WPC: Delinquent Teachers and Legislators

Elections have consequences.

Wisconsin public school teachers and the Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate believe they can ignore the will of the people as expressed in the November 2010 elections.

There may be consequences for those public school teachers calling in "sick" to participate in protests and for the Democrat senators fleeing the state to avoid fulfilling their responsibilites as elected officials.

The Wisconsin Patriot Coalition is taking action.

For Immediate Release: February 21, 2011. 2:55pm
Contact: Kirsten Lombard

The Wisconsin Patriot Coalition

Conservative Grassroots and Citizen-Taxpayers Taking Strong Action against Delinquent Teachers and Legislators

(Madison) – This past week the Wisconsin Patriot Coalition (WPC) observed as teachers from across the state called in “sick” in order to attend labor protests at the State Capitol. The “contagion,” which shut down school districts in all corners of Wisconsin, likewise spread to 14 of Wisconsin’s Democrat senators, who are apparently still recuperating in Illinois.

The WPC and a host of Wisconsin’s citizen-taxpayers whom we represent—and with whom we partner—will no longer tolerate such unprofessional behavior, all of which constitutes breach of contract or dereliction of duty. Over the past few days, members of grassroots groups across the state have advanced two key initiatives to hold Wisconsin’s public employees and elected officials accountable.

First, the WPC has organized a stream of open records requests from taxpayers to our 400+ school districts regarding teacher “sick leave” taken over the past week and related matters. We are keen to determine the full extent of teacher delinquency as related to the current labor protests at the State Capitol. We know that in some cases school-district administrators have facilitated teacher delinquency in this regard and may thus try to evade the open records requests they receive. We hereby apprise those districts that we have already contacted the Attorney General’s office about this possibility and believe grounds may exist to compel provision of the requested information.

Second, by tomorrow, recall papers will have been filed for the following senators presently absent without leave from their responsibilities at the State Capitol:

 Lena Taylor (D-4)
 Spencer Coggs (D-6)
 Jim Holperin (D-12)
 Mark Miller (D-16)
 Robert Wirch (D-22)
 Julie Lassa (D-24)
 Fred Risser (D-26)
 Dave Hansen (D-30)

By contrast, the WPC congratulates the governor and the vast majority of Republican legislators who, in the face of tremendous pressure over the past week—including abject harassment of their families—have not once wavered on the Budget Adjustment Bill. We hereby commit our ongoing support to our governor and these lawmakers as they see this battle through to the end. We commend them heartily for doing what we sent them to Madison to do and express our deep admiration for their steadfastness and resolve.

There is word that three Republican legislators are having second thoughts about aspects of the bill related to collective bargaining. Those legislators—one senator and two assemblymen—should know that we are watching very closely. We expect them to fall in line with their colleagues. If they do not, recall papers can just as easily be filed against Republicans as against Democrats.

I think if this unacceptable behavior by the cowardly Democrats currently hiding out in Illinois continues, without question, they should face recall.