Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/75207
A PUBLICATION OF THE IOWA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION – JULY/AUGUST 2012 – Vol. 49, No. 7 COMMUNIQUÉ It happened in Wisconsin. It could happen in Iowa. Without warning, the lives of thousands of Wisconsin teachers changed overnight. What happened? This is their story in their own words. You can view the Voices of WEAC video on the ISEA website isea.org. Passage of Wisconsin Act 10 destroyed 50 years of collective bargaining rights for Wisconsin educators. The impact of that law on the lives of teachers and education support professionals—and on the education of children throughout the state— has been devastating. No event in Wisconsin has ever demonstrated more clearly the importance of educators to be united and to be continuously politically aware and active; advocating for children, public education, and the state's dedicated public school teachers and education support professionals. – WEAC.org "There has been an unending attack on everything I hold near and dear. There isn't any aspect of my life and my family's life that really hasn't been affected, " All the things teachers fought for during the past decades: collective bargaining rights, due process, health insurance, tenure, retirement benefits. Gone. "Every teacher in Wisconsin, depending on their pay, now is paid between $2000 and $5000 a year less than they were a year ago. " No more contracts. It's outrageous. Instead of contracts between teachers, school employees, and their employer, there are policy handbooks. A two-page document of guidelines. "There's a school district that in their policy handbook requires women educators to wear skirts or dresses that are below the knee and heels. " "Putting things in about what you could and couldn't do on your personal days. " "Policy handbooks that say you'll be dismissed from teaching if you get a speeding ticket." There is no tenure, due process, or seniority. "In the past we had some security in knowing they had to have 'just cause' to attack us. " Five thousand teachers were forced to retire and leave the profession. Hundreds of years of experience were lost. "School districts could just decide, 'we want to save a little money this year so we'll lay off the more expensive people. '" "My dad had to retire about two to three years early because he simply couldn't afford to keep teaching. " It really hurts the kids A teacher's work conditions are the students' learning conditions. Districts have 30 to 40 kids in the classroom. There's not even room in the classrooms for teachers to walk up and down the aisle. It's unreasonable. " Set it... AVAILABLE NOW! E-DUES and forget it! FAQs on page 9 "We are not going to let politicians stop us from teaching our kids. What Will You Do? Listen to people in Ohio and Indiana and Wisconsin. This is an attack on a national level. "It really is a battle and it's important. The stakes are really high." "You've got to communicate with each other, you've got to unite, and you've got to stand up for what you believe. " "There comes a point when you just have to stand up and say, 'this is wrong. '" "If you really care about what's going on with your students you need to care about what's going on politically. " It happened in Wisconsin, it could happen in Iowa. To make sure it doesn't: 1) Fill out the Absentee Ballot Request Form on page 10, send it in, and vote early for pro-education candidates. 2) Ask 10 of your family members and friends to vote early as well, and tell them this story. 3) Check the Election Guide on page 5 for ISEA- recommended candidates or go to isea.org. 4) Sign up for E-dues. 2 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS Tribute to ISEA President Chris Bern 5 ELECTION GUIDE What's at stake in Iowa's 2012 Election? 11 LEGAL Dos and don'ts for ISEA members for the election