay for all the classes himself (just as he would if he were getting a master’s degree or what have you) and there ought to be a raise in pay for that.
It’s hard to believe people voted for this incredibly short sighted man.
you’re being too kind
He’s the best governor our state has had in a very long time.
Well, the standard hasn’t been very high.
he’s a lying toad and the worst governor the state has had .
He will be in office for another 6.5 yrs…….
He is just doing some house cleaning….
Voters will make that decision in 2014.
Barney Phife would make a better governor!
We had Barney Fife for 8 years. Remember him?
* He’s the one who wasted $100,000,000 on a failed computer billing system for DHHS. Then spent another $40,000,000 to get one up that still doesn’t work.
* His DHHS “lost” over $100,000,000 and no one seemed to care.
* He sold the state liquor business to connected Dem insiders for a song so he could pretend to balance the budget and it’s costing up millions in lost revenue every year.
* He failed to pay the Maine hospitals hundreds of millions that was owed to them causing people to lose their jobs and businesses to close.
I could go on, but surely even you get the picture.
Compared to Baldacci Lepage is a freaking genius!
1100011000
If by best you mean most corrupt, we have a winner.
Corrupt. Prove it.
Ask his brother in law and daughter. They’ll vouch that he isn’t corrupt as they cash the paychecks he gave them that are paid with taxpayer dollars.
So everyone in a position of leadership/authority is corrupt because they have a relative working for them? I know many corupt people. Do they make more then anyone else in that position? Get real, that isn’t proof.
Actually Nepotism fits neatly into the definition of corruption. I realize you are using LePage’s made up definition (People don’t do what I tell them to therefore they must be corrupt), but in the ACTUAL definition Nepotism is most certainly corruption, unless of course you think all college graduates should be able to get state jobs at 41k a year with no experience or specialized training.
Just open your eyes. Dale McCormick removed after collusion into the states affairs by MHPC. A witchhunt. She did nothing wrong and her career was ruined by those seeking to make political hay out of her.
19 days
Ignorance and Arrogance are Not a Virtue!
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Would you rather he been nice with no back bone like the majority of the politcians?Corrupt, prove it? He has more values then the previous Governors. At least he isn’t for spend spend spend…………….
Its equally hard to believe that the people that did not vote for him are so incredibly short sighted.
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My wife is a teacher. The union dues keep coming out of her checks, but the return on the investment seems minimal. Yes,, they do step in sometimes during contract negotiations, but the end result doesn’t appear to be any different than if they weren’t involved. They support political agendas that we, for the most part, disagree with and we are constantly getting mail from them or companies ok’d by them to buy products (insurance, mortgages, etc). These companies are from out-of-state.
In responding to SpruceDweller, I personally don’t see that teachers are being attacked and denigrated, it’s the unions that are coming under greater scrutiny. Is it wrong that the Gov is asking them to become more involved in creating programs to help mentor/train new teachers, and provide more meanningful programs for veteran teacher development? I for one think not….
That is what National Board Certification is. I have been to many Union provided professional development opportunities. I have yet to see any value for my certification fees paid to the state of Maine however.
he is the man. just what this state has needed!
Yes, that is if you think the state needed an ignorant arrogant bully and mindless corporate pawn of the Koch Brothers and the Heritage Foundation.
wow touchy. he’s fixing things as fast as he can
You wouldn’t get to be a “oldlogger” in this state with him as Governor. He is for foreign bonded workers replacing Maine loggers. Maybe you are an old company contractor, not really a logger.
Math problem for LePage: One mean spirited governor + many discouraged teachers= X lost votes.
What is X?
Governor, you have the rest of your term to solve this.
He don’t care he knows he is a one term governor. As long as he can be in his bully pulpit he will keep up the beatings on the poor and defenceless. Come november we can strike back with our votes. So keep up the beatings paulie you will see.
If he knows he’s a one term governor, why is he collecting campaign funds? To use when he runs in his home state of Florida?
don’t count on Swifty figuring this out.
I know! I know!
