I am retired from teaching 32.5 years with another 2.4 subbing in the Ogden School District, so the district's offensive action in offering a take-it-or-be-fired "contract" that bypasses the teacher's association is so offensive that I must write this letter to the editor.
The Ogden District is engaged in union busting. They have decided to ignore that nearly 100 percent of all teachers have signed that they want the Ogden Education Association to bargain for them.
Ogden teachers, don't take the bait or fear the reprisal. If they can afford a raise with the "contract" they are offering, they can afford a raise with a contract that also protects and preserves your rights.
If they cut the union out of the picture, what will happen to due process and to the protection from administrators acting on a whim or irate parents who want to blame teachers for their child's failure? What will happen when the district personnel involuntarily transfers a teacher? What about when they insist on evaluating teachers on test scores only? What about some ivory tower administrator who hasn't taught in a classroom for 25 years deciding how to teach?
We fought too hard over the years, the union, to get what rights we have. Do teachers remember when we had no breaks, not even for lunch? I do. Do they remember when we had no leave except sick leave, so we either had to lie or skip an uncle's funeral? I do. Do they remember when the district routinely laid off all first, second, and third year teachers at the end of the school year, then hired back only the ones they wanted? I do.
They can't replace all teachers at the same time. Call their bluff. Don't sign the "contract!" Stand together and strike!
David M. Thomas
Ogden
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