The American Dream Has Turned Into The
American Nightmare
When injustice HITS HOME!
This was the headline
on MSNBC news the other day. Normally, I would hear or read
something like this and just shake my head in helpless sorrow
thinking how sad it is that politicians are going after one of
the most important vocations (teaching) in our culture by
threatening layoffs and union busting, giving excuses that they
must, because budgets have to be balanced! My thoughts would
always turn to… “there’s nothing I can do about it
but feel sadness”. Only this time, this distressing news got
more than a sorrowful head shake from me… because it
HIT-HOME!
My daughter (a single mother) was threatened with dismissal from
her teaching job—one that she spent 5 years of her life
juggling, the raising of her 2 children, while going to school
and working as a teaching paraprofessional, all in air at the
same time so to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher.
What brought this threat about? Why did the Powers That Be pick my daughter as a victim to the latest red herring gimmick brought to you by politicians seeking to keep their own jobs by destroying those of others? Oh they threw up a smoke screen first, demonizing teachers as ineffective, inefficient freeloaders who can get away with not doing their jobs 100% because they have the luxury of not being fired “NO-MATTER-HOW-UNPRODUCTIVE-THEY-MAY-BE!”
Well, I found out the answer and let me tell you, it ain’t pretty. My daughter was up for tenure renewal after working hard at her job for four years. These same POWERS THAT BE had put pressure on the Principal of her school, telling him to go after any teacher that was eligible for Tenure Renewal (the last time this will probably happen because collective bargaining was on the chopping block) and find anything on them that would justify (unjustly) a reason for dismissal so there will be one less teacher salary and one less Teacher Tenured.
{{Being tenured does not guarantee a job but the process to fire a tenured teacher is a long and difficult task. Teachers who are tenured are entitled to due process and the administration must prove the teacher failed to meet an obvious and defined standard.}}
My daughter’s name was thrown into the eradication hat because her class of last year scored low on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. This class had an unequal amount of slow learning students many with behavior problems. Does that sound fair? Her class was not the only one who scored low but since the other teachers weren’t up for Tenure Renewal, their jobs were safe. I ask again DOES THAT SOUND FAIR? A more accurate question would be, IS THIS WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR BELOVED AMERICA; Kangaroo Courts, Unfairness caused by Propaganda Machines and Totalitarian Administrations? Is that what we elected our leaders to bring about? Then why are they behaving this way (and getting away with it)? We are all slated to lose in this scheme, not just teachers. As Brave New Films’ end their videos… PSSSST DO SOMETHING! Please sign the petition below: thinkingblue
~~~
Subject: Florida Budget Cuts vs. the
American Dream
Hi,
Governor Rick Scott's proposed budget would cut funding for
public
schools, lay off thousands of state workers, and give
corporations a $1.5
billion tax cut. But worst of all, Republicans in Tallahassee are
pushing
a permanent, across-the-board funding limit that would prevent
the state
from ever restoring these draconian cuts.
I signed a petition urging Governor Scott and my legislators to
oppose
these cuts. Can you join me at the link below?
http://pol.moveon.org/flbudget/?id=26527-8724363-f5FeC5x&t
Thanks!
thethinkingblue
---
Rick Scott was once the CEO of Columbia/HCA, a massive
hospital chain. The federal government fined Columbia/HCA for
Medicaid and Medicare fraud. That fine, a jaw-dropping 1.7
billion dollars, is the largest in American history.
But instead of going to jail, Rick Scott became the governor of
Florida.
A guy scams the government and now is an elected official of the
government. And in the three months since he's been in office
he's doing his best to destroy the fourth largest state.
1. He rejected $2.4 billion in stimulus money to build a
high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando.
2. He wants to slash $4 billion in spending while cutting taxes
for millionaires.
3. He tried to use state funds to build golf courses in state
parks while cutting education by 10 percent and corporate taxes
by 5 percent.
4. He's requiring 600,000 government workers (including police
officers, teachers, firefighters, judges, and retirees) to
contribute 5 percent to their retirement.
5. He just lopped off $2,300 a year in teacher salary to give
massive tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.
He's also not a fan of black people. He proposed eliminating
state support for two HBCUs (Historically black colleges and
universities). He's shutting down a state agency that assists
minority businesses, and he refuses to appoint an African
American to any significant position in his administration.
Where's Kanye West when you need him? Someone needs to go on TV
and awkwardly declare: "Rick Scott doesn't care about black
people!"
Stephen King, a part-time resident of Florida, attended a rally
to protest Scott's state budget cuts. Allow me to describe Rick
Scott perfectly, using King's famous books as inspiration:
Rick Scott is a bigger clown than the clown from It. This
Firestarter wants to turn Florida into his own personal
Creepshow, a Dead Zone where his economic policies will have
residents screaming "REDRUM!" Sorry Florida, but it
looks like you guys are in for a whole lot of Misery.
WHO HIRED RICK SCOTT?
HE NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND QUICK!