Here's a golden oldie. See if you remember it. "Teachers shouldn't complain about their pay. They make more than the average worker. When they retire, they live off their generous state pensions. And look at all that vacation time they get. Their cushy pay and perks come courtesy of the teachers union which squeezes money out us taxpayers while it protects bad teachers and doesn't give a damn about the kids."

Did I leave anything out? I don't think so. I know the talking points by heart. I heard them every year when teacher contract time rolled around. The anti-teacher rhetoric grew louder and more frequent over the years as conservatives ramped up their anti-tax, anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-government agenda. The bashing of high paid teachers and their mercenary union became a year round mantra.

Funny though. I haven't heard those talking points much during the past few months. You'd think if there was ever a time to pull out the big "lazy, overpaid teachers" guns, it would be now, what with the demands for higher teacher salaries rolling from West Virginia to Oklahoma to Kentucky to Arizona. Why did all the conservatives stop using what had always been a sure fire winner?

It looks like they got the memo. Literally. A three page memo titled "Messaging Guide: How to Talk about Teacher Strikes" was put out by the State Policy Network, an umbrella organization that pulls together ideas from conservative think tanks and disseminates them to member organizations in all 50 states.

The memo begins by telling conservatives to ditch the "pampered teacher" line.

"A message that focuses on teacher hours or summer vacations will sound tone-deaf when there are dozens of videos and social media posts going viral from teachers about their second jobs, teachers having to rely on food pantries, classroom books that are falling apart, paper rationing, etc. This is a time to sympathize with teachers."

In other words, "We've been out-messaged. We're busted!" All the lies about pampered teachers don't work anymore. Those crafty teachers took unfair advantage by using actual evidence to prove they're underpaid and schools are underfunded. Bummer!

Oh, and don't bring up school choice, another standard conservative answer to anyone who complains about public school salaries and funding.

"It is also not the right time to talk about school choice — that's off topic, and teachers at choice-schools are often paid less than district school teachers."

Ix-nay on the Oice-chay, got it?

So how should conservatives go about bad-mouthing schools and teachers?

Both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border bustled with activity on a recent Saturday night in Nogales. On the U.S. side of the border wall, youth display their perspectives of the border. In Mexico, people go about their daily lives, yet stop to curiously glance at the teens projecting images on the border wall.

Borderlands Art Exhibition, composed of 14 art pieces created by high school students in the Tucson Unified School District, included images of flags, borders social justice symbols and butterflies—a dominant symbol in the artwork, representing freedom and migration.

“No matter what you create, the border is your canvas,” Ernesto Somoza, a graphic design teacher at Pueblo Magnet High School, told his students.

With the help of a $600 Community Share Grant, Somoza organized the exhibit so the youth could create art that reflects their impression of the border. He hopes the new experience will motivate them to continue sharing their views.

Somoza said the exhibit reminded the students they have a voice and can influence things that affect them. The border is their backyard, and they can soon make a change by choosing who represents them in the political sphere.

“I believe that a lot of these students are gonna become politicians,” Somoza said. “They’re gonna be lawyers. They’re gonna be the people who represent us in political office.”

Catalina Brewing Company is throwing their hat into the educational ring, offering specials for all teachers and their allies. The support may a bit seem odd until you learn their staff is mostly made up of former or current teachers. This week they’ll be hosting a few events for #RedforEd.

Wednesday, April 25, 4 to 9 p.m.: A pre-strike special will be open for everyone who wants to show their support. CBC will sell two slices of pizza and a pint for $7. Owner and brewmaster Hank Rowe, who is a retired social studies teacher from Coronado and Amphi, will be pouring and serving!

Thursday, April 26: Teachers can get a beer and a sandwich from The Jersey Grill for $10.

This week CBC is also releasing their "Hop For Teacher" Session IPA, and their "Teacher's Aid" Scottish Ale will be kegged in the coming weeks. In addition, they always offer a 10 percent discount to all those involved in education, both current and former.

With teacher walkouts starting on Thursday, educators statewide are wearing red, waving Red for Ed signs and smiling at honking cars in front of their schools every morning, across Tucson and much of the state, demanding better public education funding.

