Capistrano Teacher Protests Foreshadow Fullerton Fight
All eyes were on the Capistrano Unified School District this week as the CUEA (teachers’ union) deployed armies of its members to protest a 10% pay cut. The union rented school buses to bring in over 1,000 protesters to the board meeting, which was halted at least once due to outbursts from the pro-union crowd.
But protests were escalated to new levels of intimidation as union members went so far as to march around the private home of trustee member Mike Winsten and his four children on Monday.
A few days ago we announced that a similar pay cut proposal will be coming to Fullerton Unified School District.
Is this how the union will react in Fullerton? Busloads of unionized teachers sent to create an appearance of public support? FETA union demonstrators surrounding the homes of board members? Will children be used as metaphorical human shields to squeeze more money from taxpayers?
And most importantly, will the board have the guts to stand behind the cuts?
I heard the union is working on an paper mache effigy of Chris T as we speak.
We the tax payer are now reaping the worlwind that has been sown by the free spending politicians at all levels. In the last election cycle, the people made a resounding statement; not no, but, HELL NO to more taxes and spending. It is time to do the politically unpopular thing and tell the teacher unions to go pound sand. It is time foe all levels of “government” to return to ‘zero baseline’ budgeting. let each department justify it’s continued existence based on it’s performance as compared to it’s mission statement.
Um, Eric, what “election cycle” was that? The last election cycle elected Obama!
The zero baseline budgeting is probably impractical every year but should absolutely be established every four or five years. The teachers would (or should if their unions weren’t such lackeys for district administrations) probably go for it.
The teachers were protesting a board that has little or no respect for them as professionals and spends money on lawsuits that benefit their friends rather than trying to work out an agreement with their group. And the busload were made up of CUSDS teachers who believe it or not, REAL parents in CUSD do support.