E. Providence school chair unfazed by teachers' vote
11:36 AM Tue, Jun 23, 2009 | Permalink
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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After hearing about the teachers no-confidence votes Monday afternoon, School Committee Chairman Anthony A. Carcieri says, "So what's new?" "No union is going to give a big vote of confidence when they're told they have to contribute to their health insurance," Carcieri said in a news release Tuesday morning. "It's unfortunate, but it's the way of the world. That all happened six months ago. We've moved past it." The chairman also said the district has made great strides since the January decision to unilaterally cut teachers salaries and raise their health-care contributions. The freed up money helped the School Department chip away at its deficit -- which neared $9 million then and now is less than half that amount. It also allows the district to bring "technology to our students for the first time," Carcieri said. In addition, he said the city's career and technical school is launching "innovative new programs that will catapult our students forward." "We're pushing forward a revolutionary initiative to raise the quality of special education in East Providence to world class standards," Carcieri also said. "These are just some of the things we've accomplished in the last six months, as we are bringing the school system back from the brink of bankruptcy." "What has [the teachers union] done in the last six months?" He said the teachers and union leaders put on red shirts and disrupted School Committee meetings. He said they have tried to stop innovation while demanding "that we raise taxes and go deeper in debt." "We don't need teachers who want to spend their time parading around like the Red Army," he said. "We need teachers who will help us to prepare our kids to deal with an increasingly competitive world." 
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WOW!!! This guy has got the taxpayers in front where they belong. Thank goodness someone finally has gotten the message. It's ashame our teachers haven't gotten it yet. I hope he runs for Governor and fixes the states mess next. From this townie taxpayer....keep up the good work.
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Mr. Carcieiri doesn't get it. The teachers aren't unhappy about paying toward their health care costs. They're angry about the way they've been treated - stepped on like a doormat. They want to negotiate for a contract, not have provisions imposed upon them.
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The teachers have been treated like royalty. Now they think they're rulers. Not any more. Power to the taxpayers, power to the School Committee. Keep up the good work. Unions need to be put in ther place.
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The teachers are angry with the way they have been treated?? Excuse me, but I've been pissed off for yrs because for the way past school committtes have ALWAYS bent over backwards and have granted contracts. No-one is irreplacable. If any EP teacher would like to follow the words of their Washington uion rep, by all means. Just ask any recent URI or RIC education grad if they want a job in EP.
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CO2 you are mistaken, the teachers union had over 4 years to agree with a new contract. They didn't want it. If they agreed to give up their pay raise in turn they wanted more money to do something else. They have said they are doing this for our children. they are not. they are doing it for themselves. They do not like the way they have been treated. Well they has lots of chances to help and never did. The fire, police gave 3% for health care and when the school committee asked the union to do the same they didn't want it. They had so many chances and never help. Well now it is to late and too bad for them. It is about time we have a school committee that is watching out the for the students and tax payers. They are doing a great job for us. I would not want to sit up there and be mistreated and spoken to like they have and let's not forget that this is not their full time job and WE voted them in. GREAT JOB SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND KEEP IT UP!!!
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When we win, and we will win; this SC wil have cost the EP taxpayer millions it did not have to spend. I will laugh my self all the way to the bank as I chill out all summer at the beach. Make no mistake about it, we will work to rule and when we do you'll see what the kids in EP get for free. Ypu all deserve what is comin. It will take another year but Big Fat Disgusting Tony C has led you down the wrong path. UNIONS BUILD AMERICA AND WILL FOREVER REMAIN STRONG!!!!!!
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King kong, THANK YOU so much for showing what the union is all about!! you are in it for the kids. I THINK NOT. When you work to rule that will be fine with us, because the kids get NOTHING now for free and they will not be missing anything. You just confirmed what people think about teacher and provine that you are not in it for the love of the children, it's to go and spend your summer days at the beach ON MY DIME while the rest of us are working. If it was up to me ALL OF EAST PROVIDENCE TEACHER WOULD BE FIRED. their are so many teacher needing a job and graduating in RI in MAY. SO PLEASE LEAVE!!!!!! we will be better off
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