Statewide, 57,000 votes were counted from public school teachers and staff, and 78 percent voted to walk out, according to Arizona Educators United and Arizona Education Association.

Marea Jenness, a Tucson High Magnet School teacher and leader in the Red for Ed movement, is excited about the vote. She’s been living paycheck to paycheck for years while waiting for a movement like Red for Ed.

“This is just the opportunity of a lifetime, to fight for our schools and public education in Arizona,” she said.

Red for Ed, led by the grassroot group Arizona Educators United, or AEU, has been pressuring Gov. Doug Ducey and the state legislature for weeks to give teachers 20 percent raises, among other things.

“A decade of severe budget cuts have left our classrooms in disrepair, our teachers demoralized and our students shortchanged,” said AZ Schools Now, a nonprofit advocating for better investment in public schools. “Governor Ducey has within his power the ability to end this walkout by collaborating with Red for Ed and the leaders of both parties to find sustainable, permanent and equitable solutions for our schools. Anything less is unacceptable.”

As of Tuesday morning, Ducey hadn’t yet met with either AEU or the teacher’s union Arizona Education Association, although both groups requested to negotiation with the governor.
Arizona educators are currently among the lowest paid in the country. And in response to mounting pressure, Ducey agreed last week to provide 20 percent raises for teachers as well as some additional education funding, but that did not meet all the Red for Ed demands.

“No one wants to see teachers strike,” Ducey said. “If schools shut down, our kids are the ones who will lose out. We have worked side by side with the education community to give teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020. I am committed to giving teaches this raise, and I am working to get this passed at the legislature.”

In a Monday radio interview, Ducey said he doesn’t understand why teachers are walking out when he’s giving them what they want.

But teachers in the movement say that Ducey’s offer falls well short of their demands.

“We’ve been pretty uniform in our message,” said Jason Freed, president of the Tucson Education Association. “Everybody is pretty in agreement that the current plan he has is not a workable one.”
Freed said the educators never wanted a walkout. They want to “get what’s right for kids, educators and schools.”

Teachers in the movement are skeptical that Ducey will find the money for his promised raises if he wins reelection later this year. Apart from their own paychecks, educators are also demanding wage increases for all education support staff, scheduled annual teacher raises, education funding restored to 2008 levels, and no new tax cuts until per-pupil spending reaches the national average.

Educators’ strike will start on Thursday, April 26, across Arizona, according to leaders in the Red for Ed movement.

Votes from all public school teachers and classified staff who chose to participate were tallied last night. Arizona Educators United and Arizona Education Association said they counted more than 50,000 ballots and about 78 percent voted to strike.

Marea Jenness, a Tucson High Magnet School teacher and leader in the Red for Ed movement, said she’s excited about the vote.

“This is just the opportunity of a lifetime, to fight for our schools and public education in Arizona,” she said.

The Red for Ed movement, led by the grassroot group Arizona Educators United, or AEU, has been pressuring Gov. Doug Ducey and the state legislature for weeks to give teachers 20 percent raises, among other things.

Arizona educators are currently among the lowest paid in the country. And in response to mounting pressure, Ducey agreed last week to provide 20 percent raises for teachers over a three-year period as well as some additional education funding, but that did not meet all of AEU’s demands.

“No one wants to see teachers strike,” Ducey said in a prepared statement. “If schools shut down, our kids are the ones who will lose out. We have worked side by side with the education community to give teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020. I am committed to giving teaches this raise, and I am working to get this passed at the legislature.”

Apart from the 20 percent raises for teachers, educators are demanding wage increases for all education support staff that’s competitive with other states, scheduled annual raises for teachers, education funding restored to 2008 levels, and no new tax cuts until per-pupil spending reaches the national average.

Jenness organized one of the first local Red for Ed rallies, which resulted in more than 1,000 educators and allies marching out of their downtown schools earlier this month. She said Tucson High is going to have minimal staff during the strike, mostly administrators and some custodians and cafeteria staff, to make sure the students still get breakfast and lunch. She also said there will be limited bus service.

“We’re prepared to stay out longer than the state is prepared to watch kids not graduate,” Jenness said. “The state of Arizona and the Legislature is going to have to deal with the crisis they create.”

