Second of three parts
Re “Mielke to Critics: Pay Attention to Candidates, Not Unions”
The president of the Teachers Union admitted he was surprised by the criticism that erupted two weeks ago this morning when the Teachers Union and the Assn. of Classified Employees revealed their three endorsements for the School Board.
They chose to first-time candidates, Vernon L. Taylor and Claudia Vizcarra, and one of the two competing incumbents, Karlo Silbiger.
“What is so frustrating for me is that we now have such a different culture in the District between labor and management,” said David Mielke. “We have this partnership between management and (the Teachers Union) and ACE.
“In a short period of time, the new superintendent (Dave LaRose, starting his second year) really has created this completely different, positive, collaborative approach.
“The irony,” said Mr. Mielke, “is that while that is going on, you have people who are on the outside of the system going off against the union.
“Right now, the unions are working hand-in-hand with management, closer than we ever have before.
“This is not the time to go after us. If anything, it is the time to say ‘Wow, aren’t we in a wonderful place now where the animosity of the past is way the heck in the past.”
Mr. Mielke was asked who he believed was the main target of the endorsement critics.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I would guess certain backers of other candidates were just concerned that they did not get the endorsement.
“This endorsement process never is easy. I can remember going all the way back to Stew Bubar’s time on the School Board. The endorsement process then was wrenching because you don’t really know how these people are going to turn out.”
(To be continued)
