Epiphany in Baltimore

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004

Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com

An emergency vote has been called for tomorrow to see if our union will accept a 3.5% paycut. We're getting off of school for half a day to vote. Very interesting. I will again be voting for the pay cut to hopefully save my job.

It's very complex, though. I received this e-mail from a co-worker I respect today. It says, in part, the following: Our vote last Friday was a clear message that the City needs to solve the problem without asking for further sacrifices from already overburdened, underpaid teachers. The city did not recognize this situation as a crisis until teachers refused to voluntarily accept the burden. I am frightened by the possibility that the 1900+ teachers who voted yes for furloughs and paycuts will again vote yes. This will put us in further debt next year. It will cause many teachers to leave to find other jobs that pay enough to support their families. But most importantly, it sends a message that teachers are willing to bear the entire burden, alone, of the prioritization of education while parents and the government have no responsibility whatsoever.... Please pass this on to ALL of your teacher-friends and colleagues. Democratic action only takes place if we stand united. We must send a message. Please feel free to add your own thoughts and comments. But please, vote NO on borrowing money from teachers and the future of the schools.

I'm not sure of her certification status, but she was hired the same year as me, so she's not a safe-and-sound veteran. She has five kids, so she's got some balls to be voting against it. Balls I don't have, apparently.

Usually, I'm all about railing against injustice. I volunteer for political campaigns and, you know, do what I can for other stuff. But not on this. Frankly, I'm not shocked by the unfairness of it all. Call me naive, but I do think we'll be paid back, and I can afford the $70 per paycheck that this paycut will cost me. It sucks and it's not fair, but I enjoy my job too much and care about who my students end up with too much to risk it by voting against this paycut.

Bottom line, I'd rather have a paycut than a pink slip. My students, and I, will be better off. I hope this doesn't make me a bad union member.

Got my mid-year evaluation today. A perfect score. I wish they were the ones making the decisions.

Also, I went to the doctor today, the eye surgeon who reattached my retinas. I guess it's a good sign that, this time, he didn't introduce me to the resident he was with as "here's that unfortunate young man I was telling you about."