By Victor Skinner
EAGnews.org

KENOSHA, Wis. – Pleasant Prairie teacher Kristi Lacroix has become an increasingly outspoken critic of her teachers union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, and has vehemently backed Gov. Scott Walker’s reforms to collective bargaining.

She appeared in television commercials for the governor during the heat of the debate over the reforms and more recently has voiced her concerns with other reform-minded teachers in a weekly newsletter titled Freedom from Teachers Unions.
The newsletter has gained a lot of attention.

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In an edition two weeks ago, Lacroix and fellow reform-minded teacher Tracie Happel, who helps author the publication, highlighted WEAC’s decision to hold “listening sessions” throughout the state this month to solicit recommendations from union members and staff on the direction of the organization.

WEAC is holding two meetings in 10 different Wisconsin cities so teachers and union supporters “have the opportunity to look ahead and find new ways to accomplish our goals,” according to a WEAC release.

Taxpayers were not invited to the discussions, but that didn’t stop one Wisconsin resident from writing in to the teachers’ newsletter in hopes that his suggestions would be reprinted and relayed to WEAC.

Thomas Stewart didn’t pull any punches. And while we’re unsure how many citizens share his views, we believe that his suggestions provide a unique look at the frustrations some taxpayers undoubtedly have with the union. Here’s what he had to say (edited for brevity):

    I, as an “educational supporter” (or, as we like to refer to ourselves, a Taxpayer) have a couple of suggestions for future union relations.

     1) Stop bullying the taxpayer. We deal with the same financial problems, on a day to day basis, that you do. But we also support whatever wage increase, benefit, or boon you choose to insist you MUST have in order for our children to learn. We work, by vast majority, at least 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 48 to 51 weeks per year. Very often we must work overtime, or a second job, in order to make our bills, supply our physical needs, and pay our taxes. With a little luck, we may put a little away for savings. …

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     We are supposed to accept whatever you do, professionally or personally, and be silent. And our children continue to sink in the standards of education effectiveness in the world. Given that we spend more than any other country on education, shouldn’t we have a MUCH better outcome? The parochial and private schools do!

     2) Get over the standard old union dogma about equalizing outcomes through redistribution of wealth. Most of us that pay our salaries AREN’T RICH! We are, at best, middle, or lower middle class. I also don’t want YOU making any decisions on curriculum. I don’t want P.C. as part of education, or revisionist history, or teaching of “sexual norms and practices.” With these things in place, or even suspected to be so, you will never gain the sympathy or support of parents or many of your own members.

     Whether or not you chose to pay attention to any of this is your choice, of course. I suspect you won’t. I know that if you really wanted to define the future for your union in the coming years, you should have inquired of the parents, students, and the taxpayers on the off chance that THEY may have some thoughts on it. After all, you expect THEM to pay for it.

Thomas Stewart
Taxpayer, former UAW member, Veteran

Hello, WEAC, are you listening?