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City School teachers picket against governor's education budget proposal

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia City School teachers held what they dubbed a "positive picket" outside Batavia Middle School for about 30 minutes this morning as students were arriving for classes to call attention to their concerns with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget proposal for education spending.

Union President Mary Ann Marley said the governor's proposals are hurting local school districts since aid to schools hasn't been increased and Cuomo is withholding funds as leverage to change teacher evaluations.

The governor isn't even giving school districts an estimate of anticipated aid, Marley said.

"Our district is having a hard time establishing a budget for next year when they don't know what numbers to work with," Marley said.

Ed Glow

Mr. Mooney...

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what world you're living in. The one I'm in routinely has workers picketing in front of their place of business, and for the most part they're usually union workers with well deserved protection from "getting rid of them" by an employer with your standards.

As for your second comment about this being a distraction to the kids & parents... this is a great place for everybody to voice their opinions, so obviously that's how YOU feel. Have you been chosen by somebody to speak on behalf of all those kids and parents? I'd have to ask them if they felt somehow distracted before I'd come to a conclusion like that myself. Nobody seems very disturbed to me in any of the photos either here or the Daily's site. I don't see any teachers blocking paths to doors, and as far as I know none of the classrooms were missing teachers when the bell rang.

I'm seeing (from the view in my world) kids observing first hand how to protest peacefully within the law and without any rioting or destruction at all. If that's a distraction it's one those kids should be seeing in my opinion. Wow, a protest without violence... what kind of a crazy world are we from allowing our children to witness something like that?

Mar 23, 2015, 4:32pm Permalink
Thomas Mooney

More state funding just means more abuse of our tax money. Dollar for dollar we are getting ripped off. The graduation rate doe not equate as being elevated when more money per student is allocated . NY is way above the national average on spending per student but yet the once Premiere New York education doesn't hold water anymore .

By the way those picket lines you cross everyday are fighting for fair wages , all of which teachers make everyday on the back of blue collar workers that pay the majority of the taxes . No comparison at all.

Mar 23, 2015, 8:39pm Permalink
Robert Bombard

It out of the teachers and the schools hands if a student does not want to learn, or even be in school. That tends to be parenting problem, education starts at home. More and more people are using the system (blue collar tax paying dollars) and those are usually the problematic parents with the problematic kids.

Personally, I think those on assistance (tax payers dime) need to take random Drug Tests, because there is definitely a connection.

Teachers, i hope you have your eyes open for Bill # A03010 there's a piece in there attacking your collective bargaining rights.

Mar 24, 2015, 11:36am Permalink
Ed Glow

Great editing job there Mr. Mooney! You went from over forty lines of rant in your first two original comments all the way down to a total of three lines! Did you by chance drop in for a visit to the real world for just a moment and read what you wrote?

I haven't altered a single word in my comment Sir, can you please point out where I stated that I cross picket lines daily? And in an attempt to broaden your knowledge a little bit... "fair wages" aren't the only reason folks carry picket signs. In fact, I didn't see any mention of wages at all on any of these picket signs... did you? Maybe you were too distracted to notice that while you were busy comparing the color of their collars.

Mar 24, 2015, 2:05am Permalink
Peter O'Brien

If a person driving by cannot determine what you are protesting, then you have failed to get your point across. As educators, you are supposed to be professionals at getting your point across to the uneducated and you failed.

I drove by and thought the protest was about the potential decrease in the school budget that is going up for a vote, not the problems in Albany.

As for them being a distraction, as I drove by I was trying to read the signs while navigating parents swerving into and out of traffic and watching for crossing children. Definately distracting, as was the video camera across the street from the school. Thankfully, me nor any of the other commuters hit anyone.

When anyone with a guaranteed pension protests, I have deaf ears. I believe teacher's unions are the biggest threat to the education of children in this country.
http://blogs.cbn.com/hurdontheweb/archive/2014/10/10/bigger-threat-terr…

Mar 24, 2015, 12:35pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Peter. As I read your comment, I couldn't help but shake my head when I came across where you stated, "...as I drove by I was trying to read the signs while navigating parents swerving into and out of traffic and watching for crossing children."

To my way of thinking, that would rate right up there with (posting or reading) text messages while driving.

Your #1 'job' as a motor vehicle operator is to do so in the safest way possible - to both you, and those around you.

If reading signs being carried by picketers means that much to you, please, drive safely through, park, and walk back to READ them.

Mar 24, 2015, 1:19pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Peter. Of course the picketers want passing motorists to read their signs.

But, should you happen to be reading them and run into a (parked or moving) vehicle, or, worse yet, a pedestrian, who's gonna end up in front of a judge?

The picketers have absolutely no responsibility in the safe operation of your vehicle. That's ALL on you.

Mar 24, 2015, 9:23pm Permalink
Ed Glow

Mr. O'Brien... you apparently didn't see Mr. Mooney's first two posts before he edited them and removed about 40 lines of text or you would know that his rant had nothing to do with traffic. His opinion was that these picketing teachers were a distraction to the kids and parents. The other opinion Mr. Mooney also edited that I challenged stated people shouldn't be picketing in front of their place of business, and if they do they should be fired.

Since Mr. Mooney's original rants no longer exist here I just wanted to set the story straight to avoid further confusion, and clarify things for anybody wondering where my rebuttals were coming from. My comments have NOT been edited by the way!

Mar 25, 2015, 8:24am Permalink
Thomas Mooney

ED . I never said they were picketing for wages but there should be a good reason like wages . All was edited for some like yourself that turn 40 lines of truth into 40 lines of misguided info.

YOU WROTE THIS , HERE IS YOUR PROOF

"Mr. Mooney...

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what world you're living in. The one I'm in routinely has workers picketing in front of their place of business, and for the
"

How do you argue the facts of NY being the top dollar per pupil ratio but not have the best performers. Its called fat and the teachers want more fat . It will not be used properly and there for enough is enough.

Mar 25, 2015, 3:07pm Permalink

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