It’s the same answer as the one to this math problem. 30-40 years of democrat control * zero accountability + 1 common-sense governor = 6.5 more years of liberal whining with a remainder of fiscal sanity.
Love the smiley face on the veto – leads to a secondary equation. Having fun + demonstrating leadership = driving the moonbats nuts.
Keep it up, Governor!!
Just how outraged would you be if a teacher put a smiley face on your child’s paper that had an F on it? Would you not feel that the teacher was putting your child down?This is the act of a very vindictive and crude man!
I see where you’re going with this…LePage is the teacher. The teacher’s union is the child who got an F because they didn’t quite grasp the basic concept of their primary mission…
I love your analogy!!!
Politics first, people last. Business as usual for poor Paul.
Paulietics as usual.
Governor LePage, let me explain something to you. Unions were formed to protect employees from people just like you. You have attacked state workers and teachers from the minute you were sworn into office. If I were a teacher I would most definetly support the union. Your open hostility toward the teachers of this state is not gaining you respect. I believe that fear is what you seek, but I believe contempt is what you are gaining.
What else would you expect of a mindless pawn of the corrupt Heritage Foundation and the Koch Brothers’ cheerleader in chief?
I could not agree more. Too many people have no idea who these propagandists are and the danger they present to us all. Ignorance will be the death of Freedom in this country.
Do you know who the Progressive States Network is? They perform the same function that ALEC does. ALEC has been around for over 40 years doing exactly what it is doing now. The only thing that has changed is ignorant people are being led around by the noses by left wing talk show hosts.
The “negotiations” between the state employees unions and their hand picked politicians has been a joke. Now that there is someone actually looking out for the taxpayer for a change the unions are apoplectic.
1 in 5 of our best and brightest are unprepared for college despite getting the seal of approval from our dedicated, professional educators.
Teachers can only work with what they are given. Everyone plays a role in education, not just teachers. Parents must help out, too.
One in five are unprepared because parents don’t demand that they are. Lazy parents have allowed the bar to be set so low that virtually everyone can go through the system without putting any effort into it. I would bet that the one 80% who do enter college prepared were pushed by very good parents.
Who picked the politicians?
If it was so easy for the unions to manipulate the teaching profession and elected politicians, how come they have allowed elected school boards eliminate teaching positions and programs to meet budgets?
Why did they let school boards eliminate teaching positions and programs to meet budgets? Is that a serious question and you really do not know the answer?
Teachers do not control how their bosses control the purse strings. Take that up with your local school board.
The answer is that the unions have no say in dealings with town budgets. They would love to have more teaching positions for their members. The towns are dealing with tax payers who can’t afford the schools and all the ‘unfunded mandates’ handed down by the State and Federal govt.
Because the number one priority for the school board is teacher pay. Here’s an excellent piece displaying the school board priorities for another Maine town…
http://othersideofbrunswick.blogspot.com/2012/05/answer-youve-been-waiting-for-right.html
Unions have a history of driving business away. Many businesses over the years have left the State because of the high cost of wages. Those high costs are associated with energy and other things. However the Union was formed out of necessity for safety and fairness for employees. However that was before regulation by the goverment. We can just wait for the Union to make the cost of busienss so high that everyone is out of work.
You call it teacher bashing or hostility only because the unions have walked all over us for 40 long years and now we have a governor with the courage to say “NO” to them.
What would you consider a decent wage for people who have gotten a degree in teaching? Saddled with the tuition loans to pay back?
Median Teacher pay in Bangor
2007 $52,038
2008 $53,860
2009 $55,610
maineopengov.org
Must be close to $60,000 by now. Pretty decent for 6.5 hours a day 36 1/2 weeks a year.
What about the taxpayers who are saddled with tuition loans to pay back?
Do those hours include the take home work of grading papers and lesson plans that most teachers do? Do they represent a starting salary or tenured teachers with advanced degrees.
You must believe that teachers are teaching all 6.5 hours of every day for all 36 1/2 weeks a year. You would be wrong if you think that. If teachers can’t budget their time well that is not the fault of the taxpayers.
