Payed for off the backs of the working poor, hope you sleep good at night.

This school board hates unions, teachers and isn't fond of public school. Its the new republican way throughout our country, backed by the Koch Brothers- google them. This school board has done everything possible at taxpayers expense to turn the public against the teachers of their children. Parents trust these teachers with the education of their precious children - bet not one parent would leave their child in the sole care of these board members.

The Vice Chair writes political editorials and they are published to show us that she speaks for the board. How else are we to view that- her title is right there so we assume she has their support in election robo calls and editorials.

Sad state of affairs for a school board. It used to be ethical, non partisan and not divisive but this board is.
I hope that there are more choices next year for school board directors so we can get rid of the ones up for re-election. We need change.

We need people who care about public schools on this board.

You are correct, Sebastian. This school board, with the exception of Sue Tiernan, is at the bidding of the Tea Party, and their mission is to privatize public education. If they get their way, the WCASD will not be recognizable.

Time to remember thazt the board's own "Ethics and Operations of the Board" says:

I.2 "That the future welfare of this community, of this state, and of the nation depends in the largest measure upon the quality of education we provide in the public schools to fit the needs of every learner."

and

I.5 "That we must never neglect our personal obligation to the community and our legal obligation to the state, nor surrender these responsibilities to any other person, group or organization but that, beyond these, we have a moral and civic obligation to the nation which can remain strong and free only so long as public schools in the United States of America are kept free and strong."

I just read Heidi Adsett's letter in the Daily Local. Has the woman lost her mind? Who does she represent!!! This is out of control. Are we supposed to really believe this board is really negotiating in good faith? Am I supposed to believe anything they say? Their agenda is only to bad mouth the teachers and to destroy our schools in my estimation. She has tipped her hat and proven all the speculation true. I hope the next board meeting is packed with people to speak out - oops I forgot they won't let us speak. They won't let us clap. We need to take their nonsense. Watch it, you may have awoken a sleeping giant Mrs. Adsett - we are watching and I am not sure we will take much more of this. I for one and dead sick of it.

Why not go on strike for a year or so? This is what I am hoping for. You people don't realize when you are well off ... Heide is the taxpayer's best friend. Poor Dan will win in a landslide.

I'm a teacher and have been for fourteen years. I came out of private sector to work with kids. I make only $55,000 a year. I do this for the kids. I took a large pay cut to become a teacher and have not received a raise ( not one ) in years now. I'm still here in this district because of the kids. They have excellent scores, arts and music, extra curriculars, sports, I need not say more. I'm also a taxpayer in the district with children in the schools. I went through WCASD myself as a student. We have the LOWEST taxes in the whole county, and still people complain. I teach 8 different subjects, multiple subjects in each class period and face the large class sizes. I invite anyone who has anything negative to say to trade with me for a day, switch salaries with me. Maybe you will see that the reason I teach is certainly not for the salary, or the working conditions. I deal with these many challenges so that our West Chester children can receive the same quality education that I got from this district long ago. These arguments and all the negativity is disgraceful. It will force good teachers out, or deter newly hired teachers to reconsider and that's not what I want for my own kids or the 120 that I teach everyday.

edufan -
Please show proof the teachers do not want to strike - rejection of a strike penalty shows otherwise.

I have never had the insecurity to join a union, nor to become a member of a parasitic organization of any kind .. maybe it's just me, but I am of the self-reliant create your own personal language virus, rather than listen to the same tired distortion taught in public schools.

State testing assessments in my opinion, are to glean psychological information from potential candidates as to which will be the most receptive to state and federal propagandist teaching techniques.

Mrs Adsett's agenda can not possibly be known by yourself or any other member of a private sector taxpayer reliant group that denies private sector taxpayers the right to work ... do you see the hypocrisy of your life yet?

Star Thrower, your theories, in my opinion. are quite amusing and just a bit paranoid. Again, you do not understand the teaching profession, and until you teach for a living, please do not presume to know about all about it.

"To know about all about it"??
Measure twice .. cut once genius.

Thank you for calling me genius. Now, we're getting somewhere!

Not one of these cities saw raises as high as what West Chester teachers are asking for...

http://www.businessinsider.com/wages-in-americas-biggest-cities-2012-9

Did you read the full article and what it actually meant, and the companion articles? Coach Clark - go back to school. You clearly pick and choose and what you sent me to did not really bolster your contention, but convinced me to give the teachers a raise.

Cathy,

'Breathing' makes you want ot give all public employees raises.

PSERS cost increases are killing local and state budgets all by themselves. The money available for schools is not infinite. Tooo much towards pay and benefits leavers little for students.

Coach Clark, once again. the PSERS fiasco was the work of the POLITICIANS! I pay my portion because I have NO CHOICE!!! Believe me, I would rather invest that money my way myself, the way I did when I was in the private sector. Are you angry about the PSERS mess? SO am I but I have been contacting my state representatives ans state senators about this. Why? Because it is through their legislation that caused this. ....and guess what? Those same politicians voted themselves a cost of living raise!! Where is the outrage about that!!!

Also, I do believe YOU were a school board member when the state told you that you didn't have to pay the district share. What is your explanation for this??

