(Ruth. The following comments are not directed towards your blog post or at you. They are directed to the Guild members who have posted on your blog).

Let's see if I understand this correctly....

The Star newsroom pushed and prodded a movement in this state to essentially destroy public school teachers' rights to bargain collectively and to negotiate for any purpose other than about the salary scale.

The Star's columnists and editorial writers and cartoonist linked arms with union-hating, right-wing Repubs who said this was necessary to improve the quality of education.

(Now, Daniels and company are targeting other kinds of professional trade unions in Indiana. I guess he's going to improve what they do as well)?

What this is coming to mean in the teaching profession: good, solid veteran teachers - many of whom have devoted decades of dedicated service to Indiana's children - will be getting "pinked slipped" next school year because school districts can hire two kids right out of college for the price of the one veteran teacher they will eliminate from the payroll.

Thanks to Mitch and his gang, an applicant won't even have to have a teaching license in Indiana.

Charter schools? They provide a fraction of the pay and benefits. They'll get what they pay for.

Teaching will no longer be considered a profession, merely an entry level job option. Isn't that kind of like what is happening today in the field of newspaper journalism?

And, by the way, isn't eliminating veteran reporters and editors to reduce the payroll what is happening at The Star? Same as with the teachers?

So, you're wanting the general public - including all of the thousands of public school teachers in this state, their relatives and friends - to come into solidarity to help rescue YOUR (The Star's) union and its membership?

And you don't think this smacks of irony?

Let The Star save itself.

This is where it gets complicated, as I doubt any of the Guild members supported that editorial campaign.
I think there is a schism between the rank-and-file and those writing those editorials (That would be Tim Swarens, who is in management and does the bidding of his masters, and is, by belief and temperament, conservative).
But yes, I get your point and the irony is obvious....
Thanks for comments.

Swarens is the devil incarnate. No question. Some of his writing is just hateful. He's entitled to his beliefs, of course: but I thought the Pulliams sold tghe paper.

Here's an idea, Guild, and Ruthie: open up one of your general-discussion meetings, to friends of the Guild.

Dutch-treat dinner, of course.

What have you got to lose?

Several things struck me:

1) The Star has a conservative agenda? I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you....

2) There's a union at The Star and they're at great odds with the management there? Shocked!

3) They're going to do something? They're sitting on a donkey, sword in hand, looking at the windmill and waving that sword mightily.

The windmill doesn't care.

Just a brief follow-up:

My gripe isn't just about editorial writing.

What about Tully, a member of The Star's Guild, who ranted and railed in his column for eternity against the teachers' union and veteran teachers? And he did this while the Guild was campaigning (among other things) for seniority at The Star.

What about the IPS education beat reporter who helped get visiting journalists kicked out of a school board meeting - thus making him complicit in First Amendment rights being denied to these people?

I could go on and on....

Dang, WB, you are on target; good archery.

I would not weep a single tear for the end of the Star. Worthless rag and has been for years.

I have a vested interest in not wanting the Star to go under; I just wish it were better. Years ago a Time mag article observed that Star readers seemed to like the paper even when it made them mad.
I like Hendy's comments....

Whitebeard: Your comments are brilliant, simply brilliant! I and those in my profession agree with you 100%!