Jamie Weil
PICKETING: Members of the Cottonwood Teachers Association picketed Feb. 6 over the lack of an updated salary contract in front of Holiday Quality Foods on Gas Point Road in Cottonwood.
To the "unhappy teachers in Cottonwood,"
Enough is enough! For three years you have turned down offers from our school board, created a work place filled with bitterness and strife, filed a suit with PERB against our school district regarding a salary dispute ( PERB found in favor of the district) and filed a suit with the Superior Court ( which also ruled in favor of the district). You are still picketing in front of local businesses, celebrating when parents remove their kids from our schools, and now leaving flyers on cars (litter) that threaten a strike.
Do you really believe the public is sympathetic to your cause? You have a job with great benefits, and cannot be fired (tenure), regardless of your insubordination. How many people in Shasta County have that kind of job security?
By asking for more money than the board is offering, you are putting your co-workers' jobs at stake. We are in a budget crisis every where in this state and people are taking pay cuts to keep their jobs.
Your demands make no sense.
Please, for the sake of our community, our children, and our schools, accept the board's offer.
A former Cottonwood teacher,
Codie Powers,
Cottonwood
Letter to the Editor:
I am writing this letter as a reflection of the holiday season and the outstanding generosity of some of the businesses in our local community.
I had the privilege of working with The Gaia Hotel in Anderson, Mary's Pizza Shack, located in the Anderson outlets and Kohl's Department store of Redding.
The Gaia Hotel generously hosted the annual Christmas party for the foster families of Youth and Family Programs. The Gaia Hotel event staff was outstanding. Their staff was very professional and made sure everything was perfect for our event.
Located in the central outside area of the hotel is Swan Lake. This lake with it's black swans and large water fountains make you feel like you've escaped out of town when in reality you're just a few miles south of Redding.
Mary's Pizza Shack was the caterer for the event. Their food was outstanding and they brought a crew that served us in a very speedy and professional manner. The owner also gave Mary's bucks to all our foster kids.
Last, but not least, was the group of volunteers from Kohl's Department Store. Joyce Vendermere and some of the employees came with smiles on their faces and energy to do whatever needed to be done. They allowed our staff the opportunity to be served at our tables and enjoy the night with our foster families.
I am proud to live in a community where businesses go the extra mile and the spirit of volunteerism is shown to us and to the youth.
A favorite quote of mine is, "More is learned by what is caught than taught."
Thanks for your example to our kids.
Bonnie Hollister,
Recruitment/Donations,
Youth & Family Programs
Dear Sir:
I have been a subscriber to the Valley Post for 10 years, and I usually enjoy keeping up on the local news and the friendly atmosphere in your paper. I can understand how Winifred Maker, guest writer, can fit under this category most of the time, although there have been times when she steers away from this concept. I really think that she doesn't belong on the editorial page since most of her musings are about the past and in a very personal way. However, sometimes she ventures into political issues, and reveals her total lack of understanding and very limited views.
She attacks our new President, Barack Obama, who has been in office only a little over a week, with a viciousness and total lack of information and facts that is very scary to me. She claims to be afraid of the President, compares him to leading a cult. I can only guess that she is referring to the infamous Jim Jones.
She also fears "Socialism" and "Fascism" under his administration. This seems contradictory, since these two political systems are diametrically different. She honestly believes that a great majority, over 50 percent of the U.S. citizens, are gullible and ignorant enough to have voted for him and are just "a flock of sheep."
Sincerely,
Marianne Olstad,
Anderson, CA
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 9
rgwhite writes:
In response to Codie Powers: Your information is inaccurate and filled with half-truths. First, you forgot to mention that what started all this was the Cottonwood Board of Trustees refused to honor a signed contract. You also failed to mention that we, the teachers, ACCEPTED TWO offers from the district before the hearing at PERB. Both offers were not ratified by the board after the teachers accepted them. As for your insubordination comment, that makes no sense. Since when is exercising our Constitutional rights on our own time insubordination?
You wrote, "by asking for more money than the board is offering, you are putting your co-workers jobs at stake." We have not asked for any pay increase for this year, 08-09 because we realize the economy is poor. We are not putting our co-workers jobs at stake since the money in question is from 06-07 & 07-08 and the district received this money which is ongoing. The administration and classified received 8.7% increase for those two years, why shouldn't those who teach the students (including your daughter who teaches in the district) receive the same when the district has received the money?