Another complication of strikes is that any day of school closure will have to be made up in order for students to complete grade requirements. Therefore, students who are ready to graduate will still need to complete days they miss.

The Marana Unified School District put out a statement yesterday, signed by MUSD Superintendent Doug Wilson, that said the district hopes such extreme measures as a strike will not be needed.

“Our educators would much rather have the state legislature and Governor implement solutions to address salaries and public school funding,” the letter read. “District Administration and our Governing Board do not support a walkout or any activity that disrupts instruction and negatively impacts our students and families; however, we continue to support advocacy toward greater funding for public education and salaries”

MUSD said the schools will stay open as long as they have enough staff to supervise students. But if they don’t, they will be forced to close, a measure that would be district wide rather than school by school.

The Amphitheater Public Schools district also sent out a letter saying they may be forced to close schools if there are not enough staff to adequately supervise the children. But Amphi will look at school closure on a case by case basis rather than district wide.

Catalina Foothills Unified District also said they may have to close schools if there’s not enough staff to supervise students.

The many fans of Antigone Books can put their fears to rest—almost. The store will not be taken over by a chain. Three young employees of the popular indie Fourth Avenue bookstore have won a loan from the Small Business Administration to buy the business.

“These three women are smart, passionate and hardworking,” says Kate Randall, who with Trudy Mills has operated the 45-year-old store for the last 30 years and owned it for 28. “They have what it takes. They’re also community-minded and they really care about independent bookstores and local businesses. We’re really excited.”

Mills and Randall bought the business in 1990 and have run it ever since. They put it up for sale nearly two years ago.

The three purchasers, Morgan Miller, Kate Stern and Melissa Negelspach, who’ve collectively racked up 15 years working in the store, hope to take ownership in May. But they can’t get their hands on the keys just yet.

They need $32,000 to seal the deal, and they’re hoping to close the money gap through crowd-funding. They’ve just launched an Indiegogo site at igg.me/at/antigonebooks to raise the cash at igg.me/at/antigonebooks. The campaign is already looking good. In the first hour that the site was live on Thursday afternoon, supporters contributed $1,020.

The loan is in place but it comes with upfront costs, the three report on their site. And with plans to take possession of the store in the slow retail season beginning in May, they also need start-up capital to make sure they can pay the staff from day one and continue buying inventory.

They’re already familiar with Antigone’s business procedures. Miller, who holds an MFA in creative writing from the UA, has trained under Mills as the store’s book buyer and took over the job last fall. She’s been with Antigone three years.

Ten-year Antigone veteran Negelspach has learned the ropes of the lucrative gift section of the store from Randall. Currently the assistant buyer, she’ll move up to the chief gift buyer. And Kate Stern, a two-year employee, is already the event planner, a job crucial to Antigone’s trademark array of book readings, book clubs, parties and partnerships with The Loft Cinema and the Food Conspiracy Co-op.

Zia Records is quite literally quintupling the amount of Record Store Day festivities it’s hosting. Originally just a day of sales, Zia now has full-scale, week-long celebration of all things music and movies. The sales last from Saturday, April 21 until Sunday, April 29.

Not only will there be discounts and buy-one-get-one-free sales, Zia will have special releases, live music, and giveaways. They will also have $10 shirts commemorating this year’s Record Store extravaganza.


The eight days of deals go as follows:

Saturday: Record Store Day (enjoy in-store exclusive offers, rare releases, giveaways and more)
Sunday: Movies – Buy 3 Pre-Owned Movies, Get 4th Free
Monday: Video Games – Buy 1 Pre-Owned Video Game, Get 1 50-Percent Off
Tuesday: CDs – Buy 2 Pre-Owned CDs, Get 3rd Free
Wednesday: Toys & Collectibles – 20-Percent Off Pre-Owned Toys & Collectibles
Thursday: Mix ‘n Match – Buy 3 Pre-Owned Items, Get the 4th Free
Friday-Sunday: Customer Appreciation Weekend – Double Z-Card Points on Purchases & Trades

Tucson Zia Records is located at 3370 E. Speedway Blvd. For more information, visit ziarecords.com.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Earth Day

Buffalo Exchange $1 Day Sale. In honor of Earth Day, Buffalo Exchange is hosting this event to turn the tide on plastic pollution. Bring your own bag (you know, preferably not a plastic one), make a purchase (or two or three) from a selection of $1 clothing and know that all the proceeds from the $1 clothing sales will go to the 5Gyres Institute. 5Gyres conducts research on ocean plastic pollutions and runs outreach and education programs on how to properly dispose of plastics. You deserve a shopping spree anyway—might as well go on one for a good cause. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 21. At all Buffalo Exchange locations, excluding outlets! The Tucson location’s address is 2001 E. Speedway Blvd.

