As a Dedham Mirror alumnus, I still try and pick up a copy whenever I can. As a Dedham High alumnus I still have an interest in what's going on at the school, and reading the student newspaper is one of the best ways to keep up to date. They will even sometimes report stories that slip through the cracks of the established press but are still of interest to the wider community, like when MTV came to town or when the High School adopted a new mascot.
On Friday, they did it again. Twice. The most recent issue of the Mirror has two stories about contract negotiations with the teachers' unions. I sent out a Twitter alert on January 7th saying
Rumor mill abuzz:Teachers narrowly rejected a contract offer last night. Many reportedly not pleased with Union President Tim Dwyer.
I got enough for a "tweet." The Mirror got enough for a front page story confirming the vote and that it was was "extremely close." According to the Mirror, the contract would offer a 1% raise for this year, a 2% raise for next year, and a 2% raise the following year with an additional 1% raise halfway through. The sticking point, or at least one of them, seems to be that elementary school teachers would be required to "host conferences" for an additional 2 hours outside school hours next year and then again for 2 more hours the year after that.
Congratulations to Sarah Mosca and the entire Dedham Mirror staff for scooping the professional Dedham press, myself included. The second scoop they got wasn't a news article, but a column on the Opinion page. Dedham Education Association Tim Dwyer penned a piece that was largely about the mechanics of labor unions and contract negotiations - with a little propaganda thrown in - but it was well done and appropriate for a high school audience. It isn't until the bottom third that it really gets interesting for those of us on the outside.
Teachers are still writing letters of recommendation and providing extra help. The difference now is that most of this work must occur during the contract time. This action comes as a shock to some students and parents. Yet, I would suggest that what "work to rule" shows people is just how much extra teachers do during normal times. None of us would go to our auto mechanic and demand that he or she stay open late, or come as early as we find convenient. But many students have grown so accustomed to Dedham teachers being there well after or before they have to be there that they think it is part of the job. It isn't.
He closes by asking students to be patient and supportive until an agreement can be reached on a new contract.
Finally, students might want to enlist the support of myDedham's very own suzanne. There is a box on the Opinion page (started when I was an editor, so I'm glad to see it continued) called Roses and Thorns. They are like quick hits where they give a rose to something they like, and thorns to things they don't. The top thorn in this issue is the "lack of shoveling in the pool parking lot and sidewalk." Students who drive themselves must park at the pool and walk down Mt. Vernon St to get to school.
The editorial cartoon by Mike Mucciaccio has a pensive looking boy walking in the street as he crosses the old railroad bridge to get to school. Not only is the sidewalk not shoveled, there is a snowman built on it. A thought bubble comes out of his head saying, "I hope I don't get hit by a plow."
It took a little agitation on suzanne's part, but she was able to get the sidewalks she walks down shoveled. This is one lesson students should study up on extra hard.
