Abby has been home with me for the past two days because the teachers a Downingtown Schools can't come to an agreement with their administration over how much money they should be making. We're lucky that Abby is very low-maintenence and that I'm able to be "at work" with her at home so that there's someone to keep an eye on her. Still, this teacher's strike is absolutely absurd, and I'll be happy to wait out the full state-allowed 23 days of strike to see a reasonable agreement reached - one that likely doesn't assent to the teachers' demands.
The teachers are asking for raises over 5 years totalling 23.75%. The board is offering them 18% over 4 years. It seems like a large gap, but think about this: It's an 18% raise in pay. That's higher than the average cost of living raises here. It's more raise than I've seen in 8 years. It's more than generous, but apparently it's not enough. An opinion article in the Daily Local News expresses my sentiments quite well.
The DASD board makes some great points about what is reasonable in terms of what the district can afford. Primarily, the surplus money that the teacher think they should have access to is a capital surplus. It's a fixed amount of money that won't renew after it's all spent, meaning that salaries would have to drop back when it's gone or people will be fired.
The incoming money needs to be spent on developing new schools as our area is booming in growth. Hundreds of new homes are being built in our district, and those families will need schools. As a result of the expansion, our district is $309 million in debt; debt that makes any surplus unavailable to teacher salaries. And yet, the district offers a generous increase, because they know that the taxpayers value their teachers.
This isn't a race to be competitive with neighboring districts for salary. The district is offering what it can. I don't see that the teachers' union is being fair with their demands. The only way to offset increases to their salaries would be to raise taxes even more, which are already $1200 per year more than any neighboring district.
And to put this all into a final perspective, this isn't about teachers not getting adequate benefits or poor treatment, which was the cause of the advent of unions. It's about teachers simply thinking they should make more money. Well, you know what? Maybe they should. But they don't. Anywhere. Should thinking that you should be making more money entitle you to it?
Pennsylvania leads the nation in school strikes. In 2005, there were more strikes in Pennsylvania schools than in all other states combined by almost double. This is in spite of Pennsylvania being in the top ten states for average teacher salary. That's a sorry situation to be in.
No, I'm happy to wait out the strike. I know it's an inconvenience for most of the families in our district, but the alternative would be more of a hardship, and certainly not in the best interest of our kids' educations.
I agree with your sentiments. Additionally, I resent the teachers taking full credit for the students' educational successes - as if that reflects the quality of teaching staff. The reality is that if these same teachers were to be reassigned to an inner city school the results would not be the same because student's success is also a reflection of the community in which they reside, which is not something for which the teachers can take credit. Teachers seem to think they should be rated and paid irregardless of the pay rates of any other profession. Our enlisted soldiers, and many officers as well, make far below the starting salary of these teachers, and put their lives on the line for unions to have the right to picket and go on strike. If the teachers don't like what they get paid or the benefits, they always have the option to get out of their bubble and go out in the real world to get a job that keeps them employed twelve months a year, like the rest of us.
I absolutely agree with the points made in this article. I have three children at home due to the strike. Being a stay-at-home Mom, it really isn't an inconvience, but I feel really bad for the parents scrambling to make plans because they both work.
After reading both the DSAD and DAEA websites,it seems the district has made a concerted effort to appease the teachers as best it can with the budgetary constraints. I haven't seen the same effort from the union.
I appreciate all that our teachers do for our children and feel they should be paid fairly, but to imply that because this is a wealthy district they should be paid more is preposterous. Conversely should districts in North Philadelphia be paid in relation to the people they serve? They'd never get any teachers!
Teaching, like social work or being a police or fireman, is a public service and unfortunately, relys on the gathering of public funds for payment. That being said, our district is primarily residential, having few large commercial areas, like West Chester, to draw taxes from. Having managed a real estate tax office before staying home, I can tell you that makes a significant difference.
I hope, for the sake of the children, that the two sides will resolve this quickly, but I feel that it is time for the union to give a little.
Cathy, you speak words too true: Teachers often take all of the credit for the academic achievements of their students, but in the end it's often the hard work of the students themselves and the drive of their parents to get them to learn what their teachers fail to teach. Personally, I would no know algebra if it was left to my teachers.
Our community is so education-oriented that for the teachers to attribute the credit for the district's success is simply indicative of their hubris.
Molly, I also agree with your sentiments. When you enter a profession, you do so with the knowledge of what it will pay. I can't imagine that any teacher entered his profession thinking he was going to make a mint from teaching. Do they deserve to be paid well? Yes, but the fact of the world is that they are not - and they did not enter into this profession blindly. To hold the community hostage over what they knew they were getting into but now perceive as unfair is preposterous.
