OPINION & EDITORIAL
Crossing the line
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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:
- A security fee-for-all (December 11, 2007)
- Farewell, Chancellor (December 10, 2007)
- $$FC (December 6, 2007)
- In a bind (December 5, 2007)
- Entitlement Town (December 4, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Checkmate? (April 15, 2004)
- Stop in the name of education (April 1, 2004)
- Wiley "chickens" out (September 3, 2003)
- Call for law (April 29, 2004)
- Student strike or activism lite? (March 3, 2003)
by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Apparently intent on seeing its labor negotiations cause collateral damage, the TAA has now voted to strike April 27 and 28, aiming to bring this university and its educational mission to a halt.
We have expressed concern in the past about TAs using the undergraduate student body as pawns, exploiting the concerns a potential grade strike would create for graduating seniors and others in need of up-to-date transcripts. We have also expressed concern with TAs abusing captive audiences of students, choosing to preach propaganda rather than lesson plans.
But now the TAA has revealed that hurting undergraduates is neither a bluff nor a minority’s vocal idea. And the cantankerous union seems content on creating as devastating a scenario as possible.
An April 19 press release from the TAA reveals the strike will not only lead to the cancellation of classes that students have paid to take, but the union will strive to impede those courses otherwise normally beyond the reach of their hands.
“Picket lines will be set up at numerous buildings, with TAA members walking the picket line and asking that all students, faculty, and visitors respect the the [sic] strike line,” reads the apparently un-proofread release.
In other words, TAs plan on abusing whatever little respect they may still wield and intimidating undergraduates and fellow graduate students from going to class. And now, the TAA may turn even the university, one of its staunchest champions, against its cause by shaking its collective fist.
Indeed, the TAA’s latest attempt to place a gun firmly against the head of the university at which its membership is privileged enough to study is simply inexcusable.
And so we call on undergraduates to show the sense of right that their graduate counterparts clearly lack, and to cross whatever strike lines necessary so that they might attend classes next week.
