Redondo Beach vs. RBTA

“Some say the glass is half full, some say the glass is half-empty. I say the glass is too big.” – George Carlin. I could not help but recall this witlessly witty quip when I read the Beach Reporter’s Question of the Week.

Instead of debating whether to cut school days or to cut staff, the Redondo Beach Unified School District and the Redondo Beach Teachers Association should have conceded “We’re too big!” Then district officials would start closing down shop and the teachers union would disband, returning compulsory dues back to the teachers who work so diligently on behalf of their students. By decommissioning themselves, the witless wrangling of district and union would diminish completely, decentralizing authority back to the school sites and the parents.

I am certain that in response to this suggestion, most people would use one of Carlin’s Seven Words, followed by a calumnious reprisal expressing their incredulity at the naïve notion that school districts or teachers union would put students and the community ahead of themselves.

With all the money that school districts waste on overhead, administration, and unnecessary ballot initiatives, they could have funded days and staff to optimum levels. Without the unjustified teacher and staff terminations, school teachers would not need a union’s overwhelming protections.

In another set, George Carlin expressed his frustration telling someone to clean the mess on his face: “Sometimes, you just want to slap those people”. A slap in the face is warranted for embattled school districts and teachers unions.