More arrogance from the teachers union
Editor, Townsman:
Wasn't it only a few months ago that, in the context of the school budget, crisis the president of the Andover teachers union was quoted saying the Andover parents weren't paying enough in taxes? Now the School Committee and administration find some absolutely free grant money from the federal government which will certainly help fill the budget hole, but the union president torpedoes the grant by refusing to sign the grant application! The reason: The grant (from the Obama administration) would start to tie teacher compensation to student performance.
These union people are drunk with power. Half the people I know, including myself, have more than 50 percent of their pay based on commission. If we don't show up and perform, we don't get paid.
Message to Tom Meyers, teachers union president: It really isn't that bad once you get used to it. You get up in the morning fired up, you don't mind working late or going to work when you have the sniffles, and when you execute well it's a real rush to make that extra money.
Message to the parents of Andover: Get in the face of these people every chance you get and tell them to back off. They are bullies and the only thing that gets their attention is stiff resistance. And support the School Committee. In the next union contract, how about we reduce total salaries of union members by the amount of the grant money their union president torpedoed.
Disgusted.
Sam Washburn
39 Oriole Drive
