[...] Local Reports Local reports appear every Tuesday, Thursday and weekends Read more about rel = “nofollow” The Daily Mail Local One and Tony Awards Red Carpet reach agreement Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Tony Award Productions Inc. have reached an agreement on the staff union of the red carpet at the staging area for the 2011 Tony Awards will be presented June 12 at the Beacon Theatre. Read more about Playbill local teachers to make concessions to save jobs, programs Local school districts are being affected by budget cuts by Governor Tom Corbett. But instead of talking about what might happen, teachers at Franklin Regional School District in Murrysville are doing something about making personal sacrifices. Read more about rel = “nofollow” CBS Pittsburgh [...]

Way to go for the teachers here. I am proud.

As a retired teacher of 35 years in the Pittsburgh School District I can say this from experience: administration is the first to criticize the teachers for doing something that may hurt the students but they are also always the first to use the students as a weapon against the teachers in any disagreement.

This does not apply to the many school administrators I have worked with (principals and vice-principals), who care as much as the teachers. But let me tell you, once you get out of the school and into central administration, the biggest concern is not the kids but the position of and all the perks associated with a cushy well-paid job. When an administrator from central ad tells you that they are really concerned about your kids, what they are really saying is that they are concerned about and are protecting their own positions.

Years ago the Pittsburgh schools were given the dubious distinction of having one of the highest administration costs relative to student enrollment of any school district in the country. But during my career I saw total school district enrollment decline, total number of teachers decline, and total number of administrators increase. Draw your own conclusions.

Bethel Park teachers, are you listening?