Teachers, salaries, pensions and benefits remain very much in the news. The recent ruckus in Wisconsin is a high profile example. To be fair, here are two recent stories about where the situation stands from the Weekly Standard and Huffington Post.
A lot of contention, opinion and emotion remains on both sides.
My point here is not what side you may take in this issue or any other, but why it's important for everyone involved to be on message. Just like the old saying "Loose Lips Sink Ships," loose lips can also sink a cause or movement.
Case in point: I was watching the news yesterday and there was a story about people lining up two days in advance of the opening of the new IKEA Store in Centennial. (Why this is "news" in the first place is another story)
A reporter asked one lady who is spending a full two days in line how she could afford to do it. "I'm a teacher, we get the whole summer off," was the reply. Oops. One could almost here the groan of the National Education Association all the way across the country.
When you, your organization or cause is in the middle of a high profile campaign, everyone and I mean EVERYONE has to be on message all the time. Even when standing in line to buy furniture.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you" (And teach your team to help manage that conversation)
A lot of contention, opinion and emotion remains on both sides.
My point here is not what side you may take in this issue or any other, but why it's important for everyone involved to be on message. Just like the old saying "Loose Lips Sink Ships," loose lips can also sink a cause or movement.
Case in point: I was watching the news yesterday and there was a story about people lining up two days in advance of the opening of the new IKEA Store in Centennial. (Why this is "news" in the first place is another story)
A reporter asked one lady who is spending a full two days in line how she could afford to do it. "I'm a teacher, we get the whole summer off," was the reply. Oops. One could almost here the groan of the National Education Association all the way across the country.
When you, your organization or cause is in the middle of a high profile campaign, everyone and I mean EVERYONE has to be on message all the time. Even when standing in line to buy furniture.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you" (And teach your team to help manage that conversation)
What a dumb bunny. While we are not in the classroom teaching our rigorous course schedules (although let me amend that statement, because some teachers ARE in class teaching summer school!) the vast majority of teachers are taking classes, going to training, writing curriculum -- or just getting their ducks in a row for the upcoming school year. Others who are the main bread winners in their families have other jobs. I know teachers who mow lawns, do construction work, paint houses, work retail. I've never spent a summer (not three months, by the way -- a few weeks less than that) when I was completely disconnected from the job for more than a few days. Keep in mind that our work weeks run 60 - 80 hours during the school year with preparation and paper grading. As my ex-husband said, "You teachers work in dog years." He was a business person, and HE "got it".
ReplyDeleteYeah, what a dumb bunny.