Thrower once again your "reality" is yours alone. Cyber school is wonderful for some not most. It is a craze right now and there are massive commercials immersed everywhere touting how wonderful it is. Only time will tell. The bottom line is that most humans need human interaction and cyber schooling excludes that.
I am not denying that the unions may have been involved; however, you and your fellow cronies continually point your finger only one way (toward unions), and you know what happens when you do that?? 3 point toward you! You must be a politician!

Our schools are closed due to Rosh Hashanah; Jewish Holiday. Take it up with the board of school directors if you do not like our schools closed today. Besides, before our amusing exchange, I was grading papers and planning lessons. So, no, not a day off.

So I guess you advocate no time off for religious observance? Your thought process is really kind of perverted in so many ways. If one is teaching they cannot grade papers and plan lessons - discrete functions I would say Mr. Star Thrower.

What is clear to me after reading your multiple posts - regardless of what insults you throw my way next is that you hate teachers, hate teacher unions and in general hate anyone who disagrees with your perverse thinking.

Aaah, THrower, I must admit that you do make me laugh!! What is it with this "permitted" to grade papers at home? It is a well known fact among educators, administrators and school board members that ALL TEACHERS (and yes, I do mean all!) work at home before and after school hours during the school year. Unfortunately, people like you who, as I have mentioned numerous times, have no idea what it takes to teach these days. We have no time to grade papers, write lessons and prepare the material needed for the lessons in a typical school day. We are busy teaching the children, so we must prepare after schooland inthe evenings. Ask any spouse of a teacher, and they'll tell you. So don't give me any rhetoric that teacher only teach until 3:00 then they run out of school.

As for private sector workers who have no such holiday?? Christmas?? Christmas Eve?? Good Friday?? Easter Monday?? I had those days off when I was in the private sector, PLUS my Jewish co-workers were given Rosh Hashana off without penalty. You obviously do not work or you would know these things. Let me guess: you're retired, living off a pension and medicare, which I PAY FOR WITH MY TAX MONEY. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... note the irony??

Coach Clark

Aren't you a parasitic public employee. Oh no, you are now a parasitic elected official. And not a very smart one at that.

Well, well, well, now who's whining?? First, I don't whine. Second, you have no idea how my teaching day is. You are assuming that I teach certain periods of the day. Now who's WRONG? I am very aware of small business as my family have been involved in small business for years. You presume to know about my life, but YET AGAIN, you have no idea about me or my profession.
I really hope you someday understand the true value of education, and the people who educate future contributing members of our community. Also, I truly hope that you treat your customers much better than the people who do not agree with you or you will surely be out of business, and I would hate to see a small business fail.

Hey, Thrower, guess what? I actually agree with you concerning videotaping the negotiations so then you will see just who needs to be scrutinized. You will see which "side" is compromising and which side is not. You only seem to listen to the one sided claims that are skewed; you do not have the decency to look at both sides. As for your assertion that I possess arrogant unionist behavior, you do not know me so don't presume that I am arrogant. Once again,I need to remind you that, while you point your judgmental finger to me, three are pointing right back to you.

To quote a diligent taxpayer, citizen2:
""Mr. Yanushefski (the union treasurer) has taken a very creative route in calculating a reduction in "EFFECTIVE" teacher salary of 33 percent. In reality, the teachers' "REAL" salary, the one reported to the IRS on their W2 forms, will increase each year; not decrease as stated by Mr. Yanushefski. How is this imaginative 33% figure calculated? The bulk of the 33% decrease in "EFFECTIVE" teacher salary is due to the school board asking the teachers to teach one extra period per day. The union, of course, wants payment for this extra "work". Is this extra work, though? Would teaching one extra period each day require the teachers to extend their 7 hour 30 minute workday? (to be precise, that's really 7 hours plus a 30 minute lunch break) .... Actually, NO. The length of the workday stays the same. The school board is asking the teachers to TEACH 6 periods out of the 7 period school day instead of only 5. One can only hope that Mr. Yanushefski does not employ such creative accounting as treasurer of the union.""

Despite your private claims of pro-transparency edufan, you conveniently dismiss MY question of YOUR school workday Add this in with previous surreptitious unionist negotiations with corrupt legislators (which you have already admitted to), and I believe we (taxpayers) all can determine who is misleading whom.

Good God, Thrower! Did you forget to take your medication?? I do believe I may have a struck a nerve here. For the 12th time, you do not know me, you do not know about my job or my resposnibilities or my reputation as an educator and your temper tantrum proves that you only want to spew venom. You are running out of clever innuendos and outrageous accusations. Yes, I will give you credit for your somewhat amusing use of the English language, but you lose credibility with your narrow minded, hate-filled attitude.

...and I am finished with you; you are now boring me. I am going to move on to mature discussions with adults who may not agree with me, but will respectful in their discussions. So go have a temper tantrum with someone else. Good bye.

Good bye?? well now we're getting somewhere - yes, please do take your 3 fingers of judgment fetish to a discussion more suited to your intelligence level ... like first grade.

There's something wrong with this "star thrower" person.

Anne B: totally, and not even worth wasting time with this juvenile. Rather than engage is a mature, respectful discussion, ranting and inciting hate is the preferred method. Better to ignore such behavior.