K H K - Heppner G a/ette-Tim es. Heppner. Oregon V \rdnrsdav, M arch N, 1989
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"I Resentment spoken for tenure system
The Official Newspaper of (he
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
~
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
Morrow C ounty’* Home-Owned Meekly Newspaper
USPS
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240-420
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David and April Sykes, Publishers
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Letters to the Editor
Minor incidents being blown out of
proportion
To the Editor:
Too often in an emotional and
volatile situation as we are now cx
pertcncing. minor incidents can
become exaggerated and blown out
of proportion, depending on whose
version is related ()ft times the giaid
that people do ix overshadowed by
the more "sensational" actions of a
few
()n Friday. March 3, the Heppner
High School girls' basketball team
competed for the regional title in
lafirande For the girls to have ad
vanced so far is admirable and wor
thy of attention When the girls
hoarded their bus on Friday mom
ing. there was only a small group of
people fo cheer them on their way
The classified workers of HHS were
there as were Marcie Stookcy and
Joan Records The remainder of the
* t
gmup was made up of striking
teachers out of 14 striking teachers
at HHS. II were there to give their
girts the send-off they had earned
They came without picket signs, and
the only shouts I heard were those
of good wishes. The bouquet of
balloons that the team had was also
from the teachers, and the signs that
were posted along the road to Her-
mist on were made and put up by two
sinking teachers
Heppner s educators have always
been caring and supportive of their
students This care and support has
not stopped even in the face of a
strike Our teachers have always
supported our children, and as a
parent. I intend to return that sup
port (Xu faculty is. after all. a class
ad .
(s) Ginger Bowman
To the Editor:
The strike has been educational I
base learned that the M I A lied
when they claimed their actions were
for the student's benefits
The M E A .’* appearance, dress
and language on the picket lines also
explains this era’s let down in
classroom decorum.
School board encouraged to 'hold the
line’
To the Editor
The School Hoard's March 2,
1989 offer, to the Morrow County
teachers, increasing salary, in
surance. and travel allowances is
very generous I supported ihcm on
their original offer But I will sup
port (hem on this offer as well But
I encourage (hem to hold the line
This is as far as I want them to go
Because of tenure practices, fair
share issues, and the inability or un-
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To the Editor
I am sick of hearing certain
teachers whine and complain about
how hadly they are being mistreated
They always neglect to mention the
fact that they have received a raise
in pay each year for the past three
yean They must either think that we
taxpayers arc made out of money or
that the school district has a direct
pipeline* to the U S Mint II these
teachers have half the intelligence
they arc supposed to have, they
would realize from the results of re
cent tax levy votes, that the maiority
of taxpayers in Morrow County do
not want any more increases in
school spending for anything in
cluding teacher salaries and benefits
The latest publication from the
teacher's association slated that their
quarrel was not with the citizens of
Morrow County hut rather with the
school district This is ridiculous
Why should the teachers blame the
school hoard'* Their position mere
Is reflects the opinion of the majority
ENGTH
e* Law n m ow er
F urn a ce
* * W asher & dryer
A ir co n d itio n e r
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Shop toots
G arden tracto»
Snow blow er
C om pressor
G enerator
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belts
>^ Molotiller
Heppner Auto Parts
'LT «. * li * %
676 9123
148 E C enter Heppner
All tin* right p arts in
al I the n>¿ht i A.U es'
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Custom Mix Paints
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Layaway
Advice For Your Projects
are ic a
To the Editor:
Mr Carroll
My name is Tyson Pratt, from
Boardman I am a seventh grader at
Columbia Junior High I have just
returned from a meeting concerning
the teacher strike I am very upset
that the hoard didn't bother to show
up, It was said that die board was in
sited to speak al the meeting one
week ago It was also stated at the
meeting that the hoard's response
was dial you (the hourdldid not have
enough time I feel that it is your
To the Editor
Conflict ikies strung things to pav
pie's personalities When we as in
dividuals feel threatened, we react
hy striking hack at whoever
threatens us, or whoever we
perceive as threatening to us
These past two months in Morrow
C ounty have been especially
threatening to all of us The teachers
tccl threatened by the hoard The
hoard feels threatened hy the
teachers The remainder of the
populus tcels threatened by what is.
