So the Little Lying Yellow Flier is Out
September 2nd, 2008As is usual with our local group of ne’er-do-wells, their little list of complains and whines appeared today, and probably in district mail-boxes, and it’s full of deceptions and mischaracterizations, half-truths and propaganda designed to terrify people into voting “no” on the contract.
I don’t even know where to begin. “The Wall Street Journal reports that oil prices will be over $6.00 a gallon”? I’m sure they did—in July. What are they reporting now, since oil has started to fall?
And does that even matter? The teacher’s contract will lead to less than $100 increase on a $100,000 home—not the astronomical amount they claim—and what it does is the right thing. But then, who wants to do what’s right? Even the Monadnock Taxpayer’s Association admits teachers need a contract, they just don’t want to pay for it.
Lovely people.
Their statements about early retirement are full of lies. The Monadnock Taxpayer’s Associationmakes it sound as if this contract keeps the early retirement clause: “early retirement and large longevity raises are excessive benefits by anyone’s standards. They must be stopped now, with a NO vote on September 9th.”
I can’t say this enough: Voting “no” will keep the clause in the contract. The taxpayers are hoping that the Sullivan lawsuit will sweep it all away, rather than allow the democratic process to go forward. Judicial fiat is so much nicer than actually honestly informing the population and letting them vote.
If the taxpayers are certain they’re right, they should be able to tell the whole truth. Instead, they lie.
The truth is that this contract removes early retirement. It will run it’s course, and I and most every teacher in the district will never see it. Why, if the taxpayers are so dead set against it will they not vote to remove it?¹ Why will they not tell the public that, if they has passed the March contract the cost for early retirement would have been 2 million? By not passing it then, 5 more teachers were allowed to retire, increasing the cost. They can’t even get their numbers straight—$25,000 is not how much a teacher receives from early retirement. More misleading figures, more misleading lies.
If this contract is not defeated, then it will go even higher. If the early retirement is not fair, then vote “yes” and be done with it.
Why do they lie about the evergreen clause? This was what they demanded be struck from the March contract, and it has been. The district has stated, very clearly in the mailing that has gone out, that this contract will not be subject to the evergreen clause in the state law. This was what they wanted in March, and now they’re citing it as a reason to vote against the contract? The Monadnock Taxpayer’s Association see-saws more than a the busiest children’s toy in the world’s largest elementary school.
This is the only way to pass a contract now without an evergreen clause. They should be leaping on it, and instead are fighting it. Hypocrites and vicious, greedy monsters. They don’t want anything other than to stab in the back every individual working in the district.
I wouldn’t mind so much if they could do it to my face. I wouldn’t mind it so much if could stand up, be counted, and tell the truth. But when they lack even that…When they lack even the guts to admit their own culpability in the situation facing the district…
Utterly frustrating. Utterly unbelievable. Utterly sickening.
Utterly typical. I could go on and on, ripping to shreds every lie, everything I and everyone else has written and they’ve never refuted, that they never could refute, but I’ve got work to do. I’ve got a host of kids who are looking for feedback on their schoolwork, and they’re going to get it tomorrow because it’s best for their education—and I’ll swallow the anger at every seething comment about how little I work and how little I do as I finish another fifteen hour day for someone else’s flesh and blood.
Because right now, I’m too sick over it all to even pretend to be civil. And I don’t like sinking to their level.
1 Aside from its use as a cudgel to spread lies about the district, I mean? ↺
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
Bobby
Anytime you would like to debate - just call.
Neil Moriarty
*** ****
RJH Note: I removed the phone number as a courtesy—I don’t think it’s wise to give out too much personal information online. Still, I appreciate the gesture.
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
An invitation to “debate” privately, over the phone, away from the public spotlight? Sorry, I may be lost here, but isn’t debating online the purpose of a blog? If Neil has some FACTS or OPINIONS to provide that run counter to the school district’s official flyer, the Keene Sentinel articles by Anika Clark, and the information provided on this blog and others, wouldn’t it better serve the public interest to post them as a response here?
If you do decide to call him, I hope that you’ll get his permission to record the call and post it here. I would be particularly interested to know why Neil thinks the voters should trust his opinion on legal matters (Evergreen clause, Sullivan lawsuit) when the Monadnock Taxpayers have consistently lost their recent lawsuits. Wouldn’t it save money at this point to pass a contract that WILL need to be re-negotiated in four years, and PHASE OUT early retirement without rolling the dice on a lawsuit? If Sullivan loses the lawsuit, what then? Since taxpayers have to foot the legal costs both to bring and defend the lawsuit, isn’t this all just a neat way of making sure all the lawyers are never without a job or a BMW? Sorry, but I’d rather see my nickels go to a teacher than a lawyer.
Here’s the real question: Neil, tell us what the teacher contract you would actually SUPPORT would look like. Sit down, write one, and post it. Just so members of the public, like me, can see what YOU think teachers should get. From there, we can make up our own minds.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Hi Mr. Moriarty,
Thanks for joining the discussion! I appreciate the time you took and for reading. I sincerely believe that when individuals communicate better, then there’s a greater chance of finding common ground.
To be honest, I have a hard time seeing what a private discussion would accomplish. One of the complaints that I have with the Taxpayer’s group is that the demands, statements, and characterizations keeps changing. The two of us could have a cheerful and wonderful conversation, both reach some sort of consensus, and then nothing would change.
NHS did point out a (to me) viable alternative, and the reason why I started this blog in the first place. If you wish to email or post your reasons, and engage in a civil debate, I would be happy to do so. Or, if writing is not your cup of tea (Lord knows it takes a great deal more effort than speaking) then I would be happy to meet and we could discuss some of the issues on the record. One of the nice things about computers is that it means always having a tape recorder around.
Let me know, and thanks for taking the time.
best,
RJH
September 4th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Finally! Some investigative reporting on the Keene Sentinel’s part, including looking into claims from the MRSD school board and the Monadnock School Taxpayers Association. Kudos to the Sentinel for moving past “opposing blurbs” reporting… Read all about it here: Misstatements made on contract.
September 4th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Rob, much as I love your blog (and you know I love it) I can’t help but wonder if this post- or the earlier “Deception, Lies & Liars” post wouldn’t have better reach in the Sentinel. Or as a separate mailing. Or *something* to counter that nasty yellow piece of paper. As you said, writing is tougher than speaking, but you do it well and should be unafraid to do it beyond the blog.
Just my .02.
September 4th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
[...] all, the damage has been done. The lie might be removed from their website, but not from the little lying flier¹ they sent out. Oh well. Gee, how embarrassing for them. Oopsie. I’m sure they’re [...]