Justin, you make a very interesting point about waiting to see who the school board will appoint to the vacent seat. I can pretty much assure you that they will not make the right decision and give the seat to the only other person to get enough votes in the primary to be on the November ballet. They have no intention of trying to be fair, they haven't for the past two years, why start now!

The board insists on comparing the salaries of the teachers to the salaries of the community at large. You wouldn't compare a the salary of a nurse to an accountant would you? No, you have to compare a teachers salary/benefits to other teachers.

As Justin pointed out, the SB teachers are some of the lowest paid in the county, and would remain so under the boards proposals. To think that in the long run, the quality of education will not suffer in South Butler just closed minded and wrong! Our teachers are dedicated, and do a fantastic job, as the test scores confirm, even as the lowest paid If you were searching for a Job, and employeer A offered 39,000, and employeer B offered 33,000, which would you choose?

Over time, quality teachers will make the same choice that you would and SB will end up with a revovling door of inexperienced teachers.

I have heard that the School District came to teams with the Maintenance union about two days before proposals were due to the arbitrator, and in their letter, they stated that they are offering the same health care that "all other unions have agreed to" Where are the other details of this agreement! We are the taxpayers, why are they not posting all of those details! I've heard that they were given a sweetheart deal to agree to the healthcare..WOW, actual negotiations! Maybe if they would offer the teachers something in return for taking their healthcare, they would get somewhere.

Finally, WHY did the school board insist on Package by Package arbitration. Put Simply, it is a waste of everyone's time, the teachers said no to the last offer by the Board at the table, the Board said no to the last offer from the teachers, and the Fact Finders report is over 18 months old, and already failed to resolve the issue! Any logical person can see this will not resolve the conflict, it is just a waste of time and money. Both Sides need to ask the lawyers to leave the room and lock the door. Then both sides need to talk openly and honestly and find the middle ground that is so obviously there. Then we as a community, can move on and try to mend the wounds that this board and Tom King have created between the teachers and the community!

By the way, has anyone seen an update on the amount of money the district has paid to their lawyers for the negotiations? I ask again why the Butler Eagle refuses to inquire and report this number!