SCHOOLS: Union proposes, not demands

Words carry weight. From the classroom to the board room words are used to inspire and influence. If anyone should know that it would be those individuals in the newspaper business.

That is just one of the reasons the choice of words in the July 15th Cd’A Press editorial was so unfortunate. The words were chosen intentionally. “As the newspaper continues to report demands from teacher union representatives and counteroffers from district negotiators.” I could try to pretend that the writer of this piece is totally ignorant of the negotiating process, but that would be a stretch. Far more likely is that the desired result is to minimize the value of professional negotiations by painting teachers and their professional organization as unreasonable.

The truth is that each bargaining team makes “proposals.” That is how negotiations work. The process has been weakened as of late, particularly under the tenure of disgraced former Supt. Tom Luna. Collective bargaining between school districts and teachers remains the only way for teachers to have meaningful input into their careers and their students learning environment.

I do not side with those state and local officials who feel the best way to manage the teaching profession, one that is 75 percent - 80 percent female, is to muzzle them. Integrity and trust are essential to success in collective bargaining. With them everyone wins; without them settlements are difficult.

MARTY MEYER

Coeur d’Alene