or is not. happening between the
teachers ami the hoard
I've heard stories about unkind
personal attacks being made by the
hoard members to teachers or other
concerned citizens My own family
has been the victim of someone's
North Morrow
Chamber urges
Yes vote on bond
To the Editor
The Boardman North Morrow
County Chamber of Commerce
urges a yes vote for the G O Bond
election March 28, 1989
The refinancing of older revenue
bonds will allow plants a minor
reduction on the utility rates and will
assist in making them competitive
with other plants in our regain
The Chamber urges your support
for this important investment in jobs
and future property tax reductions
Sincerely,
(s) John Prag
Prevalent Boardman North Morrow
County Chamber of Commerce
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4 ^ •*$
We can help you.
M p
and>, C andy a
Oh So Sw eet,
Sixteen Y e a rs
Is Q uite a Feat
Court S treet M arket
CHECK OUR EVERYDAY LOW PRICES
WHERE YOUR DOLLAR MAKES MORE CENTS
Ground Beef
81 %
« I 1*»
( risp Celery______________ I f * *
Cabbage
ea.
Broccoli
19*
lb
39*
lb
Rome
Apples
Hills, slu ed
Beef
Bacon
* i4 , b
Chuck Roast
We Print
BUSINESS
FORMS
Printing
147 Willtm-lleppner
676-9228
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A* we write, the school teacher
strike rages on And it appears that it
will continue for some time
As I see it. the hoard has the edge
in public support hy a huge margin
The teachers are standing alone
And the issue boils down to "what
level of quality are we willing to pay
for”” ’
A former hoard member told us that
a former poluy of the district was to
set teacher salaries at about the 60th
percentile of districts across Ore state
With some 213 districts in Oregon, that
policy should make Morrow County
rank about 86th
For the beginning teacher, we re pretty close Figuring in the 2 * rat*
effective March I (7»ItXhs of one percent for the year) offered last week
beginning teacher salaries would rank 80*4 out of the 213 districts. But
die 2% raise in each of the next two years, much less than other districts
provide, would drop that rank to I6bth hy 1990 9 |
Al the top of the salary range, however. Morrow County would rank
only 160th. and that ranking would drop to 180th hy 1990 91
We think it is important to maintain some relationship with teachers
salanes in the rest of the state since we do not raise our teachers hut must
attract die majority of them from other parts of the state And we don't
think the amenities of lis mg in Morrow County will do it It takes a com
petitive salary schedule
We think it inescapable that w ith a salary schedule lower than many other
districts pay will not attract a very high quality teacher
Worse, with a salary schedule that ranks so low on the upper end, we
think even those good teachers we attract fresh out of school will move
on in just a couple of years
We talked this over with a local contractor a few days ago and he agreed
Then he went on to say that he was willing to sacrifice his childrens' cduca
tion to save a few dollars on his tax hill We think he understands the nature
of things far better than his children ever will
With all the wounds infected on all concerned, we think it is time now.
even before a settlement, to begin the healing process Much hate and
disrespeci has arisen toward teachers, some much deserved Similar hate
and disrespect toward hoard members is being voiced in some circles, most
ly teacher Taxpayers are variously heros or villains depending upon who
is voicing an opinion
The healing can begin on several fronts, but an essential clement will
he a community consensus on just what kind of education do we expect
for our children Do we want, for them, a strong, solid foundation from
which they may compete effectively at college, at work, in the real world?
Or is it enough that tliey just barely slide by with a little readin' wntin'
an' ‘nthmatic?