Maybe you’re a product of the public school system and don;t know what median means. Median means that half of the teachers make more and half of the teachers make less. BTW – advanced degrees have little effect on teaching outcomes. Paying for something with no proven value to reward a voting block is what you’d expect to see in government.
If Governor LePage did some research, he would find that not all teachers in Maine belong to the union. I don’t.
It would be nice if the anger he has at how the MEA is spending their funds is not taken out on all teachers.
I never thought I would teach in a state with a Governor who doesn’t support education.
You SHOULD be in the union. This arrogant, ignorant, corporate toadie bully who wants to destroy public education and turn the funds for YOUR job over to church schools makes this abundantly clear.
It’s hard to believe teacher’s of our children would support homosexual activity.
If you’ll read the 1st and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution, as teachers do, it’s not hard to believe that all human beings should be treated equally under the law. You and your religion can believe whatever you wish, just as everyone else can.
Well, if straight people would stop having homosexual babies, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
End of sarcasm.
Many of the children being taught by teachers are gay. Teachers aren’t supporting “homosexual activity”. They’re supporting equality.
They’re saying “no” to bigots like yourself.
Why is someone who believes that homosexual engaging in sex, a bigot? I sure hope you aren’t a teacher?
Care to re-type that?
As to your last remark, it astonishes me how ignorant some people can be. There are gay teachers, you know…don’t you? Just like there are gay construction workers, soldiers, clerks…whatever. A percentage of the population is gay, and most of us work. Or go to school. Or are retired. Or unemployed. Just like straight people! Why is that so hard for people like you to comprehend?
We exist, so you might as well learn to deal with it.
And by the way, we couldn’t care less about what you do in your bedroom (which is often just as “unnatural” as what you accuse us of doing). Perhaps it’s time for you to stop obsessing about what you think goes on in ours.
So frustrating! The definition of being a bigot is “a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”
Same sex marriage is not about sex any more than any marriage is! It’s about freedom. Just because you don’t agree does not mean it should not be available for someone who does agree. Do we care what you do behind closed doors? I sure don’t and no one is going to talk to our kids about what goes on between two adults behind closed doors either.
If you cannot accept others the way they are and not judge them you are a bigot. It isn’t up to us to judge. We are all people with differences, greatness, and flaws. Why can’t we just live our lives, include those we choose to have in our lives and let others do the same?
Well said! It is almost as though some think they can just get away with saying whatever hateful or insulting words that pop into their mind, and then get personally offended when someone calls them out as a judgmental bigot.
Could you use the edit button and rewrite that so it makes some sense?
Great statement but the redubs won’t get the point.
Sigh…………. Teachers and the Union are not supporting homosexual activity – they are supporting equal rights and the same freedoms for all the people of Maine.
Teachers do work incredibly long hours and are very dedicated to the future of the children of Maine, – however, there is only so much they can do. I agree that many of our kids graduate with honors, but when they get out into the college world they are seriously behind the eight ball at the national level. Teachers do not always have parental support and the administration controls much of what happens as far as pushing the kids through even if they should not go on to the next grade. In small town Maine – a lot depends on the students last name or if they are in sports, especially if they are a star.
To me the smiley face is a slap in the face – might as well have stuck his tongue out at the Union – Nah, Nah – you support same sex marriage I will not sign your bill. What ‘cha going to do about it?
VOTE IN NOVEMBER AND IT SURELY WON”T BE FOR ANY R’S
Professional development should be required of those who govern others. He was elected to serve the people of Maine not the people of MHPC. This administration has shown itself to be working to undermine public education at every turn, but it gives lip service to putting kids first. Tell us whatever you want, Paulie, your actions reveal your true character, or in your case, lack of it.
Like most habitual gamblers, they double down when they are losing big. Wonder what that says about Mr. one and done.
Paul LePage wants charter schools managed by a for-profit corporation(s). In order
to attract for-profit corporations he needs an expense structure (teachers and
educational resources) controlled by the state without union interference. Support
of religious schools provides the added benefit of reducing the number of unionized
teachers, and operating costs become someone else’s responsibility.
