“A Father’s Efforts to Fight Public Opinion and Improve Education”

  To this point, too much of what’s been reported on the dilemma in Wisconsin has been impersonal and absent of human detail.  News efforts fail to break free from the political ideologies cherished by both sides.

  Well, I cannot afford to own such ideologies – I’m a father of three.

  I don’t own an iPad or iPod.  Such technological luxuries don’t squeeze into my already tight budget.  After all, my phone cost me .01 cent.

  I don’t twit or tweet.  My lifestyle is not grandiose by anyone’s standards and I would imagine that what reveals itself in my stream of consciousness is far too militant and dutiful to promote general interest.

  I do email.  This was how I chose to communicate with friends and family regarding my battles against the state’s current “budget” legislation. 

  My first such email was not well-received…

  Let's see if I understand Governor Walker's math...

"We have about a $3.6 billion deficit facing us..." says the governor.

"(By making changes to public employee payments for health care and pensions) saves us about $30 million," continued the governor.

That's less than 1/100 of the state budget… 

  (Little did I know that this was only the beginning.)

  It's projected that Governor Walker's proposed legislation could cost me and my family 17% of our income.

  (Again, little did I know.)

  I have four college degrees (two undergraduate and two post-graduate) and had to pay for each degree out of my own pocket.  The last masters-level degree I earned cost me $14,000.

  If one post-graduate degree costs $14,000 (the state requires teachers to maintain their teaching certifications by continuing their education by the way) and a teacher's annual salary increase is $1,100 (as reported by The Post Crescent), then my last college degree absorbed all of my raises from the past 12.7 years… 

  …On behalf of my family and all state employees being attacked by Governor Walker, please contact your local and state representatives.

  In response, a local veterinarian and small-business owner wrote that teachers retire at 58.  Teachers may double-dip by subbing within the district from which they retried.  And can make $10-15,000 over the summer months.  Lastly,

   “The only guaranteed retirement that I have is what I personally am able to put away or what I can sell my business for. Then you want to take as much as 40% of that?! You have also never had to worry about making payroll or collecting for sevices rendered. 

  I say its about time things become more equalized.”

  This blog will be written, not in address of the public necessarily but in response to public’s scorn. 

  People are angry.  Trapped within a challenged economy and politically unstable environment, people are scared.  I don’t blame them. 

  This blog will also be written in an effort to inform the public about today’s classroom, the 21^st Century classroom.  A classroom dedicated to democracy, problem-solving, and devoted to a child in need of more developmentally-friendly learning environment.