Sorry for the lateness on blogging but I've been away becoming a new papa.
10 days ago Puerto Rican teachers went on strike. The secretary and his department of education claimed that this would be illegal since the teacher union, according to them, had no legal rights to negotiate for the teachers. The governor backed his secretary, the department of trabajo (work) couldn't decide so this went to court. ...and while it went to court the teachers went on strike. That is the gist of it...
Sin embargo...this strike let me know how corroded and mediocre the Puerto Rican governor and his appointments are. Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila is someone, based on his behavior and decisions through this strike someone who got elected because the other candidates must have been worst. This comentario comes from his lack of empathy and sense of urgency toward the students and families of the island. Por que? Check these simple facts
Puerto Rican school infrastructure is outdated and if not outdated, poorly taken care for.
Teacher salaries are meager and teaching conditions simply "suck" in contrast to their counterparts in the mainland. If maestros in the main US get paid low, Puerto Rican teachers get paid even less...una porqueria!
Pero, it gets worst. By not acting con urgencia, the gobernador sent the mensaje that the students and families are not important nor relevant. I doubt that his kids or any children of those appointed in his administration had any inconveniences. Chances are they attend private school.
This is not to let the teacher union off the hook. It is irresponsible to go on strike, especially when not all of the teachers and the other union (la asociacion de maestros) did not go on strike. Schools were vandalized and a message was sent to a generation of students from grades K through 12...Its ok to sacrifice educational time.
Now, the strike is over. The governor claims a victory, the education department claims a victory and the teachers union claims a victory. These people claim a victory upon the wasted educational time of students and opportunity for vandals to vandalize schools.
The future of Puerto Ricans has been messed with.
