CUSD Update

The teachers’ strike began on Thurs., April 22. Comments on blogs over the weekend indicated that teachers and other union supporters were pleased with low attendance figures in schools on April 22 and 23. Some parents commented about the difficulty they had getting their children to school, including crossing picket lines.

A CUSD parent commented to this blog’s staffers, “Prior to the strike, the teachers were just teachers. Now, those taking part in the strike are union members.”

Another CUSD parent forwarded the following to this blog:

“Information about unions is a real eye-opener regarding the current Capistrano Unified teachers union strike. Material was created by the National Education Association (NEA) to assist local unions with strategies for ‘labor negotiations’ and striking. The union is using this strategy to the letter.   

“The teachers have the union but our kids only have us parents (and in this case the CUSD Board of Trustees). If parents join in supporting the union, who is advocating for the students?

“Keep in mind the words of Albert Shanker, union president of United Federated of Teachers (1964 - 1984) and American Federation of Teachers (1974 to 1997). He said, ‘When school kids start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the interests of school children.’”

See Shanker’s quote here: http://books.google.com/books?id=32CClXOYeScC&pg=PA33&dq=albert+shanker+children+start+paying+u nion+dues#v=onepage&q=albert%20shanker%20children%20start%20paying%20union%20dues&f=false   (page 33)

To read additional information, click (here).