I know it’s been a while. I wish I had the time to be on the computer as much as some of you can. I haven’t reported on the last few meetings so I guess I should fill you in on some details. Administrative raises were approved. 3% for the next three years. Another $500 in merit pay can be had each year if we meet district wide excellence. The cost is more than worth it if the results are achieved. Unlike some people, I believe in dangling the carrot for results. It’s a tactic that works as long as you’re using a carrot that tempts the subject. For instance, one of my children had a teacher that would allow the student to skip the “main” spelling test if they passed the “pretest” on Wednesday with a 100% score. I never saw that kid practice so hard for a test so he didn’t have to take the test. The goal was accomplished and everyone got something out of it. Merit pay has its benefits. Good teachers aren’t afraid of it. Good negotiating teams are. Oh! That reminds me- you really should check out this web site:
Union Facts.com
I listened to a speaker from this organization a few weeks back and was intrigued. What I find interesting is that the states with the poorest economies have the strongest union holds. Hmmmm….I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. Before you send me hate messages let me give you some background:
My dad was a bona fide UAW officer. I was brought up Union Strong, Union Proud. We had all the medical and dental care a person could want. I didn’t understand that GM was in this business to make a profit. My dad said they owed it to us for his time in the company and quality workmanship and such. I also saw other members of my family work as hard or harder and not get these benefits. Then I had some history classes and I learned that way back in the old days unions were formed to protect workers. People were literally worked to death. They were organizations that fought for rights and protections that are law today. Then I turned 18 and got a job and much to my surprise found out I was part of a union whether I liked it or not. To add insult to injury they took union dues out of my $80 paycheck. But they didn’t even meet with management when the department was eliminated. But let’s get back to the lessons of our fathers. GM realized that they could get non-union workers elsewhere and still pay a decent wage but cut benefits. Why wouldn’t they? The UAW realized if it was going to keep jobs i.e. membership in the United States major concessions would have to be made. Plants closed and new workers started paying for benefits. Then old workers did. Then retired workers started paying. What they realized is free insurance will kill a business. If a for-profit company cannot sustain free insurance benefits how is a school district supposed to? The difference is the school district can’t go to Mexico via NAFTA.
I’ll tell you what bothered me most about negotiations. No one fought for classroom resources, new books, building security, or updated technology. All the things I hear from teachers time and time again that these are the things they want. Nothing “for the kids”. It was all “for the raises and benefits”. Remember this at levy renewal time. I hope they don’t try to guilt trip me with the “do it for the kids” mantra. I just paid $200 for a field trip, $100 in school fees, and a $1000 property tax bill. Not to mention the money I’ve spent on school fundraisers. I don’t dare print that figure here for fear of being cut off from the checking account. I feel like the community has done and is doing its part “for the kids”.
BTW: Just to clarify something for people. A proposed bylaw change failed. Bylaw 0147 will stay as passed in 2002 and revised several times since. It was a nice re-election gesture but so transparent I actually lost respect for the member that proposed it. There are times when this position takes more time than a full time job. $125 per meeting with a maximum of 30 meetings per year. That's $3750 per year. No benefits. No fringe. Heck nobody's even tried to bribe me for a vote! Besides, you can relinquish any part or all of the board compensation if you so choose.
It's a bargain for the taxpayer. A changing of the guard in November could really impact how your tax dollars are spent.
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7 comments:
I guess I am just perplexed Kellie as to why you voted YES for the contract and then keep telling us why it was not a good contract? If you didn't think it was fair or good for our children and for our district, why didn't you vote NO? We all know it wasn't "for the kids." I am not in your shoes, but it only seems logical to me that if you are not in support of something as important as a 3 year contract, a NO vote would be in order. And about those school fees, they are not fair and they only get higher and higher the older your children get, so why not challenge them for those of us that think they are not just and maybe even illegal. Public education is supposed to be free.
Is there a salary cap for teachers?
Snoopy,
Yes and no. Districts may have individual caps but it is set by negotiated contract. So the top pay in Hudson could be considerably more than in Rootstown.
Taxpayer: I voted yes because voting no would have accomplished nothing but ill will. I tell you why I don't think it was good now because I couldn't during the negotiations.
As for the fees, I'm already wondering when someone will challenge them. In my opinion it's only a matter of time.
Remember this November- The current board majority does not support the kinds of changes you want. And I've not found them to be very compromising.
If I may ask, are you lending support to any of the board candidates?
Kellie, others are blogging about the shooting up north. What do think about how safe are schools are. We can't afford enough books. How could we afford metal detectors if needed?
Don't forget to make plans to attend the meet the candidates night hosted by the PTA council.
**** Monday, October 15, 2007
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Bolich Middle School
13th & Portage Trail
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44221
Awww...Kellie...what a babe in the woods you are, eh?
You "dangle" all the carrots you want and I'll continue observing real life how different families encourage their kids to learn...or not! I wouldn't blame any teacher on the face of this earth for not wanting to be paid by a "performance bonus" based on whether or not they could teach one of your "knot-heads" algebra, eh? I know how hard a loving father struggled to help me learn same. Be advised, ma'am, that merit pay (piece work) is a concept of our manufacturing industry, not our educational system!!! The last I heard, the Cuyahoga Falls City School System is not in the habit of turning out widgets!!!
We won't go into the social failures of those such as your Dad and his cohorts during their membership in the UAW. An organization such as they were never truly concerned with the well-being of their American brethren, were they? I mean, c'mon, now...Marie Antoinette told the rest of them to eat cake too, didn't she?
Now, buttercup! If it was up to any party in the most current negotiations to "fight for classroom resources, new books, building security, or updated technology", it was the School Board, not the Teachers' Union!!! In my humble opinion, your brat don't need no $200 field trip any more than they need a $100 pair of Nike sports shoes, eh?
Now, once again, the leadership issue rears it's ugly head, eh, Medusa! If the teachers only averaged a 2.8 percent wage increase over three years, while making concessions on their health care insurance...
...I demand to know why any administrative policy-wonks such as the Treasurer or Doc Holland got a greater percentage increase in their salaries than the teachers, eh? We wont' go into here the 64% pay raise realized by the Board of Education, eh? Talk about a darth of leadership! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! You should be ashamed of yourself, ma'am!
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