Studies indicate that for every hour of classroom teaching requires a second hour for
preparation, grading, and tutoring; additionally there are after school events,
parent conferences, and field trips. Understanding the effective use of
evolving classroom technology has been added to a teacher’s workload in the
past ten years.
Eliminate the union and the burden for fair and competitive, pay and benefits is placed
on the individual teacher. Eliminate the union and teachers will have less input into classroom resource evaluation; consolidation of operating expenses occurs through fewer and less qualified individuals focused more on costs than on qualitative return on investment. The educational
system is now positioned for charter schools managed by a for-profit corporation.
The for-profit corporation primary goal is to make a profit for its owners and/or
investors. Teachers will be paid based on corporate guidelines, and teachers
must use resources identified by the corporation. Teachers will have no time or
money to challenge the corporate pay structure or the resources provided. The
result is best described by columnist Chris Hedges.
“We’ve bought into the idea that education is about training and “success”, defined
monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and to challenge. We
should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not
careers. A culture that does not grasp the vital interplay between morality and
power, which mistakes management for wisdom, which fails to understand that the
measure of a civilization is its compassion, not its speed or ability to consume, condemns
itself to death.”
A SMILEY FACE???? This man is totally out of control and I am wondering about if the man currently called The Governor of The State of Maine has lost his mind. He has the right to veto any and all legislation. The voters gave him that right. But to add a smiley face to the veto is an insult to not only teachers, but to every single non mean spirited citizen of The State of Maine as well as The Office of The Governor. . LePage can wage his wars against unions, State Employees, Police, Fire, or any other that he chooses. Adding a smiley face is the act of a bully. Being able to veto the legislation wasn’t enough for Paul Richard LePage. He has to rub people’s noses in it just like you would a puppy who messes on the kitchen floor. If LePage and his tea party parrots think this is cute he and they are wrong. This is not the way decent people treat other people regardless of their political ideology.
Well here it is… I went through the College of Education at UM. It is true that we have many students that are ill prepared to teach that end up getting jobs over the better educators because of political or family influence. I have met a lot of really great dedicated teachers that do put in over forty hours a week and care about their profession. These people don’t complain about making extra money, they love their jobs and do it for the passion of it. I was actually amazed that there are so many like this out there. Then there are the few that use the same lesson plans year after year that are always whining about the time they spend preparing and how much money they (don’t) make.
Like it or not, the MEA such be focusing EDUCATION issues and not political or social issues. They need to start recognizing the teachers that are truly in it for the kids and not the cronies that are caught up in other issues. Too many times I have walked into school class rooms and seen promotions for special interest groups under the guise of teaching awareness. You can spot these goofball educators a mile away from looking at their cars. You know the one’s that have the many bumper stickers ranging from “Free Tibet” to “Gore ’04”. They are there to teach, not promote their own individual ideologies!
Now teachers must only have republican approved bunper stickers?Wow, talk about censorship!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Governor- we get it. You don’t like anyone who gets in your way of trampling worker rights and is an impediment towards the continue slide of the middle class. Your side just doesn’t get the fact that most of us don’t want to return to the times of overlords and serfs, but that is just where we’re headed.
Union dues are paid out of teachers’ salaries … it’s their money and legally they can do whatever they want with it, including “squandering it” on union dues. The governor has no right to dictate how the union spends the money, that’s between the union and it’s members.
Unions nationwide are committing suicide. Their interest in politics rather than focusing on issues important to their members is a lesson unions learned in the 50’s and forgot in the 80’s. It contributes to their demise. I don’t have a problem with that mind you.
I would not call backing same sex marriage a union’s interest in politics…it is an interest in EQUALITY. There ARE gay teachers…pass it on.
The fact that there are gay teachers is irrelevant to my point. Unions have forgotten their purpose and as a result are going away.
