These teachers are role models

The story about the Pennsylvania teacher who, on her blog, ripped students as lazy, rude, impatient, disobedient, disrespectful - and even more colorful adjectives - made national headlines this week.

Defenders say she's only telling it like she sees it; that she's entitled to free speech to describe the miscreants in her middle-class public high school as she wishes.

Critics say Natalie Munroe engaged in verbal abuse; they think the school district is justified in suspending her and believe she should be fired.

The education story that did not make national headlines occurred right here in our own backyard. Maybe because kids weren't called on the carpet, teachers weren't suspended or fired and profanity played no part in the debate, the story sparked little interest outside North Idaho.

But oh, what a story.

Twenty-one non-union teachers from Kootenai School District submitted a letter to The Press, separating themselves from a lawsuit brought against the district by Kootenai Education Association, a branch of the state teachers union. The lawsuit claims that school officials failed to fairly negotiate the terms of the contract being imposed on teachers this school year. Negotiations took place last spring when the small district employed 42 people, and had 237 students enrolled.

The lawsuit alleges the school board and administration violated Idaho's financial emergency and wage statutes by imposing compensation terms on employees that are worse than the "last best offer" made during negotiations.

The 21 teachers signing The Press letter didn't agree.

"Those of us who are not members of the Kootenai Education Association, both certificated and non-certificated staff, felt strongly from the beginning that this lawsuit was inappropriate," stated the letter. "We believe that our district needs to work together to get through the current financial crisis faced by the state, and in fact, by the nation."

Their conclusion: If KEA wins the suit, their share will go back into the district's general fund.

"In light of the current economic situation and the realization that these are difficult times for everyone, we, the undersigned teachers, have decided that we will not accept any money from the lawsuit that we stand firmly against, should the KEA in fact win that legal action," the letter states. "We feel grateful, even blessed, to have jobs during these tough economic times, and want to do our part to ensure that the taxpayers and students of Kootenai School District are getting our best efforts each and every day. We signed our 2010/11 contracts in good faith, and we gladly accept the furlough days that we see as being a small part of the sacrifices we are all going to have to make to get through this."

For our part, we feel grateful - even blessed - to have teachers who understand what's happening outside their buildings and feel privileged to bear the same burdens.