I need some info. Topic: Education/Wisconsin. Hoping to get more reads here...

[truth2power]

Public schools in my part of the country are in dire straits. No surprise there.

A letter to the editor in a local paper stated, in part:

[div class=excerpt style=background:FBFEFF] "Get your union to shop around for cheaper insurance and stop all the special interest deals on a state basis like Wisconsin did. The schools are solvent there since the jacked-up teachers' insurances have been slashed." Underline added.

Is there anyone who could comment credibly about this? I'm most interested in the teachers' insurance issue. A link would be helpful.

I'd be most grateful for any help. I would like to respond. Thanks.

[midnight]

1. Teachers are state employees like fire and police.

I wonder how they feel about those jacked up insurance policies? Why pick on the teachers?

[truth2power]

2. Apparently the writer feels the Wisconsin teachers were getting

more than they were entitled to in terms of health insurance (now slashed, if you believe what's said in the LTE).

I also want to know about the current solvency of the Wisconsin schools. Not likely that one little tweak has fixed everything.

[Sabriel]

6. They're not state employees

They're hired by local districts, not the state.

[Scuba]

3. I've been hearing in Wisconsin for months....

... that the teacher's union is somehow scamming money from the taxpayers for higher than competition insurance.


This is never backed up with anything, but I haven't seen it refuted (refutiaded?) either. Hopefully some DU'er can lead us to the truth.

[mysuzuki2]

4. I don't think it's the Union that decides on the insurance plan.

If it's "jacked up" or purchased non competitively, it's not the teachers or other state employees getting the benefit. It would be someone in the Walker administration.

[mojowork_n]

5. Take a look

at Larry Miller's Blog.

He's a Milwaukee school board member (one of the good guys) and has written
and posted quite a bit on education issues:

http://millermps.wordpress.com/

If iwhat you're looking for isn't not there, maybe you could e-mail him.

[truth2power]

8. Thanks. I skimmed through the site and it looks like

there's lots of good info there about a variety of education issues.

I finally found an email for Larry Miller by clicking on the link to Rethinking Schools. Also there's a phone# for the editorial board offices. It's a start.

[Sabriel]

7. Try this Ooops! story from the Cap Times

http://wisconsinwave.org/news/cap-times-gop-goofs-slam-weac-insurance

[Ellipsis]

9. The bottom line is... the insurance lobbies want MORE of the union insurance dollar.