Thread by @73Newport

Thread: If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this 1Feb23 video of the teachers union presentation to the board of @JeffcoSchoolsCo (nation's 39th largest district) is worth a million. But first, some background... #edpolicy @FoxNews #edchat #suptchat #k12 #edcolo #jeffco @WSJ

Before the union presentation, the Jeffco board spent more than an hour discussing this affluent, educated suburban district's dismal student results, which have been declining for a decade...

Last June, the 4 (out of 5) union backed board directors approved such a large comp increase for teachers that Jeffco was plunged into financial chaos. Faced with $130m of projected deficits and reserve drawdowns, 16 ES have been closed, with more MS and HS to follow...

Based on US Dept of Ed Civil Rights Div data, nearly 25% of Jeffco teachers use more than 10 personal and sick days/school year. This is the point at which teacher absences begin to have a significant negative effect on student achievement...

So in this video, some of the outrageous statements you will hear from the union team include: "Our bargaining improves student outcomes"... "We want more substitutes available on Fridays"... and "We want you to pay for the rising cost of our health benefits"...

On the attached video of the meeting (which comes from the district), the union session starts at 1:57:32 and last for 1h 20m. If you want to understand part of what's wrong with K12 today, watch the whole thing.
livestream.com/accounts/10429…

As in other districts, Jeffco's poor academic results are causing enrollment to fall in neighborhood schools and driving down district revenues. The first teacher layoffs will happen this year. They won't be the last. My prediction is that...

Eventually the Jeffco union will call a strike to stop layoffs and, in the immortal words of Victor Gotbaum, yet again demand "MORE" This will happen in districts across the nation. Which side blinks first will have a powerful impact on the future of American public education.