TEACHERS: Acted illegally at meeting

I attended the contract negotiation meeting at Woodland School on Thursday, May 31 and was surprised to see teachers wearing black, sporting “keep the promise”stickers, handing out flyers printed with “VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 1,2,3” and cheering up front, ”VOTE NO 1,2,3.”

Proposition 1,2,3 is about Idaho Education Association’s repeal on Tom Luna’s education reform. As educators, I would expect them to behave professionally and respectfully. This is illegal, unethical, and clearly a violation of the State of Idaho’s code of ethics and should have never happened. In a gathering of 250, I should think at least one educator would have known to put a stop to it.

This is a repeat offense of violating the law and I am angry that this continues to happen. I understand that mistakes happen, but when they continue to happen they are no longer mistakes and need to be dealt with. If dealt with, it would not continue. Since this happened publicly, then I would expect for it to be corrected publicly. I attended the regular school board meeting this last Monday and was yet again surprised that there was no mention of this happening nor were there any apologies.

Kristi Milan, president of the CEA, was the one who led the chant and continued to slap her arm, instructing that everyone tattoo it on their arm “VOTE NO 1,2,3.” As the president, the one who attends and speaks at every meeting, it is her responsibility to know right from wrong. She is not setting a good example for the teachers or our students. She should have come forward Monday night and set an example of how to acknowledge and accept responsibility for mistakes.

Please, let’s set a high example for the students in our community and show that the law is important to know and to follow. If there are district employees who think that they are above the law and if they continue to behave in that way then I think they need to lose their jobs.

Again, I would not be writing this letter if I thought it was just a random slip of good judgment.

MARY JO FINNEY

Coeur d’Alene