Fairbanks teachers initiating 'work to rule' policy
Published Thursday, October 9, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — Tired of working under an expired contract, some Fairbanks North Star Borough School District teachers have initiated a work to rule policy.
Work to rule means teachers are working to the exact requirements of their contracts and nothing more.
Fairbanks Education Association President Steve Laroe said teachers from various schools are meeting and deciding if they want to enact work to rule. Not all teachers are participating, and the ones who decide to are determining their own schedules, he said.
Superintendent Nancy Wagner said she has mixed feelings about work to rule because it is a teacher’s right but it is unfortunate because in almost all professions, including teaching, it takes more time than what is allotted in a contract to finish a workload.
Wagner said work to rule teachers would not attend voluntary councils and committees meetings or stay at faculty meetings that extend past an allotted time. The time teachers spend working outside of the classroom is not included in their contracts, Wagner said.
Laroe said teachers are contracted to be at the school half an hour before the start of the school day and stay half an hour after the students are dismissed. Teachers can be available to provide students extra help at those times only, Laroe said.
Teachers at schools such as Lathrop High School, Ben Eielson Junior/High School, Ticasuk Brown Elementary and Badger Road Elementary are considering or have participated in work to rule.
Work to rule is the latest development in the contract negotiation between FEA, the teacher’s union and the district. Both sides initially started bargaining in early May. The 2005-2008 contract expired June 30.
A second meeting in September reached an impasse, and the negotiations will now progress to a third round, a rare step for the negotiation process, said Gayle Pierce, labor relations director for the school district. FEA and the school district will now have to decide on an arbitrator to hear the arguments of both sides. The arbitrator will write an opinion, and then the school district and FEA will meet one final time for discussion. Both sides said it could be a lengthy process because there is a limited number of arbitrators, who all have busy schedules, and the fact that arbitrators have up to 30 days to write an opinion.
Laroe said the teachers can consider a labor strike only after the third round of talks does not end with a contract between FEA and the school union.
Both Laroe and Pierce said the two groups can meet and settle the contract dispute at anytime. The two groups met Sept. 30 but no agreement was reached.
Pierce said at the Sept. 30 meeting, the school district offered to add a new column or category based on amount of training and a annual step increases of $1,800 for the first two years of the contract and a 3 percent raise for the third year.
The proposed offer also addresses one of the district’s goals of improving the salary of entry-level teachers. Pierce said incoming teachers currently earn $37,969, which is less than what starting teachers make in the Anchorage School District and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.
The proposal will increase the salary of incoming teachers to $40,904, which will raise the amount of money teachers earn when they advance in steps, Pierce said.
“We do think the offer is competitive,” Pierce said.
FEA wants a contract with a 4.5 percent raise for all teachers for every year in the contract, Laroe said.
At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, 15 teachers addressed the board members about their frustration over the lack of a new contract. Many more teachers were present but did not make public comments. Laroe said the attendance was not planned by the union and that the teachers showed up on their own.
“They wanted to show the board support for their team,” he said.
Community Discussion
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Huh, I was always taught, by my teachers, to ALWAYS strive to do more than the minimum work required for anything. I guess that doesn't apply when greed is the issue.
You people set great examples for our children, thanks.
Hmmmm.....
Every job I have ever had required you to do more than what was expected to succeed....even when you were 'off the clock'
Way to go teachers....way to teach our children that mediocrity is the key to success
Firemen, policemen, teachers, etc etc etc....it's all the same - -
Just a quick question of logic for Fairbanks Ed. Assoc. President Steve Laroe.
The concept of getting the support of students & parents to your cause from teachers initiating work to rule policy is questionable is it not?
I fail to see how a negative impact on those you logically wish to support you helps your cause. Maybe getting the students & your members to "bring or take it" to their attention to board meetings the value & your time & effort positively impacts. Publicly "invite" Superintendent Nancy Wagner, others, & the news to your schools to see your efforts in action. Take your efforts to the district with students & invite the news to hear from those most effected by teachers. Pictures & articles in the paper with staff & students. Try some truth of value & get it out very way possible. Try showing success at schools of students & community extra effort by teachers & students. District wide members of voluntary councils & committees meetings need to make their time mean value to the students & community & it's affects & effects on them. Negotiations are a lot like chess but also like Wall Street and as emotional as any skill mastered.
Bring the unified skills & commitment to our students up front & personal. Reach out & touch.
I think most of the community & students are feeling the impact of this now, it's not only a employee & employer issue. If teachers do initiate the work to rule policy, I think the square will shake at the sides if not blow out on the corners. The district, the teachers, the students, the commiunity.
Good luck to all.
