how they could possibly be objective in negotiations with AFT Local 604 when they receive more than 10k from them in contributions during the last election. This is a perfect example of "government for sale"

I wish the powers at hand would invite Bonnie to be a liaison between the teachers union and VVSD board. She stepped up when it was time to renegotiate the police and fire contracts and got them started.

There have been several recent union contracts where the unions are volunteering to take pay freezes and other tactics where they are in fact doing more work for less money. We haven't yet heard what the teachers union is offerring and I'm keeping an open mind. Personally, I am confident that school board wasn't "bought by the union". Regardless, of our personal beliefs on unions we need to value the local jobs currently up for contract negotiation including the transportation dept, teachers, and USW at Citgo refinery. Our current teacher is worth a lot more than she's being paid. However, the teacher we had last year, shouldn't be teaching, It's my educated guess that the union protected her job against repeatedly being in front of the school board. I'd love to see the school board have more power when a teacher receives numerous complaints.

It would be nice to hear the thoughts of more of the parents of our Valley View student body. Any changes are going to directly affect the children. Whether its transportation or teachers.
I do agree that any staff member of VVSD 365U who is not satisfactorily doing their job, after proper warnings and additional training, needs to be removed from that position. I also believe our transportation has served us well. I know drivers who have spent a great deal of time driving around when they hear a student of theirs has not gone straight home after being dropped off. It seems the majority of our drivers take great care in seeing that our children reach home safely. It's not just a job for them!
There are always going to be a couple of bad apples in every group. I'd bet most of you know someone where you work.
But how do you feel our teachers, drivers and other staff are doing overall. Make your voice heard at the Board Meetings.

Steve, thank you for what you've said. We three kids in VVSD and all of them are achieving success in their academic life.

I am concerned with the union-bashing I'm hearing lately in our country, our communities, and on boards like this. Whether it's bus drivers, teachers, police officers, firefighters, NBA or NFL players...unions are here and they do good things for their members. Are there problems within the system? Sure. What system doesn't have issues.

Why don't we put as much pressure on our politicians who get pensions and medical care paid for by us and give us very little in return?

Feedback - in the 12 years in the district, our kids have only had one teacher that we were really not pleased with. And, I talked to the principal and Assistant Superintendents with my concerns.

Teachers and staff in this district care A LOT about the kids in our schools. Look at what they make compared to the administrators...a HUGE difference. I think that our administrators care about our kids too, but I hate the disparity of pay between them and our teachers and staff who are in the kids' lives every single day.

I do go to Board meetings and I'm saddened by how few parents do. If you really don't like what's happening, GET INVOLVED. You CAN make a difference.

Maybe it's time to to move beyond posting comments on this board and start speaking up in public, like at Board meetings.

The only question I want answered is this - WILL THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE ANOTHER ROUND OF MULTI-YEAR GUARANTEED RAISES FOR THE TEACHERS? Come on! Why do you think the AFT donated tens of thousands to the "Friends of VV"?

The only meeting that matters is the one in which the school board and AFT formally sign the new contracts. Will VVSD open the doors and let the public into those meetings?

I watched the end of a school bd meeting where the architect was presenting, I believe, a proposal for spending about $13 million on the schools to accomodate the full day kindergarten. I would like to have heard some questions from the public. I also wonder if the surrounding school districts, like Plainfield, Naperville and the rest have full day kindergarten. What are the advantages? How come no one can explain why we have such a short school day for BB High School? In regards to the unions...I also don't understand the multi year contracts guaranteeing annual salary increases plus step increases based on seniority. Doesn't the school board look at the private sector (most taxpayers) and pay accordingly? Why worry about paying a little more than other districts? Has anyone looked at the unemployment rate? It's a buyers' (employers') market. Our school board and the administration is made up of spenders. They don't worry because it's "other peoples' money."

VVSD loses a lot of good teachers to neighboring districts that pay more and don't put up with kids that fight, threaten others, or bring "BB guns" to school. Why hasn't administration noticed or addressed this?

Agree with Lettuce. How hard is it to realize that if you don't pay competitive salaries then you aren't going to attract or retain the best teachers? Pay a few less administrators instead.

I could be wrong on this, but I would bet that many of the teachers in the district, and therefore the union, DO NOT support the "Friends of Valley View" board members. Maybe the union leadership does, but over the past few years, as I've watched and/or attended board meetings, I've heard these board members belittle and criticize our teachers on and on. It is ridiculous and makes the board look like bullies. As I talk to teachers in the district, I get the sense that many of them are in fear for their jobs if they don't do everything just "right." And by "right" I mean the way the Board and/or Senior Leadership wants it done. I would hope we'd all agree that we want high standards for our kids and higher academic achievement. I'm just not sure we'd all agree on how to get there.

Rhonda's comment: "There are some good teachers in the District that deserves to be paid well. However, it's absolutely unfair to push thru guaranteed multi-year raises for ALL teachers. This rarely happens in the public sector, and it's costing taxpayers more money."

Message board trolling at its' finest. First of all, why would anyone take Rhonda seriously when her delusional point-of-attack is to post comments on an online article? Her first sentence has an error with the word "deserves" in the wrong tense. Then, she spells through as "thru" like a teenager and expects to be taken seriously? Continue to tell us what you think Rhonda. Your message board trolling is what we ALL think should be running Bolingbrook.