The DASD board could learn a thing or two from Reagan and the PATCO strike in 1981. There is a surplus of certified teachers in PA that would love a chance to make money doing what they love. The fear tactics employed by the union are shameful. Most people don't have unions to negotiate their salaries and benefits and do just fine. DASD should start combing their database for resumes of qualified teachers who would like to work for us without the threat of strikes. Once they amass enough candidates, fire the current teachers and replace them with non-union teachers. Give the new teachers the raises and benefits that the current teachers don't appreciate.
...and by doing away with the union altogether, the teachers would receive an instant raise in the amount of their union dues. Plus, by opening teachers' positions to the free market, the quality of the education would be directly and correctly tied to the teachers' performance and salary.
Unfortunately, the teachers' unions have employed lobbyists to convince our state representatives to include legislature that all but forbids acting as you've described. This is just another way that the unions are making an end-run around what is best for the communities that their teachers serve.
In case you want to follow along, the DASD board has disclosed a significant number of documents concerning their proposal, how it rates against other districts in our region, how it aligns with the majority of what the community has requested, and where it differs from what the union has proposed.
You can find these negotiation documents on the DASD web site. The district seems very forthright with information.
Alternatively, you can check out the Downingtown Area Education Association's view, which offers no figures, just opinionated rebuttal to the facts offered by newspapers and the district.
i have spent 40 yrs in transportation as a union member i have never seen more than 4% in a year the teachers shoud take a look at what the real world is paying
I have to agree with all that has been said here. To have the teachers take full credit for what has been achieved in this school district is unfair to both the students and parents. Many parents have sat at the kitchen table helping their children and as many of these students have spent long hours "burning the midnight oil" before exams. Yes, I respect those who teach, but the offers by the school board have been more than fair, more than that offered in the "outside world". The same goes for health benefits offered to them. Their last demand, and I do mean demand, was to be paid for the days THEY walked out. Talk about holding us hostage. What happened, no strike pay from your union? ENOUGH!
I agree with the above posters.
REMEMBER... those salaries are for 9 1/2-10 months, not 12 like the rest of the U.S.
Teachers are welcome to make another 10k during the summer doing something else.
Your school board is offering a VERY reasonable rate. Our NJ teachers will get 4.3%
And they better grab it cause as the economy spins downward.... BOES may be less likely to want to raise taxes where people are losing jobs.
Hold steadfast. It's the younger teachers that are losing out now, and make them lose their pay for these days. Maybe next time they will vote against the overpaid part of the union.
I agree the union is being absurd. The education of our children is being held as collatoral so that these teachers can get more money. Our children need a consistant routine in order to strive educationally. I have three children in second grade. One has special needs and needs the services provided by the special education department-physical therapy, occupational therapy, adaptive PE and a specialized education plan. As we enter day 6 I am already seeing a decline in the behavior and educatioal strides that my children had made. This strike is affecting not only my children but my paycheck. I will be paying hire taxes, planned vacations will need to be canceled and money is being paid out to babysitters during the strike. Enough is enough! These teachers are asking for respect- well that needs to be earned and they can start by respecting our children and going back to work!
The teachers on strike should have to work in the real world, and see where their scare tactics get them--booted out the door. Some one else with experience will take over for them. Hire teachers waiting for openings in the district. Respect is earned, not by more money, but by doing the job you were hired to do.
Fox 29 news has reported that parents against the strike are going to be at Beaver Creek Elem School at 3PM today. This is the second parental oppostition I have seen with the ongoing strike. Last week I saw police at Downingtown E HS. Later, I saw a man holding "taxpayers for binding arbitration". Go taxpayer, whom ever you are.
Binding arbitration is not the answer.
I'm sure you've heard of "no taxation without representation". Binding arbitration puts the power of taxation into the hands of people that we did not elect. This is clearly not legal.
Not only that, but the organization that they select to do arbitration is funded largely by the teacher's union. How can they possibly be impartial?
I couldn't agree more with the above comments.The teaachers in Downingtown should take their work enviornment into cosideration. Teachers in urban areas struggle with supplies, old books and children stuggling with family situations. This makes teaching much more difficult. The teachers in Downingtown should be thankful for all that they DO Have. Unions once really served a purpose...no longer and definatley not in this case.
Does anyone know when a parent-student protest is scheduled again or a group to contact with that information...I would love to get out their with some COMMON sense thinking people and HAVE a voice.
Sorry Owen. The point I was trying to make is that the parents and students are taking up "pickets" against the striking teachers, not what the loan taxpayer's sign said.
I'm a former teacher and I send my kids to a charter school after three years in a dasd school. The charter school teachers receive merit based raises, work a longer school day and a longer school year. Maybe you all should look into charter schools.
Guuggysdad , you are absolutely right about the abundance of qualified teachers. Last year the district had 66 openings available and received 4,600 applications-we've got to have a few good ones in there.