I’m all for LePage’s actions. Marriage Equality is NOT what the Teacher’s union should be working on. Why not get rid of the certification fee and have the unions actually FOCUS on the teachers and teaching. Taking a stance on marriage equality as a teacher’s union is a COMPLETE disservice to what they are supposed to do. SHAME on the UNION… YAY for LePage! =)
Oh yeah! So I guess, according to you, the teachers union should only support ‘straight’ teachers, students, and parents? They don’t see firsthand or aren’t affected by how their gay students, faculty, and parents, are treated under the law? Supporting equality is what they are not supposed to do?
Republicans revel in their ignorance. Calling them stupid is like giving someone a compliment – they just eat it up.
Ahem, this sounds like an arrogant comment.
He really is a vindictive sob isn’t he.
Sounds like you are very angry. The fact someone disagrees with your agenda doesn’t make that person “a vindictive sob”, so what exactly is it that makes the governor that way?
I believe the smiley face on a veto that affects all teachers in Maine not just the Union ones would cross over from being a disagreement to being a vindictive sob.
The governor pointed out he felt there were better ways to improve education than the proposed law. He also indicated that times call for reduced spending, which has not yet happened with the education budget. If there was any inconsistency on his part, then I would agree that his use of the smiley face symbol might be a vindictive sign.
You may not like this governor’s policies, but trying to put him down, instead of his policies, is unfair. And, yes, maybe even “vindictive”.
The only people who use smiley faces on signatures for bad news are sociopaths and morons. He could be either one, or both. Take your pick.
I appreciate your sense of humor. Thank you.
I have been a teacher for over 3 decades. I have worked very hard on behalf of all my students. Yes, there are mostly 10 hour days and work on weekends, holidays, and during vacations, including during the summer. I want to be the best I can be in classroom for my students. They deserve no less. I do belong to the union, but merely for the liability insurance teachers receive as part of paying dues. I am appalled and angry at how some of my hard-earned money is spent on political issues. I was very unhappy at a recent contract information meeting that teachers were shown pictures of certain political candidates we were urged to support. Union dues should be spent solely on education, NOT for the enhancement of political agendas. There are many of us who are not liberal democrats.
Fortunately, most teachers actually are democrats.
Where did you get this fact? This assertion certainly doesn’t reflect the general population of voters in Maine where the number of registered Democrats is roughly equal to the number or registered Republicans, each of which is less than the number of unregistered Independent voters. In other words, the number of Democrat voters is less than 1/3 of the total voting population.
Accidentally deleted, but this fact is easily accessed on the state’s government website, Wikipedia, and the federal government’s census bureau website, among others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party_strength_in_U.S._states
http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/data.htm#registered
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/
Democrats far outnumber republicans in Maine, and the country as a whole. Only one state has more registered republicans than democrats, that being Wyoming. It is also widely known that most teachers tend to lean on the liberal democrat side of things.
You need to read your own references and to stop bluffing. Wikipedia, the first source on your list, shows the following breakdown on party affiliation among voters in 2008:
33% are Democrats 28 % are Republicans
The rest are registered in minor parties (third parties) or not at all (Independents).
Another later source (May 2010) shows the following breakdown:
32.35 % are Democrats 26.41 % are Republicans 1.42 % are 3rd party affiliates
and the rest are non-aligned voters, that is 39.82 % of them
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/voter_registration_trends_may.php?nr=1
My original source dating back to 2004 showed Democrats with a only slight edge over the Republicans in registration.
PS: All those 5 or more readers who gave you a thumbs-up sign (“liking”) apparently never even bothered to check out your sources. I reckon winning the argument is more important than the truth itself for some people.
Are you saying that a 17% or higher edge in registered voters is not in fact significant? The poster never said anything about independents. Maybe you should go back and reread what he said.
Go back on the conversation. Poster Guest said, ” most teachers actually are democrats.” I responded by disputing that claim. Then Poster cicchino84 (another poster) opined, “Democrats far outnumber republicans in Maine…” and “It is also widely known that most teachers tend to lean on the liberal democrat side of things.” Both of these statements could not be substantiated from the web sources of information he alluded to. Finally, I responded with sources of my own that tend to invalidate Poster cicchino84’s remarks.
As to the edge in registered voters you brought up, it amounts to 5.94 (32.35 – 26.41) percentage difference, still significant but not nearly as significant as the 17% point difference you pointed out.
