Taken From the PCT site:

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http://pobct.org/rumor_control.html

PART I

RUMOR CONTROL

The Plainview-Old Bethpage Board of Education's unfortunate decision to discuss the details of our contract negotiations in public has caused a flurry of rumors to spread around our community aided by the speed of electronic communication. While people are of course free to disagree with positions taken by our union, it is essential that their disagreements be based on factual information. The following are some of the more frequently heard rumors circulating in Plainview-Old Bethpage. Want to check on something you have heard about our negotiations, send us an email at pobctorg@pobct.org.

RUMOR - The PCT is untruthful when it says that there are no negotiations going on.

FACT - Do the chief negotiators for both the PCT and the District speak? Yes they do, but as Mr. Guercio, the Board’s lawyer said on October 19, the Board has not changed its position. Just repeating one’s offer again and again without exploring possible ways to bridge the gaps between the parties to negotiations, is not negotiations at all. To call it that is to debase the language.

RUMOR - The union is being asked to contribute more towards its health insurance and they don’t want to. That’s what’s holding up a settlement.

FACT – The members of the PCT already contribute 25% of the cost of family health insurance – one of the highest rates of contribution in Nassau County . Health insurance is not and has never been an issue in these negotiations.

RUMOR - Many educational programs have been cut in order to pay teachers.

FACT – The academic offerings of this district have grown almost every year of its existence. Many of these programs have been initiated by the members of the PCT. While there have been some adjustments in the way reading services are provided, those changes were made to bring some coherence to the reading program and to avoid duplicative services.

RUMOR - The Board announced last night that due to the state education cuts, POB will lose $800,000 in state funding.

FACT – The Board of Education reported that Governor Paterson has proposed cuts in state aid to education. The Governor does not have the power to make these cuts. They can only be made by the legislature. The PCT is working very hard through its state affiliate to lobby the legislators to avoid these cuts. A recent poll done after the Governor’s announcement shows his popularity declining even further as a result of his proposed cuts. Legislators looking at the effect of his proposal on his poll numbers are sure to seek other solutions to the state’s fiscal problems. But we are not counting on that. Citizens are welcome to join us by writing to their legislators. The PCT webpage provides links to our representatives.

Ed's note: The above excerpt can be found in it's entirety on the PCT website: http://pobct.org/rumor_control.html