Schools Are A Sea Of Red On I See Red Day

The scene above from Albany Elementary School was common throughout the state Friday (October 15, 2004) as teachers and education support professionals wore red to their work places to demonstrate solidarity with candidates who support great schools.

The I See Red Day activity was part of the Great Schools Statewide Action Plan, a long-term strategy designed to win support for:

• A revised system of school funding that ensures that every child has access to an adequately funded public education, and
• A fair collective bargaining law for teachers and education support professionals.

Central to achieving those goals is to elect pro-education candidates. I See Red Day was designed to draw attention to the need to get out and vote on November 2. Some locals, like the Albany Education Association, have extended I See Red Day.

"We've been wearing red shirts for six weeks to encourage and remind everyone to vote for candidates who support public schools," said Albany teacher Connie Gregerson (far right, first row above).

"Every Friday, people bring in snacks and treats as part of our I See Red celebration," said Albany Education Association President Pam McIntyre (third from left, second row). "Like other schools, the revenue caps have really hurt our district."

Below are a couple more of the photos OnWEAC received from I See Red Day in other districts. For more photos, click on the Photo Gallery icon at the top of this page. (If you have photos to share, please send them to OnWEAC Editor Bill Hurley at hurleyb@weac.org.)

Clintonville:

In Clintonville, members wore red and discussed school funding, revenue controls and collective bargaining issues at their regular Friday breakfast.

Teacher Elisha Prellwitz said I See Red Day and the Great Schools Statewide Action Plan are motivating members.

"It's a sign that grassroots organizing is working," she said.

The Clintonville School Board has adopted a resolution calling for the repeal of revenue controls, another component of the Action Plan. (See Share Your Photos page.)

"We're working hard to educate members and the community," member Lynne Kessler said.

Members agreed they are under more stress and increased workload because of revenue controls and the QEO. Teachers are involuntarily transferred and classrooms are being consolidated as a result of these laws.

The loss of education support professionals has severely limited teachers' ability to provide classrooms that work, said kindergarten teacher Stannye Meads.

Teachers now take on the tasks formerly performed by paraprofessionals. They monitor playgrounds and lunch rooms, and perform clerical duties. Meads said she and her colleagues now spend many extra after-school hours performing those jobs, or they are forced away from their students during regular hours.

"If we really want children to succeed, the teacher should put all time into classroom tasks," she said. "We are losing help for testing and assessing. Where are my talents being utilized? It's a hard go to say it's in the classroom."

In Wisconsin Dells, members wore red and met at lunchtime to talk about the issues. The district has not been forced to make severe program cuts because of revenue controls so far, but members say that day is coming. The district cut $341,000 out of its last budget.

"That was the expense of a special education teacher and a school psychologist," Wisconsin Dells Education Association President Jim Brancel said. The district also cut teacher budgets by 3% across the board.

"We have less money to work with kids in the classroom," he said.

"Something has to give," John Belter said. "As a state, we should provide the best we can for our kids. Part of that is to attract and retain teachers. We want to attract excellent people to go into the field."

Wisconsin Dells members said the situation is discouraging.

"It's a Catch 22 for new teachers," Mike Michalsky said. "They don't make enough money to take credits to move up the pay scale."

He said the QEO has created a climate issue.

"When you see us falling further behind other states, it's frustrating. Every day I'm taking care of other people's kids, and I can barely scrape by to take care of my own son."

At its October 18 meeting, the association will ask the school board to sign on to the resolution opposing revenue controls.

Posted October 15, 2004