Furthermore, the reason why I mentioned the percent of independent voters is because when that percentage is combined with the percent of Republican voters you find out that 67.65 % of all Maine voters are not Democrats. This makes Poster cicchino84’s claim “that most teachers tend to lean on the liberal democrat side of things” unlikely.
The lesson to all of this exercise is this: When arguing facts, one should quote them accurately and be ready to produce proper sources (not irrelevant ones) to substantiate.
I believe that the term I used was a 17% higher. Now, let’s learn a little math. 17% higher means that you have an original number… for arguments sake, let’s call it 28. You would then multiply that number by .17 (the decimal equivalent of 17%) and add it to the original number. Or you could skip this step and multiply the original number by 1.17. You would then get 32.6. Now since the ORIGINAL Number was a percent, you are now at 32.6% since you have to “carry” the label.
Okay, I understand what you mean. I agree, it’s a significant number. But the overall number of Democrat voters is still only about 1/3 of all voters. To assume most teachers are liberal leaning Democrat voters based on that statistic doesn’t seem to make much sense however. That was one of the points I was contesting with a prior poster. Thank you for taking the time to clarify your point.
Actually, I could care less about whether I win an argument or not. If the number of ‘likes’ that you get determines whether you win an argument or not, I would certainly have lost more than I won. I don’t need someone to agree with me at all, and several of my comments reflect that. When it comes to certain issues, like marriage equality, I speak from the heart. Most of the time, I simply enjoy having the opportunity to discuss issues that I consider important, or basically the chance to add my two cents. There is a significant number of people in that 5-17% difference. I don’t see how it, in any way, invalidates the point that there are a lot more registered Dems than Reps, in this state, and the country.
Well stated…..and thank you for your dedication to your teaching profession and agree that students deserve the best……
“LePage wrote in his veto letter, which included a small smiley face next to his signature.”The arrogance of this excuse for a governor will never cease to amaze me. What an embarrassment for our state.
You are the embarassment. The truth always hurts those whose oppose this outstanding fiscally responsible Governor!!!
And the truth is always absent from those who support this outstanding example of republican failures.
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Please wake up from this pipe dream you are apparently having. Smell the air at the guvs mansion and you will see that it smells more like bull crap every day.
Specifically, what is arrogant about the use of a smiley face with ones own signature? I use them a lot myself, especially to show my enthusiasm. :)
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I just completed a 40 year classroom tenure, teaching Special Education. I have never, nor will I currently engage in bashing/defending/rationalizing the roles and performances of our teachers. I would, however encourage viewers to appreciate the delineation between the roles of teachers with their students and the often self-serving actions of their unions. Through the years, and while teaching in different venues within various states I have frequently seen even the best qualified and most successful teachers negatively impacted by the actions of these unions, who often place issues not remotely connected to teaching on the forefront of their agendas. During my 12 years of teaching in Maine, I saw little to contradict these observations. Hampering the efforts of progressive teaching, precluding the intrinsic rights of students, and often squandering collected funds unfortunately occurs on a daily basis and often constructs a veil upon an often underappreciated and ever relevant profession, filled with some of the best that our society has to offer. Ken
You make a good point. I agree that our teachers are often under-appreciated. However, I believe the union made the right decision, regarding their support for marriage equality. It was likely their concern for the ‘intrinsic’ rights of their gay students, faculty, and parents that led them to take a position. In this instance, I believe the union’s actions were anything but self-serving. Their position on marriage equality only helps to ensure our schools are a safe and welcoming place for all students, faculty, and parents.
We can argue whether or not state endorsement of gay relationships is a right. Likewise we can argue whether or not abortion that takes the life of an unborn children is a right, In the same vein we can argue whether sex education being provided in our schools that encourages permissive sex and children to experiment with sex is a right. We can argue whether revising history so as not to offend certain social and political groups is a right or not. We can argue whether is a right for unions to support political parties. Yet teachers are forced to go along with whatever agenda their union bosses want to support. Yes, the union is being self-serving when it is supporting those agendas their bosses prefer, goals that do not further basic education. Promoting gay marriage will not ensure, as you say, “a safe and welcoming place for all students, faculty, and parents.” I think you are confusing anti-bulling policies with gay marriage.
