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LETTERS: Teachers’ union deserves better coverage from R-J

To the editor:

The Review-Journal’s blatant bias against public workers, and especially public employee unions, was prominently displayed again on your editorial page (“CCSD’s email fail,” July 5 Review-Journal). You are always very quick to lambaste teachers, schools, the Clark County School District or the Clark County Education Association for any wrongdoing. Your feeble attempt at trying not to seem biased, by having an “Educator of the Month” in the paper, is only window dressing to your obvious disdain. Your disregard for public workers is glaringly obvious with your constant attacks and biased reporting.

This bias was evident again this past week when it was announced that CCEA won its arbitration case against the school district for violating the teaching contract when former Superintendent Dwight Jones (your golden boy) decided to not award salary advancement for years of service or educational gains. Instead of even reporting about this, you bash the teachers’ union and the district for not making it easier for teachers to opt out of the teachers’ union. The teachers’ union just won our arbitration case for us. We will now receive back pay. That sounds like a great union to me.

The union has also kept the health trust going for teachers. It is a great health plan, one whose benefits are superb for teachers: again, another great accomplishment by the CCEA. By the way, the teachers’ health trust is fine and will continue to deliver its benefits until 2016, despite the falsities the Review-Journal publishes about it.

The recession has been tough on everyone; teachers and the union have not been spared. Every year, teachers have been asked to do more with less. The union has worked incredibly hard to keep teachers’ jobs stable and mitigate pay cuts, just one more accomplishment by the union.

We are lucky to have a teachers’ union here in Las Vegas. Teachers in many other states wish they had the protection that we have here. I’m proud to be a teacher here, and I’m proud to be a member of the CCEA. Please try to be less biased against hardworking educators like me in the future.

MATT NIGHSWONGER

LAS VEGAS

Defending the CCEA

To the editor:

The latest Review-Journal temper tantrum railing against the Clark County Education Association (“CCSD’s email fail,” July 5 Review-Journal) ended with two questions: “What’s the district afraid of? Teachers having more spending money?” I have similar questions for the Review-Journal editorial board and the Nevada Policy Research Institute: What are the Review-Journal and NPRI afraid of? Teachers actually having decent wages and working conditions?

My annual association dues come out to about $700. For that small amount, I have the security of knowing that somebody has my back as an educator. The CCEA ensures teachers’ due process rights are protected against administrative bias, favoritism and cronyism, or when teachers are falsely accused of wrongdoing by students or parents. The teachers’ union negotiates a fair wage and benefits for all educators, not just CCEA members. The union fights for fair evaluations based on teacher performance and for decent working conditions so that as an educator, I can actually help students learn.

Are the Review-Journal and NPRI really so ignorant as to believe that an association-free school district would negotiate a fair contract for educators? Or would treat teachers, the district’s most valuable asset, with dignity and respect? Or would be able to attract and retain quality educators? To answer the editorial’s question: I’m not afraid of having more spending money, which is why I am a proud member of the CCEA.

MARK THOMAS

NORTH LAS VEGAS

American Dream?

To the editor:

Come, you children and adults of misery, come to America. The streets are lined with gold. Every work-age adult has employment. We have no crime, no street gangs, no divorce, no child molesters, no illegal drugs, no homeless, only milk and honey.

We have a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Come you poor, wretched people, from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and, if possible, aliens from other planets. We hardworking, taxpaying American citizens welcome you with open arms, empty wallets and maxed-out credit cards.

Actually, what I just wrote is a whole lot of “who shot John?” as Judge Judy is fond of saying. Dream on America. I believe our nightmare is close at hand.

JOHN TOMINSKY

LAS VEGAS

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