It’s hard to know where to begin! We’re just starting our 6th week of school and the problems, worries and concerns continue to mount. Now, more than ever, the MTA needs your support and involvement. It is critical to document any contractual concerns and violations. Please utilize the structure available in each building—the building representatives and senior reps need to be aware of problems in order to begin the documentation process at the building level. For those of you who may not be aware, after the monthly meeting between the building reps and the building administrators, a summary of the meeting is written. At our monthly Executive Board meetings, copies of the building meeting reports are distributed to each officer and each Senior Building Representative. It is vital that we all know what is occurring across the district. Communication is key, and we need to ensure that the rights of our members are protected and that the contract is upheld.

Needless to say, we have a lot of work to do and the MTA is committed to working toward achieving the professional recognition and support which we so deserve (we are teachers, not “customers”). Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, our goals do not appear to be aligned with those of Central Administration and the Board of Education. For those who do not receive the Northern Orange edition of the Times Herald-Record, we are re-printing a paid ad that the MTA ran on Wednesday, October 5th. Also included in this edition is a recent article (again, from the Northern Orange edition of the TH-R) citing some of the dialogue from the October 6th Board of Education meeting.

Clearly, we have far too many members who are working under extremely handicapping conditions. If the Superintendent and the Board of Education choose to categorize our public comments as “airing dirty laundry” that is unfortunate because it only serves to reinforce what we already know—they are choosing not to listen to what we are reporting. They are choosing not to listen to the truth. What is appalling is that we have seen the disastrous effects when a Board of Education doesn’t act upon information brought forward in a truthful and open manner. How long can this district afford to play this dangerous and costly game? The MTA will not and can not be a part of anything less than total and honest disclosure.

It is hard not to think of the analogy between what is happening in this district and a children’s tale familiar to all. I will leave this snippet from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes as something to ponder.

The lords of the bedchamber, who were to carry his Majesty’s train felt about on the ground, as if they were lifting up the ends of the mantle; and pretended to be carrying something; for they would by no means betray anything like simplicity, or unfitness for their office.

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the procession, through the streets of his capital; and all the people standing by, and those at the windows, cried out, “Oh! How beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes! What a magnificent train there is to the mantle; and how gracefully the scarf hangs!” In short, no one would allow that he could not see these much-admired clothes; because, in doing so, he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office. Certainly, none of the Emperor’s various suits, had ever made so great an impression, as these invisible ones.

“But the Emperor has nothing at all on!” said a little child.

“Listen to the voice of innocence!” exclaimed his father; and what the child had said was whispered from one to another.

“But he has nothing at all on!” at last cried out all the people. The Emperor was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a train, although, in reality, there was no train to hold.

I stated at the October 6th Board meeting that the MTA will continue to speak out and we will be the voice of truth. We will not pretend that what we see doesn’t exist!