At 03:55 PM 4/16/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Look
>what school teachers have done in some parts of the country.  They are
>finally in a better place and, thanks to certain things happening around
>the country and the world, they are going to be in a much better place in
>the not too distant future.  We kind of fall into that group.  We just
>haven't organized yet.

One key difference between schools and museums is that schools are
perceived by the general public as "essential services," while museums most
definitely are not.

A strike of teachers forces the parents, school boards and politicians to
focus on getting the schools open again as soon as possible -- for the
benefit of our youth and our future. I suspect that a strike of museum
employees would do little more than close down the museum.

We all know what a huge difference museums can make in people's lives. But,
that is not the general public perception. Schools, after all, are
supported by our taxes. While some museums are run by government or receive
government subsidies, the vast majority (in the United States) would not be
there without private support.

[Note: these are entirely my own opinions.]

Susan B.F. Wageman
Grants and Research Manager                    (408) 279-7178
The Tech Museum of Innovation                  (408) 918-0253 fax
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