Once the kind of quality is decided upon, we should make a realistic
estimate of cost And he willing to pay that cost We seem to be willing
to pay for roads and such through a County tax rate that 's one of die highest
in the state We have more than one city with tax rates higher than most
other cities Our school tax rate on the oilier hand, is one of the lowest,
statewide
The healing will also require an elevated degree of pro fees Kinal ism among
our teacher*. The cards and letters they have sent hoard members and ad
ministration, full of hate and threats have hurt the profession immensely.
Their conduct on the picket line has been less than endearing The way
they have treated non-stnking teachers has been reprehensible
(Xir teachers must restore to their profession the respect that it deserve*
and must have in order to provide any acceptable degree of education
The healing will require a higher respect for die system and for in
dividuals by the hoard Even the best teacher will find working for a hoard
that is out to break them, every one. a difficult task indeed A board wili
ng to say "w e expect a degree of education equal to the bottom 25% of
statewide average and therefore will pay salanes in the bottom 23% of
the statewide average." will find dealing with its teachers much easier.
The healing will require an administration willing to deal with difficult
situations, espec ially involving parents, with a level head. Operations are
difficult indeed and temper tantrums, swearing and emotional outbursts
add. not detract, from that difficulty
Wc fear that this healing will take a long time Perhaps longer titan even
a kindergarten student will take to graduate from high school We think
some good people, teachers and parents alike will wonder if the healing
period won’t be loo long Perhaps longer than living in Morrow County
is worth
Hill’s
Doggies
American Cheese 12 0 /
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. *
hostility I've also heard stories
about teachers or other concerned
citizens making pervmal attacks on
hoard members
This kind of bchavaw is sad to see
and is so counter productive in any
situation It only destroys what is
already fragile W'c need to
remember that we are all neighbors,
with the right to make decisions
about issues for ourselves even if
those decisions do not agree with
each other
I challenge each citizen of Morrow
County to find a positive way to deal
with your frustrations, not only in
this situation hut in all situations We
need to channel those energies
toward making things better and not
allowing our dark sides to surface
Sincerely,
fs) Nancy Brownfield
Heppner
Conscious
Mediocrity
W estern Family, sliced
G-T
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responsibility as a hoard members to
do anything you have to do to end
this stnkc and if you can't do that
you should not he on the hoard I
believe that a good hoard would have
lumped at the chance to meet with
the public
Mr Carroll, it is not going to do
much good hiding from the public or
sending out partially true infonna
lion But maybe that is what you
want, is it not? Think about it
(s) Tyson Pratt
Boardman
Positive direction needed to channel
frustrations
Wo Can IIHp Yon_____
¿Qi;. \
of the voters and also the financial
realities of the day.
I think that if some of our teachers
are this dissatisfied with their job
they should do what the rest of us ikv
find another one They arc neither
indispensable nor irrcplacahlc This
community managed just fine long
before these particular teachers came
here and we will get along () k after
they arc gone I'll het that there arc
hundreds of good teachers that
would give their "eye teeth" to get
out of those big city schools and in
to a small community like ours away
from the crime and drug scene
No. I don't feel that the teachers
should stnkc If they don't like it
here they should just pack (heir hags
and hit (he road 1x1 them go to those
big school districts with the high
salaries and outrageous medical
benefits They arc going to need
them when they get mugged in the
hallways.
Sincerely,
(s) Sidney G Zinter
7th (trader responds to teachers strike
0 F 0 R
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willingness of the union to police
their own. I resent across the hoard
pay and benefit increases
Until merit pas and control by the
School Board and School Ad
ministrators for hiring, firing and
disciplining of teachers. I will not
support increased step increases and
across the hoard pay raises
Respectfully,
Is) Mamie Anderson
lone
Teachers are chastised for actions
We have belts for:
• I
The M F A has taughi a lot of
" u s " to not like a "few " of them
Due to the tenure system we have
hern forced to axitmue sending our
dollars to those few ", which I per
sonally resent.
Respectfully,
(*) Eric Anderson
lone
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111 N. Court
Heppner
676-9643