The Teacher’s Contract Pt 3 – Picking Wanner apart

In the next few posts I’ll paste in selected passages of Frank’s wounded prose to stick needles through starting with what this sorrowful missive is really all about. Ginning up a grievance against the School Board for stiffing teachers:

“Thus it should not be surprising that I have received inquiries from teachers who can’t find the new salary schedule for the 2013-14. It is not puzzling that they would have difficulty finding the new schedule as there is no new salary schedule. Yes the new year has started, but the new contract has not.”

Now enjoy Frank’s contrast with the good old days when Dr. Dixon couldn’t spoon out the goodies to teachers quick enough with the District’s rapidly evaporating budget reserve which has always been looked at greedily by Frank and the DFT.

“How can this be? In Duluth we settle early, prior to the expiration of the old contract, sometimes over a year early. Not this time. Not only have we not settled, the school board has absolutely no desire to even schedule another meeting.”

Its going to get better. Keith Dixon who ran the District into the ground and then skedaddled to safety before the collapse became obvious will soon be lauded by Frank as a great hero while his poor successor Bill Gronseth sadly has no control over the evil teacher hating School Board.

“What has happened here? What is different from a couple of years ago? Well, we have a new superintendent, for whom I have much respect and positive opinion but whom we must admit try as he may, Bill has nowhere near the clout and influence with the school board that Keith Dixon had.”

And why has the School Board become the possession of evil teacher hating School Board members? Try not to rip a gut laughing.

“We have also had a change in the composition of the school board. I know the names have not changed and they look like the same people, but trust me when I say that some have changed significantly. Some of the school board members are no longer the same people we helped to elect and have supported.”

And just who is Frank talking about? Maybe its Bill Westholm the MS crippled and beloved ex principal of Denfeld who never too a brave stand in his life let alone challenge any teachers. When I was still on the Board he once led the charge to keep all our three high schools open. Now that was earth shaking.

Or maybe its the beloved Mike Miernicki, “Mern” to hundreds of East students for decades who advised every student activity and ran East’s trust fund. These are the newest School Board members that Frank says have so changed the composition of the post Dixon School Board. Is it twaddle or is it manure. Manure I think.

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