I doubt that many people understand how many extra hours it takes to be a great teacher. I know that elementary teachers probably work an EXTRA 2 - 4 hours a day. (Just multiply 2 hours extra a day by 180 days and see that the district is getting an extra 51days a year UNPAID from many many teachers. This more than makes up for any time off in the summer.)
High school teachers, depending upon their subject, also work extra time. I remember as a high school English teacher many years ago, if I assigned an essay that meant tons of extra time. Think about it: if you have 120 student essays or even 100 (typically teachers have 5 classes of at least 25 students in each class). So, 100 essays multipled by 5 minutes per essay (and that's for a well-written, easy to read essay) to evaluate means an extra 500 minutes or a little more than 8 hours in one week -- and that's just for reading the essays, not for all the other lesson planning and preparation which would be on top of the essay evaluations.
I've said it in this paper before. It would be nice to make as much money as my plumber or the guy who pumps our septic. Or the hairdresser who charges $60 for a 20 minute haircut. There are many selfless people in teaching. We do not go into teaching because we are greedy; this field attracts caring, intelligent, and giving people. Those who wish to "get rich" go into more lucrative fields like business, law, and medicine. We just want our work acknowledged, and a fair break from a state that has billions in the bank.
I say go for it. Work to rule is their right. Teachers work hard teaching those children who desire to learn and babysit those children who don't. Give them a decent contract and I'm sure they will continue to work 60 hour weeks for 40 hours pay. It's still a bargain.
I agree. I don't think the public realizes what teachers put into our professions. High school teachers are easily putting multiple hours in every night...lesson planning and grading.
Yes every job has extra hours: you might have to put a few extra hours making a presentation here and there...but in teaching it is EVERYNIGHT and EVERYWEEKEND.
Sadly though, I don't see how a work to rule policy is going to prove a point to anybody. They should all call in sick on the same day, which would be legal, and see how the schools handle that.
For those of you who will bitch later about how much money administrators make, please remember that the admin and the teachers are in different unions!
Why is everyone blaming the teachers? They are being asked to work and do not even know what they are being paid! I have watched so many people (everyone in this town who complains about customer service take note) do the absolute minimum to get the paycheck every two weeks that it makes me sick! The community that sends their children to these people show this work ethic all the time, it was a matter of time until it was used by a union as a slow down work tactic, something that unions have done historically with success to get the negotiations that they wanted. Putting in that extra effort, and it is extra if they are not being compensated on any level besides self gratification from a job well done, is a choice; and when any one starts feeling under appreciated the amount of extra they put in diminishes quickly.
Get the arbitrators together, get more arbitrators trained if there are not enough, and get this going. During the eighties this cost our community after school programs, good teachers and good families that left our community. The schools in our area got a failing report with the standardized testing becuase we have teachers that are teaching classes ( to fill voids in staffing) they should not be; and in the whole process we are keeping teachers that would and could change our states grade on education by creating an enviornment that is not only harsher than the lower forty eight states but is in economic turmoil. Get a contract, get it together and quit thinking that the way to shave dollars is by short changing the employee at the ground level.
It has been said in these columns before and is usually left unanswered....
What, exactly, do you teachers feel is a 'fair' wage?
From the net:
"The average weekly wage in Fairbanks, AK is $842, which translates to $43,784 annually. Private Sector wages are $785 per week or roughly $40,820 per year, on average. State Government wages are $984 per week or $51,168 per year. Local Government wages are $701 per week or $36,452 per year. Federal Government wages are $1,220 per week or $63,440 per year. "
From http://www.eed.state.ak.us/FAQ.html
What is the average teacher salary in Alaska?
In 2007-2008, the average teacher salary in Alaska was about $56,757.95. The Statistics and Reports section on this website list additional information about teachers in Alaska.
From the above information, teachers, on average, make more than both the public and private sector averages...So - what do you require to be happy and 'feel' better?
(Oh - and you can't say costs are more in Fairbanks etc etc etc since we get that big fat Dividend to pay for fuel and other stuff)
Also, keep in mind that the High School Graduation rate for 2007 was 54.8%
One source of revenue for you all would be to drop the union...your 'dues' of $919.00/year would help a lot around the house, wouldn't it?
http://www.alaska.net/~fea/dues.html
Wait - the taxpayers are the ones really paying those dues - 1000 teachers in fairbanks (approx) = $919,000 in dues we taxpayers are paying PER YEAR!
You have to be kidding me!!!
My wife is a third year teacher, she gets paid for a 35 hour work week and that's it. And then she must, and let me repeat MUST, work an additional ten to twenty hours a week extra just to keep up with the demands of teaching this communities children. She has seriously contemplated going a getting a job at wal-mart, fred meyer etc, because then at least she would get paid for the time she works and it would equate to the same amount of money with about a tenth of the stress.