When some of the parents and children don’t have the same rights and protection as others, there is an issue. When the law blatantly treats one better than the other, there is an issue. Why do you think so many gay kids get bullied? The law says its fine and it’s a perfectly legitimate opinion to think gays are unequal. After all, they’re distracting for the military, marriage needs to be defended against them, etc.
Yes, I’m sure we could argue those topics back and forth and probably won’t get very far. I don’t believe the union is being ‘self-serving’ because they took a vote of whether to support marriage equality or not. Supporting marriage equality does help ensure a welcoming and safe place for all students, faculty, and parents. A gay teacher can feel more welcomed and safe by being able to take advantage of benefits that are otherwise only offered to ‘straight’ couples. A gay student can feel more welcomed by knowing that his/her teachers support who they are, and safe by knowing they can confide in a teacher that doesn’t support discrimination. A student with gay parents, is also going to feel much more safe and secure, at school, knowing that his/her parents commitment isn’t worth any less than another student’s ‘straight’ parents. Additionally, a teacher’s interaction with any gay parents will be improved, if gay parents know their marriges are welcomed and respected by the MEA. I will admit that anti-bullying policies would go a lot farther to protect children that are being harassed, but I am not confusing the two.
The greatest historical revisionists tend to be conservative school boards. Just look at Texas for an example.
Well stated…..and thank you for your life’s work in Special Education…..enjoy retirement!
Dear PabMainer,
Thanks for your kind words! I always told student teachers who I trained that teaching was a great vocation, but a terrible profession. The trick was to emphasize the vocation part of it as much as possible and keep the profession part of it at arm’s length. I had planned to teach for another ten years as I still had the passion for it and the skills acquired during many years in the classroom. The scapegoating from the administration toward certain teachers and low performing students became so prevelant that I felt forced to leave. Sadly, when speaking to retirement representatives in Augusta, I was told that she hears that from teachers throughout the state ten-fifteen times daily. Experienced teachers are leaving before their time and young teachers hired out of school leave the profession in droves before their fifth year in the classroom. It’s really very sad. Thanks again for your good wishes. Ken
Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Guv.
I like how our incompetent governor raises issue with the union taking a simple position on marriage equality, but has absolutely no problem with up to 200 local churches passing the collection plate to fund efforts against it. LePage is a hypocrite. Nothing new I guess.
The state doesn’t sponsor churches. That’s against the law and the Constitution. The state however is responsible for paying teacher salaries and school operations. Therefore it can dictate school policy but not church policy. So what is hypocritical about that when it only carrying out its responsibilities?
The state and federal government does have separation of church and state laws. These churches are using their money for political gain, and should loose their tax exempt status. After the state pays a teacher their salary, it is their money, not ours. They have every right to donate their money or take a position on an issue that directly affects their colleagues, students, and parents of students. It is hypocritical for the governor to single out the teachers union for only taking a position, while turning a blind eye as a church spends their money for political gain.
Most churches do not use their money for political gain. Their expressed concerns are mostly on moral and ethical issues, not for political gain. If that was not so I would agree with you.
Bear in mind, like all other tax exempt non-profit organizations, churches are not allowed to endorse any political candidates. Any tax exempt organization in violation of this rule needs to be punished.
I agree, most don’t use their money for political gain. Most actually turned down the request of Protect Marriage Maine to donate to their cause. Of the 800 churches they contacted for donations, only 150-200 chose to participate. I would applaud the churches that chose to at least remain neutral, but it doesn’t change the fact that others are using money, from their congregations, for political gain. I guess a marriage between two loving, committed adults, that they will never have to recognize, is more important than doing good or helping the most vulnerable.
What is “political gain” to you is not necessarily so for someone like me who deems it the duty of churches to speak out on issues. Anway, those churches who choose not to remain neutral are not necesaarily doing so merely out of self interest. Speaking out on issues of ethics and morality is part of their creed, even when doing so is deemed detrimental to their particular membership.
