As far as I know in Right to Work states (which I guess Colorado is if the teacher can choose not to be in the union), the union has to represent all the workers in the shop whether they are members or not. I Chicago here, many times they don't represent us anyway, but that's a different story. I'm pretty sure that if he demands recognition in a grievance procedure or a wrongful firing, the union is forced to represent him. They always can choose not to arbitrate--which will force him to go to court against the Board and probably against the union. Then he can have a Right wing anti-labor firm represent him just like the ACLU represents scoundrels like Rush Limbaugh.....Dennis Dixon
MICHAEL YATES <mikedjyates at msn.com> wrote:
A high school geography teacher here in Colorado--Jay Bennish who teaches at Overland HS--is in trouble, attacked by the right, for things he said in a an honors geography class after Bush's State of the Union address. A student in the class taped the teacher's comments (about 20 minutes of a 50 minute class) without the teacher's knowledge. His parents complained to the school administration and after nothing came of this, they gave the tape to radio station KOA (850 AM), a 50,000 watt outlet for far right shock jocks like "Gunny Bob" Newman. This just happpened a couple fo days ago, but the station has created a real hysteria around the state (and nationally as the snitch student was just on Hannity and Colmes). The comments made on the station have to be heard to be believed. Just nasty and vicious with the assumption that Bennish should be summarily fired. Bennish has already received about 100 death threats. [You can hear what he said in the 20 minutes that were taped at the KOA website). Several hundred students demonstated yesterday in the teacher's support. But the proto fascists see blood and aren't letting up.
I called the Colorado Education Association, which as an affiliate union at Overland HS. I suggested that the union should give all-out support to the teacher. I was told that Mr. Bennish is not a union member. I was then directed to the voice mail of someone in the union presumably dealing with this. I left a long message. But it amazed me that the union would dismiss this by saying Bennish is not a member. So what? I mean what hope is there if a union won't support a teacher under such horrible attack. Solidarity? Principles? Fightback? Forget about it. And on the Air America liberal station in Denver, the sappy liberal talk show folks could only muster a pathetic, "Well, I don't know about this one. What do you folks think?"
BTW Colorado is ground zero fo the rightwing Christian movement. Reaction is everywhere. Anti-immigrant, anti-abortion, you name it.
Michael Yates
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