Over eight hundred teachers showed support for negotiations today

Over eight hundred VUSD school teachers took time out of their holiday weekend to come to the district office and show support for fair bargaining today, February 15, 2010. Many were hoping that perhaps a hundred of so teachers might come, but we were all overwhelmed by the huge turn out of well over 800 teachers. Many teachers were dressed in black.

Joan Baez songs were sung accompanied by a guitar player and a drummer. Great enthusiasm was shown by all. District bargaining members (Bale's lackeys) came early today before the teachers arrived and hid inside during the show of support.

Styrofoam tombstones were cut out and spray painted gray. Each tombstone had the name of something that teachers do for free on their own time that will be lost if the Joyce Bales cutbacks and her attempts to gain total personal control of all power to transfer teachers who complain about her mandates. She also demands an end of the last vestiges of site based decision making. Neither one has anything to do with saving the district money, but both have a lot to do with Bales acquiring more personal power. Personal power is what life seems to be about for Joyce Bales.

Some of the traditional activities that teachers do for free without pay that may be lost are: The Blue/Gray Dance, the Spring Arts Festival and (more to be added here later)

The teacher's bargaining team was able to walk through the crowd and see how we in the district support the efforts of our hard working bargaining team.

Bargaining is a long process. It is tiring. A teacher who is on the bargaining team has to be away from their classroom but still make lesson plans and deal with problems there all while trying to deal with Bales' one sided demands. So it must have been very gratifying for them to see so much support coming from their colleagues.

How wonderful! So many dedicated teachers showed up to support our fine teacher's bargaining team in their difficult contract negotiations. Thanks to all who came.

Congrats to VTA leadership for organizing the event and a hero of the day award to each and every teacher who came.

Read about the massive show of support here:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/vista/article_b2a39fd6-a2d2-54e4-a042-22c3d319df47.html