Well, I agree with part of your response. They have every right to speak out on issues of ethics and morality. Though I believe, if they cross the line into spending their money to advance a specific cause politically, it is running a pretty fine line on what should be considered ethical, if they want to remain tax exempt. Personally, I think it would just be better if religion were to stay out of the fray on this one, especially if you consider religious freedom was given specific consideration in the wording on the ballot. Just because the MEA took a position on this issue, does not mean all of their members are automatically going to be donating to the cause. Most religions have taken a position opposing marriage equality, and that is already common knowledge, without them spending money to advance their position politically.
Religious organizations for the most part are tax exempt organizations like all other 501 C tax exempt organizations that advance a political cause. Do you think the latter too should be taxed as well? If so, then the 501 C tax status under the Internal Revenue Code would have to be repealed. Likewise the freedom of speech and of assembly clause in the First Amendment would have to be changed.
Look, regardless of how you choose to look at the tax situation, the main point is this: All the varying political views concerning issues ought to be freely allowed to be aired. That’s how voters are informed. By taxing the ability to inform, the ability of voters to make intelligent decisions is hampered.
You raise a valid point. It becomes much more complicated when you consider all of the other groups with tax exempt status. There are 6 types of 501 C tax exempt status. All have different laws and guidelines they are supposed to follow concerning political activity. Most churches or religious organizations fall under 501-C(3) which is very clear about not permitting these groups to engage in almost any political activities. The only political activity these groups are legally allowed to participate in are some voter registration activities. Religious organizations already have the ability to inform and speak out to people, through their congregations. Spending money to prevent another person from having equal rights under the law, is not informing anyone. Alas, we will likely have to agree to disagree, but thanks for an honest discussion. Our conversations in the past weren’t exactly what could be called a civil dialogue.
Is the teachers union a function of the state?
Caligula Lives !
Teachers support equality because they see the bullying and the damage that causes up close and personal every day. As long as we have two classes of people recognized in our laws, the abuse will continue.
Unions are eligible to promote their own free speech just as much as corporations. Mr LePage even coined “government speech”. Why can’t a group of working people bind together and express a point of view? It defines hypocrisy.
OK, Governor LePage, how are you going to get “highly qualified” teachers? You could put more money into the state’s public colleges where most of our teachers are educated. But you probably wouldn’t want to do that. You could work out a way for teachers to be paid more in general. That would attract more people to enter the profession. Extra pay for acquiring national certification would help in making the teaching profession pay more. But you don’t want to do that. The MEA works to improve teacher pay, but you don’t like the MEA and you try to undermine it. So that’s out. What’s left other than words to try to increase the quality of teachers? In my opinon, not much.
Paying all of the current teachers more will somehow magically make them highly qualified? What color is the sky in your world?
Some teachers are underpaid and some are overpaid. Thanks to the union we pay them all the same as though they are identical widgets. How about paying good teachers more in order to attract good teachers and discourage bad ones?
It is simple economics. It is the rule of supply and demand. Currently there is virtually no unemployment for people who want to be and are qualified to be teachers (3.6%). So that leaves two options, increase pay to make it more desirable or lower standards. Which do you want to do?
I AGREE WITH LEPAGE. And I am a teacher. We don’t get the Prof. Development we need. The half days spent listening to ridiculous speaker who are telling us stuff we already know or don’t need to know is a waste of time.
As far as the MEA’s support of SSM it really is good because we would like our districts to offer our insurance to our partners. Right now they can say no.
Way to go Paul !!
When it comes to improving teacher quality, it’s high time the MEA got some skin in the game.
I agree with LePage’s action. I would add that national certifications are just a front for some “national” organization to obtain dollars. Degrees, certifications, and the like are not a measure of skill or ability. Secondly, while I despise Unions, I agree with LePage; the MEA has no business endorsing any political agenda that is not related directly to teacher development and improvement. Gay marriage has nothing to do with teacher development and teacher rights.