Party for the Planet–Bike to the Zoo. What better way to celebrate the Earth and everything on it than by heading to the zoo for an afternoon of displays on conservation and activities involving bees, seed bombs and plenty of animals? And what better way to show the Earth how much you love it than to ride your bike instead of driving? More than 100 zoos and aquariums across the United States are participating in 12th annual Party for the Planet, during which anyone who bikes to the zoo and shows their bicycle at the front gate gets in for free until 3 p.m. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crafts and activities from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 22. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court. Free for bikers, but otherwise $10.50 adults, $8.50 seniors 62 and up and $6.50 for kids 2 to 14.

Tucson Earth Day Festival. It’s been 23 years since the first Tucson Earth Day Festival, but the simple, beautiful core of the event hasn’t changed much: It’s a celebration of the environment and a chance to make sure we’re doing our part to help it. Exhibitors will provide info on wildlife and soil conservation, alternate modes of transportation, renewable energy, pollution prevention, waste reduction and other ways to keep an eye out for Mother Nature. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 21. Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. Sixth Ave. Free.

Art

John Nieto: American Icon. It’s been more than two decades since John Nieto, the artist known for his fauvist depictions of the Native American images and themes, has displayed his work in Tucson. And now his work is coming, including his very first painting of a wildcat, done especially for this show. (Bear down!) The painting will be auctioned off live at 11:30 a.m. Nieto himself can’t attend due to health restrictions, but his son Anaya, president of the family art business, will be there. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 22. Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan Road. Free.

Calling all teens: The Third Annual Rising Voices Arts Showcase and Youth Summit are this weekend (Friday and Saturday) at Joel D. Valdez Main Library.

Rising Voices was developed by youth, for youth as a safe and fun event to connect, learn, and grow as leaders. This year's theme is Know Yourself! Know Your Rights!

In the midst of the #MarchForOurLives movement, we know the power of young people's words. Rising Voices is designed to help teens deepen their engagement with the community and the issues they're most passionate about—be it gun reform, environmentalism, or LGBTQ+ rights.

Now more than ever, youth voices are being amplified across the nation. Rising Voices is a chance to make yours heard in Tucson!

Questions about this or other Pima County Public Library events and services? Call Infoline at (520) 791-4010 or visit library.pima.gov.

The teacher demonstrations, walk-ins, walkouts and strikes around the country are playing pretty well with the public. That surprises and encourages me. Republicans have led a decades-long onslaught against teachers, beginning in earnest with the "Our schools suck!" rallying cry from the Reagan administration in its 1983 report, "A Nation At Risk." It was a blatantly political scare screed about how terrible our schools—and by extension, our teachers—are. So terrible, they might as well be a Commie plot to destroy our country. Here's the money quote:

"If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war."

It's been wall-to-wall anti-public education, anti-teacher, anti-teachers union grandstanding from Republicans ever since.

And yet, public sentiment over the past month has been generally favorable to teachers' demands for better pay and increased school funding. If a savvy politician like our own "[not] Education Governor" Ducey is forced to concede that teachers might have a point, that maybe they deserve a pay raise twenty times higher than what he proposed a year earlier, you know Ducey knows the public is siding with teachers.

I guess the Republican onslaught hasn't been as successful as they hoped. Oh, it's had an impact. In the late 1980s, I was honestly shocked by the growing level of anger directed against my profession—generally parroting conservative talking points — the likes of which I hadn't experienced in my previous 20 years of teaching. But in spite of that, teachers still garner a great deal of respect.

A few recent polls tell the tale. A story in Education Week pulls together the numbers.