She is basically doing the most important job there is in our society and yet, we have people on here thinking she is overpaid. And that she doesn't deserve to be compensated for her time. I know if I wasn't get paid for ten to twenty hours every single week, there would be hell to pay!!!
YOU PEOPLE MUST BE KIDDING ME!!!!
The most important job in society is not that of a teacher, a parent of the child is. If your wife is so discontented with her job, she has a right to quit and I am sure she will be replaced with very little trouble. Join the world of salaried employees who for the most part work 60 to 80 hour weeks, without all the vacation time.
The question to ask, where is the money going to come from to pay this and for everything else that government is proposing. By the way, how many of you get a special discount on heating oil? How many knew teachers do.
Regardless of everyone's personal feelings about this issue, I think it's important to clarify something. Working to the rule is a step away from striking. The point of working to the rule is to bring community awareness to the issue. Parents will need to arrange before/after school care, activities will get canceled, etc. If you don't want your kid's teacher working to the rule, or striking, call up the school board. Demand action on the contract. Let them know that you don't want things to spiral down hill. Demand to know when the Board and the Union are going to sit down again to sort this out. Be a positive example of local civic involvement to your kids - call the Board and talk!
$56,000 average salary, 180 work days per year equals $311 per day. Not bad money as I see it.
So in other words SpeakUp, teachers are just a bunch of baby sitters.
My Father was a teacher and coach. I saw him put in many hours after school and at home. I also got to be with him most every summer as he had time off except the few when he was getting his advanced degrees and required certificates. Work until the job is done and take time off when available, this is the balance of a professional. A professional is not restricted by the 40 hours a week but average that work out over time.
Teachers have let their profession slip to the ranks of a job. Professionals are usually a self-policing, are not represented under collective bargaining and not defined by an hourly rate. When you let the union in and argue about hours per week without looking at the longer time-frame, you lose the respect commensurate with a profession.
If teachers want to be a profession then they must reestablish the professional aspects of their vocation.
"From the net:
"The average weekly wage in Fairbanks, AK is $842, which translates to $43,784 annually. Private Sector wages are $785 per week or roughly $40,820 per year, on average. State Government wages are $984 per week or $51,168 per year. Local Government wages are $701 per week or $36,452 per year. Federal Government wages are $1,220 per week or $63,440 per year. "
From http://www.eed.state.ak.us/FAQ.html
What is the average teacher salary in Alaska?
In 2007-2008, the average teacher salary in Alaska was about $56,757.95. The Statistics and Reports section on this website list additional information about teachers in Alaska.
From the above information, teachers, on average, make more than both the public and private sector averages...So - what do you require to be happy and 'feel' better?"
Teaching requires at least a bachelor's degree, which costs a person time and money to earn. Do your other figures include only professions requiring a degree? If not, it is not a valid comparison. How do teachers compare with other degreed professions? I would guess right around or below average, since the other categories you list are going to include jobs that don't require any degree at all and in turn pay a lower hourly rate.
"Join the world of salaried employees who for the most part work 60 to 80 hour weeks, without all the vacation time."
I am not a teacher. I am contracted for 40 hours per week. We have three or four busy times each year during which I consistently work more than those 40 hours, usually for 2 weeks or so. I have random days here and there where I work beyond my 8 hours, maybe 2 or 3 times per month.
I am the child of two teachers and the spouse of a teacher, and teachers work overtime ALL the time. They are only contracted for 35 hours per week. They are allotted at best 2 hours per day to all the extra things required of a teacher, which have been spelled out numerous times here in these comments, but I'll do it again -- meeting with parents, providing assistance to students, keeping up with paperwork, lesson planning, grading papers, compiling and entering grades, writing comments on report cards (this one is a DOOZY for most elementary teachers, who want to share specific, personal, and individualized information on each and every report card), updating bulletin boards (again, a requirement particularly for elementary teachers who often have a calendar that is an integral part of their daily routine), making copies, attending special ed meetings, attending staff meetings, attending grade-level meetings, and more.
In addition, despite the fact that people see teaching as "easy" or "flexible" because of the "shorter days" and "summers off," teachers have little to no flexibility in their days. If our children need a parent during the day, they know not to even call their teaching parent, who cannot just drop everything and leave. Luckily, on most days I can if absolutely necessary. Teachers often work sick, because the day-to-day routine of a classroom is important to the kids and subs often can't get any real teaching done.
Like every profession there are bad teachers who don't really care, who put in the minimum amount of time and work. But among the teachers I've known, and I've known many in my lifetime, most are dedicated and caring and put in lots of extra time, effort, and their own money. And really, do we want less when it comes to educating our children?
