For What It's Worth...

You know what's great about today's youth? They're slowly discovering the rock classics and anthems made before they were even a twinkle in Mom and Dad's eye. And what's even cooler? They think THEY discovered them....like, "Hey Dad...have you heard that cool new song by that new band Buffalo Springfield?" Um...newsflash, son...but Buffalo Springfield existed over 30 years ago
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Which leads us to today's thing that makes you go "hmmm".

Actually listened to an old mp3 ripped from a Bufflo Springfield CD, and the now ancient "For What It's Worth" struck a chord. In his pre-CSN(Y) days, it's like Stephen Stills is singing about what goes on within the Sun Prairie School District. Is Tim Culver "the Man" he's singing about????

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right... if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop,
hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
-Buffalo Springfield

Sound eerily familiar? As far as the board and Culver are concerned, everybody's wrong. And we hope everybody DOES stop and look at what's goin' down. Administration and the Board TALK a good game about how much they value safety and security and the teachers that actually do the EDUCATING of our kids.

But then, like our own version of the God, Janus, they pull a 180 when it comes to salaries. Take for instance the whole Youth Advocate deal. They want to pay these people $13.27/hr. LOOK at the job description! They're part social worker, part Jump Street undercover cop, and part nurturing advocate. All for $13.27/hr. For that salary you expect someone to perform "home visits" of students?

Why are they hesitant to pay more? Is it perhaps (note...SPECULATION ALERT here for those out there that are suddenly obsessed with opinion vs. fact) that if they pay these staffer any more they will be butting right up against the base teacher salary? Hmmmm? What's that tell you? We won't engage in supposition here. Wouldn't want to offend. You do the math.


Here are some FACTS for ya, though...to help you work it through:

Of course, let us begin by saying that we're going to venture into that territory that you all TALK about quietly...secretly...but you never want to discuss openly. What is a job worth? Is job X worth more than job Y?

I think we could all agree that the job of a neurosurgeon, or a cardiac specialist should be paid more than, say, a telemarketer cold caller. But that's about the limit of where most of us are willing to take that discussion. So we sit back and accept things only to stew about the results for the rest of time.

We think secretaries perform a valuable service. We know a number of them that excel at their job. But does it seem a little wrong that a starting secretary in the district office earns more than an entry level teacher who is actually going to nurture the minds and spirits of our prized commodity...the kids? We'll be bold and say: We don't think so.

And someone responsible for the safety and security of kids at the high schooll will make even less than that? What's up with that?

That's the facts, Jack. Y'all do the math. And if it don't set well with ya...then pony up the courage to make a stand and say your piece.

There's something happening here...
What it is ain't exactly clear...

N