Tired of whining teachers and union boss

I stepped into the hallway to get some water and frankly was in no hurry to get back into the school board meeting.  I could hear the whining from here.  With me were a couple of school bus drivers.  They looked just as exasperated.  I delicately inquired and they told me “we took a 5 percent cut, why can’t they (the teachers) take the same cut like all the rest of us?” 

Now we hear “the district is hoarding cash!”  And they are firing teachers just to “put money in the bank.”  They have $12 million in the bank! (or $15 million depending) They scream! 

Readers, you probably know by now I’m not exactly the most uncritical person in the world especially of the school district or any of the government agencies around here.  But in this case, I have looked at the MUSD’s balance sheet and from “back of the envelope” calculations I have to side with the school board.

I don’t know if Chief Union Boss has ever taken math, but “$12 million” is just pocket change, not some “hoarding” or a “fortune.”  Directly from Superintendent Messer: The payroll alone is $13 million each month!  In other words the district needs to write checks for $13 million on one month, every month to keep the schools operating.  Having $12 to 15 million “in the bank” is just common sense, otherwise, as Mr. Messer explained, they would have to borrow and pay interest, costing the district even more.

And frankly, every problem mentioned in the letter from the union boss; from class size to the school bus cutbacks is directly caused by the teacher’s union greed and lack of cooperation. 

I’m sorry to have to say it that harshly, but if you disagree go ahead and tell me where I’m wrong.

Union boss’s letter here: Kids should come before cash reserves in Manteca