Mooney’s Class

Edward Mooney, Jr.

Antelope Valley Press

July 25, 2005

Title: Fiction writing in Sacramento.

I read a recent editorial by this newspaper basically siding with the governor and his “climate of anger” toward teachers. In sum, the paper and the “Governator” believe that teachers are one of the causes of the state financial woes. They both cite the power of the California Teacher’s Association (please note that the title does not have the word “union” in it). I’ve found myself in a dilemma: knowing as I do the inside world of teaching, how is it that teachers have caused California’s monetary troubles? The two seem about as far apart as a liquid metal police officer from the future and the real badge-carriers of today.

I’ve been a teacher for 17 years. I’ve not been a very strong supporter of the CTA – until now. The governor’s attacks on this profession allow me to see the point of that organization. The governor is looking for a scapegoat to pin state troubles on, so he’s chosen firefighters, nurses, police officers, corrections officers and teachers. According to him, because of us we have problems in Sacramento. If we had no organization to represent us, I cannot imagine what he would do to my profession, other to make working at a big-box discount store more attractive (which is getting closer).

As an author, I can’t make up fiction any better than the “Governator” is spewing upon California. Here’s what I mean:

First, lets’ look at teacher raises, which I assume the governor despises. Over the last decade we’ve continually received raises of 1%, or worse. Two years we did better than that. That’s way below the rate of inflation – we’ve lost purchasing power. There’s a simple answer as to why more money is going to schools every year: we’re getting more students! Believe me, I don’t know of any teacher getting rich on the raises we’ve received! Rich teachers do it the old fashioned way: they inherit it! So, if the CTA is as controlling as the governor insinuates, why am I getting such poor raises?

Second, let’s look at comparative salaries of teachers. It took me the first 11 years of my teaching career to reach the same numeric salary I was getting in business. Before I accepted my first contract I had quite a few sleepless nights deciding if I should go into teaching and drive my family into a lower socio-economic group. Folks, notice I said “numerical salary”. That’s UNADJUSTED for inflation. Now, if the CTA has such clout, then why do starting teachers make less than some shift supervisors at mega-giant discount stores – without a college education?

Third, let’s look at the issue of tenure, which is misinterpreted as a lifetime job guarantee. Believe it or not, there is a clearly outlined procedure to remove tenured teachers. I’ve witnessed a number of tenured teachers who’ve been forced out. All tenure does is guarantee a due process before job termination. I’ve seen examples of the CTA supporting the removal of a tenured teacher. Folks, we who have tenure still get evaluations and observations. Here’s my puzzle: if the CTA has the influence the Great Actor in Sacramento says, then why doesn’t tenure truly mean lifetime job security?

Now let’s look at the real story, not fiction, about why state finances are messed up. Arnold’s buddy, Governor Pete Wilson, planted a time bomb in California a decade ago. You won’t hear the Governator talking about this one. Wilson botched up the deregulation of electricity (remember rolling blackouts?). Costs soared and sent California into an economic tailspin. Energy companies gouging folks like you and me ate up our budget surplus. The state stepped in and stabilized the situation.

The strange fiction is that we put Pete’s buddy, Arnold, into office! The fox messed up the henhouse, another man came in as governor, and then we put a friend of the fox back into the henhouse!

Arnold’s left with two scenarios: blame his buddy Pete, or blame teachers. Notice Arnold hasn’t put any initiatives on the state ballot this fall to deal with soaring energy costs. Special interest?

Folks, this is akin to your boss spending the company profits (and more) in Las Vegas and then blaming you. It’s called “scapegoating”. Are you buying?

Thought for the Week: "If you ever injected truth into politics you’d have no politics.”
- Will Rogers

Edward Mooney, Jr., of Palmdale, is a teacher at Quartz Hill High School and the author of the novels “The Pearls of the Stone Man” and “The Journey of the Stone Man”.