You entered this field knowing that you get holidays and the summer off so deal with it. To make what you do for 188 days and minimal payments for healthcare is sufficient. If you want more money, find another job like everyone else does when they want more money. Also, why don't you pay normal healthcare premiums like the rest of us. You make enough already and you only shape part of childrens' lives. For the rest of us, we make your jobs easy by giving you all the tools you need to teach, building the cars you drive, we build the bridges and tunnels you drive through to get to work, the materials to build your homes, and the buildings you teach in. If you wanted more money, you should've thought of another major in college.
We need to remember you get what you pay for. The better school districts pay better. It is a market place like any other. The best teachers will be able to seek out the best pay.
We should watch that we don't sacrifice high standards in our community for a few bucks.
We've actually been paying less all along for the quality of education we've been getting, which has been fairly high. I don't believe that an increase in pay will necessarily increase the quality of education. Particularly, the salary of Downingtown teachers is not low in comparison to other districts. If teachers think they can find a better deal, I suggest they leave so that we can get new blood in and hopefully reduce the likelihood of strike.
Rich,
Unfortunately, because of the way that unions pay(ie-scale by years and education)you aren't necessarily getting the "best" teachers by paying more. You can have a teacher who has been there 30+ years (and is really just waiting our her/his retirement)who isn't doing the best job and she can't be fired. This kind of pay scale causes people to get lazy. Why should they work hard when someone who doesn't work hard but has the same amount of years/education makes the same amount. Incentive based pay scales alway produce better workers, not necessarily more money.
If you don't want your children's teachers to get paid well, then send them to private school.
Maria, I think that no one has expressed an opinion that our teachers should be underpaid.
Speaking only for myself, I would solely prefer that our teachers were more realistic about their salary expectations.
I personally have no issue with teacher's salaries per se. The two biggest issues to me are raises and medical benefits.
Because of their union status, teachers are able to hold the community hostage and demand guaranteed raises for the duration of the contract. While I agree they deserve a raise each year, shouldn't this be tied to the average raise of the citizens in the community? I am an investment professional with more than 10 years experience and I am not guaranteed a 4.5% raise each year. The economy is weakening, people are spending less and the housing market is a mess. How does one demand a higher raise than the majority of the people paying your salary?
As for benefits, I find it absurd that a working spouse of a teach (with access to company benefits) can ride for free on the teacher's plan. Teachers and their children deserve great benefits...by why should we also foot the bill for a working spouse? When you look at what the teachers pay out of each check (I think Great Valley pays less than $25 a month) against what most professionals pay (I pay $150 per month for my family), there is no reason an employed spouse should get free benefits. They can pay for them at their employer, or should be offered to use the school's benefits at full cost.
I find it very odd that anyone's views opposing ALL of the above statements are not published here. I will be curious to see if my thoughts are published.
In regard to the strike that went on this past school year, teachers have the right to fight for their salaries and benefits because of the fact they do belong to a union. If it upsets some of you that teachers are fighting for these things, then find a job where there is a union that will support you also instead of being bitter about the whole thing.
I have many friends who are teachers and I see the hardships they go through everyday just by looking at their faces at the end of their work day. Some come home in tears because a particular situation with a child/student in their class. The tears are a sign of their devotion to what they do for a living, what they love to do for a living.
These teachers are required to be highly qualified by the state of Pennsylvania and they all have to "jump through hoops" to get that. All of the jumping through hoops is money out of their own pockets...taking this test, and that test, working on portfolios required by the state on their free time, etc. Not of that $$$ is reimbursed to them either. These teachers spend their, evenings and weekends working on lesson plans, grading, looking into trying a new technique in the classroom. They don't get paid for that either. I'm sure some of you get paid for your time out of the office. Did you know that teachers just coming into the district are not compensated for their past experience? I'm sure many of you would not take a job where the salary was not reflective of your experience.
So, in conclusion, these teachers have the right to fight for the things they do. How many school board members have been in the classrooms to see these teachers do their jobs? Little if any I'm sure.
Heather, the only reason that opposing views have not been published here is because nobody else has been bold enough to voice them. Now yours has.
I could easily dispute your other points (for example, starting salary for new teachers - actually all salaries - is dictated by the union itself, not the district), but it comes down to basically one simple question: Are the teachers being compensated unfairly for their work?
The district has demonstrated quite clearly that they are being fairly compensated. Look at the documentation provided on the district's web site. The union offers no such hard numbers, just the same pleas to emotion that you do.
As a person amongst thousands funding those salaries and on the hook for what unjust and unrealistic hikes their union would receive at their demands, I insist that the strike is not a reasonable action on the union's part.
I agree that the teachers have every right to form a union. I agree that it should serve them if they're being unfairly treated. But they are not unfairly treated. Instead, they are abusing the power of their union to get things the district taxpayers shouldn't afford them.