One problem with the news reports on our high-school district’s proposed cutbacks is that the teachers and its union’s view is not provided much — if at all. It undermines community trust.
The Union largely is siding with the administration in its “reporting” — while it bashes public unions over on the editorial page. KNCO isn’t reporting much at all.
At our local newspaper, the editor/publisher’s article on Friday is a shining example of ignoring the teacher’s side: There’s no comment from the teachers or the unions. None.
In addition, the article was based on a memo “provided to The Union” from administrators that should have been put on the school’s website first — not exactly a transparent community process. (The document still isn’t posted on the school’s website).
“Budget reduction programs call for lowering the heat and raising the air conditioning temperature on thermostats to save money on utilities,” The Union article by the publisher said in the very second paragraph.
But what do the teachers and its unions think?
I dug up the minutes from a December school board meeting, which shed a light on their concerns.
•FAIRNESS “The furlough days, an estimated $1 million dollar savings to the district saving to the district over a two-year period, problem solved, but on the backs of the staff,” said Jim Drew, NJUHSTA president in a statement.
“I might say that I favor it too. County, state, as well as many industry workers are doing it, why not teachers? If you want us to consider it, then give us the day-to-day benefit package that those groups have, with no monthly out of pocket expenses.
“Give us the benefits upon retirement that those groups have. The salary lost during those two years will never be recovered, placing even a greater personal burden on us.”
•TRUST At the meeting, School Board President Mark Heauser asked the teacher’s representative point blank if the teachers themselves supported his statement. Yes, Drew told him.
“Mr. Drew stated he e-mailed the unit regarding the district’s proposal and received about 100 e-mails back with 70-80 percent opposing the furloughs,” the minutes said.
•UNFINISHED BUSINESS ” There are some things that have come up at the table; they were on the agenda, things that shouldn’t have been discussed at that forum, specifically the EL certification requirement,” Drew said.
“This discussion led to the realization of the district’s further inflexibility with its teachers, even though there are provisions in the ED Code and with the CTC regarding accommodations for staff. I’ll be glad to speak with you privately about this issue.”
Some teachers and a student spoke against the furlough plan.
“Dan Murphey, NUHS teacher of 31 years, stated he was very proud of our district. However, he was here today to support the statement of Mr. Drew against the furlough days. Furlough days will do no service to staff or students,” the minutes said.
“Jordan Horowitz, NUHS teacher, stated you are asking us to do the same amount of work or even more with less pay. It will impact programs.
“Louise McFadden, NUHS teacher, stated she wanted to echo the statements made and believes the district is looking at a ”tsunami of a reaction” from staff if you try to do this.
“She believes the staff does not feel we have made enough cuts to warrant teachers giving up pay.”
“A student commented that he ‘dittoed’ the teacher statements and even with the snow days he could see the loss from having less time in school. Five days would be tough.”
The minutes are here: meeting
A community newspaper plays an instrumental role in providing information to a community, as well as building credibility and trust.
Providing only one side and showing personal biases only serves to polarize the debate, not bring about collaboration.
Running a “poll” on the front page of theunion.com for weeks that supposedly shows people “favoring” the furloughs doesn’t seem constructive either.
Most of all, it doesn’t seem to working, does it? Maybe it’s time for a fresh approach.
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I wonder why the teachers union and the district are not meeting until the day before layoff notices are to be sent out? This is bound to be a very difficult negotiation, and much time is needed.
I find it a bit odd that there seems a knee jerk reaction in the NJUHSD to protect first the enrichment activities like sports, while raising class sizes in academic subjects. My feeling is that delivering lower quality academic courses (i.e. classes with 35 students in them) is as likely to drive away students as eliminating the sports teams. Teachers with 175 students per day (i.e. 5 periods times 35 students) cannot possibly give the type of feedback as teachers with “only” 125 per day (i.e. 5 x 25). In such a context, students will drift away from the public schools.
As for the enrichment programs including sports, they are indeed the reason that some students go to school. But is this really the core mission? Or is academics? We shall see what the board decides when the pick what gets cut, and what gets saved.
Furlough days for teachers equals furlough days for students equals less education. California already ranks way down the list nationally, but Nevada County has done a good job in maintaining high standards and we should aim to maintain that to the extent possible.
The core, English, math, history and science, should be protected. The core is basic education, or “reading, writing, arithmetic.” Next in importance is health and safety, and that means limits on classified and administrative staff vital to those areas. Vocations, foreign language, P E, art and music, while valuable, are less essentiao. Any obvious frills should be cut, any non-essential building or maintainance tabled.
As for the publisher, columnist in The Union, he has a right to a say just as any other parent and taxpayer, but not to use is position as a personal soapbox to express his view. He should butt out and let teachers, administrators, classified staff, and the school board (who represent taxpayers) negotiate the best deal they can to deal with harsh economic conditions with as little pain possible and the best outcome for our schools.