Superintendent Speaks Out
From the Kenowa Hills School District:"We support our teachers who are in the military and particularly those who are called up for duty," said Jim Gillette, Superintendent of the Kenowa Hills Public Schools. "Our salary and benefit support for our teacher in the Naval Reserves exceeds other school districts and private employers. The proof is in the numbers."
Matt's Chat
No person serving their country should have to pay for their substitute. That is just not right, regardless of whether or not they are "going above and beyond" the law. And I don't buy that either."In the case of Barry Bernhardt, the news media has made it sound as if the teacher is getting penalized, but the people who are writing this do not understand the situation. When we worked out this arrangement with Barry, he indicated he was satisfied. In fact, he expressed his appreciation for the school district's willingness to go above and beyond what the law requires. He acknowledged this arrangement was made so that he and his family would not be penalized for his service to our nation."Let's hear that from Mr. Bernhardt.
Mark's Remarks
As someone who has worked in the public schools, and someone who has been screwed by administrators, let me say: this superintendent is an a$$! He is a typical politician, trying to talk out both sides of his mouth. He is diverting the real issue, and he is giving misleading numbers about the pay of teachers. That is what these superintendents do, not only with finances but with achievement. Certain students are expelled, suspended, or moved to other districts at certain times of the year so they can be counted for money, but not on proficiency scores. It is a game they play. This superintendent is not being honest, and he sounds like the Hitler-lookalike schmuck that I had to deal with for two years. Their kind do not belong in educating our children. They belong elsewhere, maybe in a cesspool.
This issue strikes home for me because I dealt with the corruption, bureaucracy and stupidity in school administration, and it almost killed me. This brave soldier/teacher should not have to go through this crap as he is defending the freedoms that hamsters like this Superintendent take for granted. It is a crime and a travesty. Nuff said.
UPDATE: Barry's Brother Chimes In
From Right Voices:Well, he's my brother and here's the funny thing -- he isn't raising it as an issue! The whole media-storm started after he was already deployed!
The Kenowa Hills super posts inaccurate information, by the way. If you look at the web site it really looks like Barry gets a lot of money. Trust me, if teachers were that well paid, we'd all be teachers! AND Gillette's math is wrong. The guy needs to take some math classes or something. Barry pays for his housing and food while deployed and gets reimbursed. Gillette leaves out that first part.
It isn't the money, though, is it? No, I don't think he should have to pay for a substitute nor do I feel he should take vacation days. Just opinion on that one.
He's a good guy trying to do the right thing and doesn't want to see his family get pounded financially while he is away. The [o]riginal "offer", by the way, was leave without pay and no benefits for the ten days he was gone. This was a much better deal. Will he make a profit? Well, yeah, the military pays better than teachers!
Gillette is wrong on many counts, mostly compassion, patriotism and human decency. That's too bad. He had a chance to do better.
And his web site is a travesty.
