For the past fifteen –
sixteen months the educators have been verbally accosted more than any other
single group of Wisconsin public sector employees, with much of the public resentment
being fueled by strategic venom spewing from Governor Walker and Senator
Fitzgerald. To better understand why
Governor Walker is specifically targeting educators, read my blog post, “Governor Walker's Attack on Public Educators."
http://republicansforahigherroad.blogspot.com/2012/04/governor-walkers-new-powers-in-action_22.html
Sadly, Governor Walker
and Senator Fitzgerald’s use of the public educators as a political target has been
very effective in pitting much of the state against one another, but especially
in dividing the general public against state workers – most notably the public educators.
Governor Walker and Senator Fitzgerald’s
vilifications of public educators has even
went as far as to sway many otherwise education friendly parents to say
derogatory comments towards the profession, including parents whose own
children have been or are being greatly impacted by outstanding educators.
I can only
imagine how some readers may question, “if public educators are supposedly the targeted
victim of Governor Walker’s hidden political agenda, then why are these highly educated
people being so quite and taking the abuse?”
The answer has two parts to it and both are rather simple. First off, public educators are not afforded
much of any autonomy for being openly vocal about anything negative within
education. As a society we expect the educators
to exemplify the epitome of making the best out of anything that life throws your
way. But not
only do we the general public expect educators to be the ultimate lemonade
makers, we expect school district administrators and school boards to take
action if educators speak out on any particular topics, especially political
ones. We require educators to teach our children how learn and apply critical thinking skills, but we do not by any means want those same educators to be exprssing their position on matters that may go against the norm.
Secondly,
educators on average are passionately driven towards helping others. Most would give the shirt off of their own
back to make a positive difference in the lives of their students. But when it comes to standing up for
themselves, educators just are not hard-wired that way. Educators can be like a momma bear with cubs
when it comes to protecting their students in the form of advocating for
them. But advocating for themselves just
does not come naturally to many of these professionals.
It isn’t that they are absent of an opinion or short on a position over controversial
issues. You just do not openly hear them
taking their concerns to the internet, the media, or to the local community
events. The risk of backlash is to great for these public servants to risk their employment status over, even if doing it from their own home one their own time. It is just a normal and unwritten part of being a public educator.
With all of
that said, educators are typically good about getting out and voting. So I will be curious to see how many of the
public educators in Wisconsin will take full advantage of the opportunity to finally
push back against Governor Walker and Senator Fitzgerald recall election day. Think of the poetic justice if public sector
employees, specifically public educators step out in droves to cast their vote
against Governor Walker and Senator Fitzgerald.
In
Senate District 13 where I live, public educators could in fact be the crucial
votes that make the difference in sending Senator Fitzgerald packing. Future history references might just call it,
“The day that the public educators rose up against Governor Walker and
Senator Fitzgerald!” I hope to be rrading about that historical piece soon.
Sincerely,
Gary
