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Hey Rick,

Are you proposing 14 sick days per year and participation in TDI? I can get behind that. The problem is the teachers union would never agree to it, and they won't endorse you.

The more we try to learn about the intricacies of the contract, the more misinformation and personal attacks come flying in from union members. Says here "70 of the 90 days provide payment to teachers at a guaranteed, full-time rate." For weeks, I've been hearing talk on social media from members and their associates that the 90 days are unpaid. Not until the 71st sick day (imagine this - 71 days out) does a member have to "pay" for a sick day, and the cost is $18 each. We've been led to believe up to this point that they forfeit their pay for the day. So Warwick taxpayers paid out 12,292 days where no employee worked. That's over $5.25 Million a year, for nothing. Is it any wonder the schools are gobbling up 52.7% of the Budget, and they're failing by every measure of performance?

I'm tired of the rolling strikes, and so are the Warwick people. This sick time policy dates back to the 1970's, which was also when we last constructed a modern school. Since then, the district has been on a long slow decline. The fact we've allowed this benefit to fester over four decades into a culture of chronic absenteeism is shameful, and the academic performance of our schools under "work to rule" is downright embarrassing. Do any of these 90-day-patriots ever talk about reorganizing the schools, building new, perhaps ice prevailing wage temporarily for school construction projects, a plan to improve academic performance, or keeping traditional public schools competitive in the era of charters? No. All I keep hearing is: "Educate yourself. 3 long years in dreadful conditions! They deserve a contract!" I attended Warwick Public Schools my entire childhood. I consider myself to be well educated, and I certainly believe we can do better than this.

We can fix our public schools, but not by capitulating to unreasonable demands. This rolling strike has angered many parents and community members, and has essentially been a case of the union running a negative PR campaign against itself. It's time to fight back, for the Warwick schoolchildren, so that one day they will get the quality education they deserve.

Dan Elliott