I was born and raised in Madison, Wis., and I went to public schools there, as well as the University of Wisconsin. I also did my student teaching in Madison high schools, and went on to teach high school in New York and Evanston. I support the public protest against the Republican legislation, and strongly disagree with the Tribune’s 2/18 editorial “Lost: The common good.”
The editorial says that Gov. Scott Walker is not seeking to eliminate unions, but wants to eliminate collective bargaining. How is this for an illogical conclusion? Collective bargaining rights for state workers are not something to preserve the status quo and work against “the common good.” They are what has helped create a middle class in this country, and when you look at the average teacher salary and retirement pension in Wisconsin and Illinois, you are not looking at a privileged elite. I also found the Scott Stantis cartoon on the subject offensive. Since when are unions not people?
I agree with the Madison protest sign proclaiming that the proud, progressive “Badger state is now run by a weasel.”
— John H. Dunn, Evanston
