Tuesday After

A notice came home late last week buried in my son’s homework and pass backs of completed work. Like most parents I’m used to seeing notices for this or that and gave this one the cursory scan. This notice, however, commanded closer scrutiny. Coming from the Office of the Superintendent Round Lake Area Schools CUSD #116 announcing a necessary amendment to the school calendar. The notice opens

Please note that due to a necessary amendment to this year’s calendar Monday, March 21,2011 will be an early release day for students in grades K-12. Please see the release times for each school listed below. (emphasis mine)

Unaware of any changes in public holidays or significant public events coming up I contacted the office number listed in the title block of the notice. I spoke to a polite young lady who identified herself as Heather, inquiring as to the nature of the necessary amendment. Heather advised me a teacher’s union meeting had been called for that afternoon as permitted by their contract. I further inquired as to why such a meeting could not be held after school hours to which she responded to referencing another contract stipulation on time spent regarding working hours. She seemed to appreciate my disapproval of the intrusion into my son’s educational time.

This situation brought home just how much of a disconnect public sector unions appear to with the people paying their salaries and benefit packages. To further emphasis this point one only has to look north of the state line in Wisconsin. Ann Althouse, publisher of  the blog ‘Althouse’ posted video taken by her husband Meade of teachers apparently using young school age children to chant against the Governor’s union legislation. One has to wonder if the parents were aware or approved.

A little further investigation on what I perceive to be the priorities of the union would appear to indicate that it is power not the expansion of a child’s knowledge and critical thinking skills. It would appear based on a post in New Zeal a New Zealand blog reporting on AFL-CIO’s Liz Shuler and the union’s goal of indoctrination.

“High school is too late” to educate students about unions and workers, says Shuler, the daughter of union parents in Oregon who joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as an activist and organizer after college. “We need to get into the elementary schools.”

Sadly it would appear the NEA agenda of power politics has come to a school near me. I have every right to be concerned when time my child should be spending in the classroom is handed over to his teacher’s union to conduct political activity. I have great respect for my son’s teacher. She works closely with us to keep him on track and excelling. I have no desire for her union to find ways to bring Wisconsin style indoctrination into his life. I will guide him in that area and it will be based on the lessons of Liberty passed down from our founders. Not the socialist lessons passed down by the Fabian Socialists and their present day tools in the union.