Yeah! Finally some of these guys are using their heads.

Clearly, our educational assistants are smarter than our teachers, here in Kenosha. Yesterday the educational assistants decided to vote on a new insurance plan. This insurance is the same insurance offered to our teachers. The difference is, the educational assistants voted for new United Healthcare and the teacher’s voted to stay with the expensive WEA Trust insurance. The two different insurance carriers offered the same plan, but United Healthcare would have saved the taxpayers $6.7 million a year.

The great news is that the educator’s assistants voted for their new contract yesterday. In doing so, they gained a 3% per year wage increase, which they deserve. With this new insurance plan, they also gain dental insurance, which they do not currently have. The educator’s assistance also voted for the new insurance, which will save their jobs also.

According to Eric Olsen, School Board President, employees who voted to change to the new insurance plan would not be affected by the layoffs. So far, administrators, assistants, secretaries, carpenters, etc…. have voted for the new insurance plan. Only the teachers have voted to turn in down.

So basically, the educator’s assistants proved to be way smarter than our teachers. The teacher’s voted to keep the WEA Trust insurance, costing more than $6.7 million extra. Now it appears that the WEA Trust insurance is planning on dropping some of the benefits to teachers. KEA and WEA Trust are now negotiating a different insurance plan, attempting to cut some of the $6.7 million overcharges. Meaning the teachers will also be taking a cut in benefits.

The educational assistants gained a pay raise, better insurance benefits, protected their jobs and still managed to save the school district some money. That savings will go towards benefiting the children in our schools.

The teachers have not gotten a pay raise yet, their insurance benefits are being cut, plus 80+ teachers may lose their jobs in a few weeks. On top of it all, we cannot use the $6.7 million to improve the educational system in Kenosha.

Just as a side note, guess who the educational assistants were claiming the bullies to be? Check out this quote from this morning’s paper-

“A great number of people felt harassed and bullied (into keeping WEA Trust). We were told (assistants) changed their minds when they went into voting,” Unified Superintendent Scott Pierce said.

WEAC bullying people????!!!!!!