Some of the LEA bullies want to copy what I am doing
with the candidate questionnaire. They are
telling LEA members that they are going to screen candidates and make
endorsements.
My questionnaire is for the voters and about the
voters- what they care about, what affects their pocket books, what affects their
children’s education, what affects their home values.
The union bullies are not
about the children. A high ranking LEA leader uses
young Lodi students in political smears and organized teachers to protest in
front of their house. She blatantly lied
and signed her name under oath.
The union bullies
certainly are not about the taxpayers. Some
union bullies showed support for the $7.5M administration building. One even defended it at a public meeting.
The union bullies are not about the teachers. Anyone around Lodi long enough has seen the
self-dealing and backroom deals many union leaders made for themselves (at the expense of other teachers) during negotiations.
Over the years, how many
union leaders used negotiations to secure jobs for their children or other
relatives? How many used negotiations to
secure new stipend positions for themselves or increase the stipends they
already received? How many took care of
their step at the expense of those they are paid to represent?
The union bullies are
political activists posing as teacher representatives. They are related to long time politicians. They
not only defend nepotism but also cheer it.
They are the corrupt machine that everyone is trying to hide from this
year.
The union bullies are
going to play the candidates for fools. They are going to endorse the candidates
with the most conflicts of interest, the ones that are already bought and paid
for but still looking for more.
They have no intention of endorsing anyone with pure motives, those
looking to improve the community.
Here is the trap the
bullies are setting up for the candidates:
They want the candidates
to kiss up to them. They want the
candidates to promise them the world. They
want the candidates to make the election about them and not the interests of
the community.
After some candidates
humiliate themselves by not standing on principle, the union leaders will say, "Sorry. We’re endorsing the machine candidates, but thanks for making us look
so powerful and important.”
Candidates have a lot to
lose and nothing to gain by kowtowing to the bullies.
The best advice I was
given last year was: “Tell the voters what you really think. Don’t hold back. Win or lose, run on principle.”
