August 21, 2008

Teacher contract negotiations underway

School Superintendent Philip Streifer said that the negotiation process between the Board of Education and the teachers' union "is now ongoing."
Taxpayers, of course, have a huge stake in the outcome. Teacher salaries make up the bulk of the $101 million school spending plan so every increase in their pay makes a major difference in the budget.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have those free-loading sob's pick up 1/2 of the cost of their benefits package .

Anonymous said...

Be nice, have them pay a fair share like we all do. They deserve every penny they earn for 180 days of work.
Oh yeah I forgot most of us work 240 days a year.

Anonymous said...

August 21, 2008 11:26 AM:

C'mon, it's a stressful job working 180 days a year, being protected by a union and having no accountability for ones work.

Anonymous said...

Now we are attacking our educators and calling them SOBs(should have deleted THAT one,Steve!)?I swear some of you could find fault with Mother Theresa(God rest her soul)!Do you honestly believe our teachers just "sit around" when school is out of session? Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Tim Gamache has never seen a union he didn't like. The time that teachers are at work are very stressful, and some go above and beyond that, but many of them leave work as soon as they can and don't do anything related to school either after school or during the summer.

Anonymous said...

Yes!!

Now hold onto your wallets.

Anonymous said...

Tim - I have no problems rewarding good teachers but the bad teachers should be fired and the marginal placed on probation. Under negoiation should be the issue of accountability of everyone related to the education of our children. But we know there is no one in this town or state that will take a stand on this issue against the union. 40% plus drop out rate and 50% of the remaining students can't measure up to passing test scores. And the answer to improving our education system is give everyone responsible for this situation a raise. I think it is time for the tax payers to go out on strike against the union and current education system.

Anonymous said...

Oh God...gamache again...don't youhave a life?

Anonymous said...

3:16 I concur with your assessment.I guess my real problem is with people who come on this site and call people "SOBs" while hiding behind anonymity.

Anonymous said...

August 21, 2008 6:06 PM:

Is overly coddled, inept, self-centered whiners more appropriate?

Anonymous said...

Well when they have to put up with your kids they deserve a little extra benefit

Anonymous said...

Gamache...nobody cares about "your problem"...who the heck are you to profess to having a problem we should all care about? If you do not like the format and tone of the blogg...STAY OFF IT. The spirit of a blogg is to encourage individuals to speak and not be inhibited by idiots like you who thing it is your dam right to know every name of every person who contributes to this medium. If you have a "problem" get it fixed by your clergyman, your doctor or some other professional...but don't put it on everyone here. Jerk.

Anonymous said...

You too can be a teacher, but YOU chose not to.

Anonymous said...

August 21, 2008 1:52 PM

No different than any other profession or employment. The 80/20 rule goes to just about anything. 20% of the staff does 80% of the work.

August 22, 2008 6:15 AM

You can tell by your over-the-top diatribe that you are one of the 80% that do nothing. In fact you are one of bottom 20% they refer to as "snipers." Never anything good to say and it's always someone else's fault. Your motto - "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you place the blame."

Anonymous said...

August 22, 2008 6:15 AM:

Agreed. Gamache is an idiot with nothing to lose. He also has his nose up every butt end of anyone with any power or clout in Bristol (which he has little of).

Anonymous said...

You too can be a teacher, but YOU chose not to.

August 22, 2008 6:41 AM
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I was a teacher @ a trade school and decided to actually go to work for a living .

Some of us just feel too guilty about taking a free ride @ the taxpayers' expense and choose to let our conscience be our guide .

Anonymous said...

11:28

You should have tried teaching elementary school.

Anonymous said...

To August 21, 2008 3:16 PM Poster

"40% plus drop out rate and 50% of the remaining students can't measure up to passing test scores."

Your figures are way out of line. Perhaps you should visit the School Superintendent's office to get the figures and should read Steve's stories in the Press which have given more accurate information about Bristol scores.

Anonymous said...

ahhh yes the union, 40 hour work weeks time and a half for saturday
health insurance that doesnt make me afraid to go to the doctor
I hate all that stuff too!
calling teachers lazy man-o-man what a coward
just vote no C_O_O
bring on the arrows

Anonymous said...

The public school system in this state, this city, this region and this country is a failure at properly educating and it is a failure at producing a proper workforce. Yet we coddle and reward these people like they were gods.

Anonymous said...

Inflation is at 5%, so they should get that. Of course the rest of us in the private sector (the ones who pay the bills) are lucky just to have a job, no less a raise and gold-plated bennies until we die.

But hey the teachers are special. If we don't give them (the extortionists) what they want our children will surely suffer!

Gerontius said...

"The public school system in this state, this city, this region and this country is a failure at properly educating and it is a failure at producing a proper workforce. Yet we coddle and reward these people like they were gods."

You say that the system is a failure, but since this thread is about teacher contract negotiations, what you really mean is that teachers are to blame and not the plethora of fatherless kids, non-English-speaking households, and a federal government that blames the victims. So are you willing to spend tax dollars to give them the tools they need to deal with all of this? Probably not; that would be "throwing money at the problem".

Anonymous said...

Reek,

What are you worried about with the COO. Worried you will accually have to answer to someone? Worried that you will no longer be able to attend City Meetings on City Time? Worried that you might accually have to WORK to get paid?

Typical union hack! Worried only for the best of the unions, not the taxpayers who pay your salary.

Anonymous said...

Hey 11:16 You guys have so many smart critics why don't you at least learn how to spell? And you are a republican hack. Cry baby!

Anonymous said...

Gerontius:

No but I'm for eliminating teacher "tenure".

Are you?

Anonymous said...

I'm for eliminating hidden loud mouths like you !