The Cottonwood District has paid over $200,000 to attorneys to fight the teachers rather than settle. The Cottonwood District is also paying five years of health benefits (at COBRA rates) to a local attorney at a cost of over $75,000. Four of the five board members take health benefits for themselves and their families at a cost of $10,000 per year. When your husband was on the Cottonwood School Board, did he take the health insurance paid for by tax payer dollars?
Yes, Codie, enough is enough! The Cottonwood District needs to stop wasting tax payers money and settle with its teachers.
Glenda White
cottonwoodmom writes:
I have attended many school board meetings during the past two years and have been appalled by the way teachers have been treated by the school board and a few vocal community members. The teachers did indeed accept offers from the board and then the board withdrew their own offers. It is my understanding that they would like the same raise that was paid to all other employees based on COLA (cost of living allowance) given by the state. These funds are ongoing and were given long before our current economic woes.
I support our wonderful teachers and feel that they deserve respect and equitable treatment. I urge the school board to settle this ASAP in an equitable way and give the teachers the credit they deserve for the hard work that they are doing every day in the classrooms.
I have talked to parents and community members, who are afraid to speak out in support of teachers because they fear retalilation for their own children, themselves, and their businesses. Do not be so quick to make assumptions or judge without getting all the facts. Cottonwood teachers are great!
dante writes:
What I don't understand is why the administration took the raise. Why aren't the principals supporting their teachers? Why aren't the principals urging the CUSD board members to settle with the teachers? This certainly says a lot about their character, doesn't it?
DIDYAHEAR writes:
and, when will the teachers quit embarrassing the other members of Cottonwood.
cottonwoodmom writes:
Quit speaking for a whole community. You obviously are uninformed.
DIDYAHEAR writes:
Uninformed, I think all the information has come out recently and I think you've lost a lot of your parental support. Good luck, cottonwoodmom and dante, who are both teachers I might add, with your pointless battle. It's a joke, most of the Cottonwood community would kill for what you make now, you are all just being greedy. You should just be thankful you have jobs. Cottonwood Union school district needs to clean house and get rid of the teachers that have thrown the biggest fits. I feel sorry for the children of Cottonwood, they have been mistreated by the teachers long enough. Kudos to Mrs. Kizer, Mrs. Boyle, Mrs. Brogoitti, Mrs. Fitch, Mrs. Randolph, Mrs. Tamagni, Mrs. Stevens, Mr & Mrs. Doty, Mrs. Koonfield,Mr. Fuller, and all of the other teachers who have been behaving like civilized adults and Shame on the CTA Reps. who have been instigating the protesting, strikes and the children strike last year, shame on all of you, you know who you are. What are you teaching our children, where is your work ethic, your values. You have all gradually started doing less and less for the children, what are you being paid for? When will you do your job? Just curious.
cottonwoodmom writes:
How sad to see all your anger, bitterness and labeling coming out. I think your own words speak for themselves and show your true character. I'm glad that most people in Cottonwood do not share all your hateful vicious divisive viewpoints. FYI I am a mom with great kids who are receiving a great education and I choose to support our schools and teachers.
God bless you.
DIDYAHEAR writes:
The truth hurts, doesn't it. My post did not include any bitterness and my viewpoints are not hateful or vicious, they are the truth! You are obviously not actively involved in your children's "great education" Or you would realize that almost all of the K-8 teachers have cut back, and modified their programs. Our children are no longer getting the "quality education" they deserve, I thank god everyday that my daughter is in 8th grade and I only have a few months left in this district. I feel sorry for my sister who has kids at all 3 schools right now. You need to be more involved, then you would see their is truly a problem, a lot of this districts teachers are acting like spoiled children, they are doing the least amount possible to make a point, that say they do not have a contract and they want one, and it has come out that they currently have a contract, that is just confusing to me. Why would the teachers be spreading lies and leaving things out? I think they are just telling people what they think will get them on their side. Go to the Board Meetings, that is the only way you will know the TRUTH!
northvalleymom writes:
DIDYAHEAR, teaching is a work of the heart...not the shackles of slavery or retribution for dissention. I am saddened if you raise a family with your values. Please contact a member of the CTA leadership so they can tell you the facts because you have been misled and deceived. Actually, I thank God (with a capital "G") everyday because illiterate people like you don't teach children.
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