I support both sides of this argument. Bottom line is our children will suffer. It seems that we all have our "whining spells", and as a community, we ridicule those groups at these times. We've all worked more than our share, been paid less then we deserve. Decent day's pay for a decent day's work. That should be the goal that we strive for. Yes, I agree, to have the summer off, especially in our great State, is not a bad deal. Most of us have to use our vacation time, our paid leave. Look at what they make for what they work, not so bad after all. I do however that anyone, under salary, should be receive compensation. Also, when we quote things from the internet, such as the average yearly wage on groups of employees, remember, these statistics are manipulated, as are all stats, to exploit what the author wants to express. Remember the benefits that some of these groups receive, some are given, while other groups have to pay a hefty price. Wether it's a benefits package for free child care or discounted fuel.
Ak Guy and diablo;
You guys should actually, literally go to school in your son or daughter's school and pay attention
to what goes on in their lives. Teachers do care and they have a fair and equal say in their profession.
Just because some of you think kids need be seen and not heard, does not mean you treat teachers
the same way. They're the ones who influence your children and give them dreams and goals.
Appreciate what you have now and think before you criticize, your/our children will hopefully be
in better positions than you and I/we are in right now. Teachers deserve a decent raise, your kids
deserve more than your negativity.
here is a new idea pay the teachers what they deserve. if it goes over budget fix it by firing every other secretary or as they call them no administrative assistant. then look around if you have a principal do we really need a high paid vice principal, i say no if the principal is ill or incipaticated use a teacher to sign the paperworkor make the call. we have too many mid level paper pushers who do nothing to contribuate to the well fare of our children. also look in the school district offices and see how much deadwood is their because of politcal correctness or the good old boy network.i bet their is a lot of deadwood in the education offices that can be weeded out before you totally wreck the system by forcing teachers to go on strike. if a strike occurs it rests on the head of the top administrator
"I agree, to have the summer off, especially in our great State, is not a bad deal. Most of us have to use our vacation time, our paid leave."
Two points: One is that most teachers everywhere have the summer "off," so it's not like this is an unusual perk our teachers are asking for.
Second is that teachers are NOT paid for the summer months. Some teachers elect to have their paychecks spread out over the course of the year, but they are not being paid for any time during the summer. Nor do they get paid for days off during holidays. The two-week break in Dec/Jan is unpaid time except for the negotiated holidays, usually 3 or 4 days in that two-week span. Ditto Spring Break -- not paid time. As salaried employees, their pay is spread out and they don't see a loss of paycheck during those times, but teachers are not paid for those days.
Here's a novel idea. Instead of moving forward on the raise reqests. Why don't you attempt to get your weekly contract hours increased to fall more in line with the hours you actually work. That would seem more than fair to me.
Give me a break. Teachers BUST BUTT! They work nights, sundays, they call parents after work. My wife is a teacher and I basically do not see her from Aug 15 thru May 15. They all have at least 4 year degrees and many have 6 to 8 year degrees. 10 years of student loans. Every year they are required to take more classes and submit to more review by a public and federal government that has no clue what is being asked of teachers. 20 to 30% of teachers nation wide quit in their first 3 years. Teachers are not asking for anything unreasonable. Why doesn't someone on this thread ask what the superintendent is making per year? Teachers are asking for RESPECT. The "Tax Payers" do have a small stake in this as most have children. The state vis-a-vis the oil companies provide much of the districts revenue. As I understand it when OIL was $14 a barrel the teachers accepted 1% raises, Now when OIL was as high as $140 per barrel they are asking for 4.5% raise in an inflationary regime. If that seems unreasonable to anyone then they should get their heads examined.
A professional should be paid more than the average (which includes minimum wage) local salary. It makes sense. Most professionals have some sort of formal training/education that costs money to get. Teachers are professionals. They have to get educated (go to school for usually 5 years for the BA and the teaching certificate), pay for that education (thousands of dollars paid out over 10 years), and continue paying for an education to continue being a teacher (thousands of dollars again--especially if it's a Master's degree). A lot of teachers take out loans to get their education.
It's not as if teachers are just some person off the street with no training/education. Teachers are well educated. They use their education to help kids and parents. MOST teachers love working with kids and spend MORE than 60 hours a week on their jobs (NOT including time spent as a spectator at student events—that’s even more hours!). That's more hours than a 12 month-a-year person will work. AND WEEKENDS ARE NOT "OFF"! Teachers also spend a lot of their own money on their students and classrooms.
MOST teachers also spend more money and time in those "summers off" paying for and taking classes to keep their teaching certificate (that they pay to renew every five years). Some teachers also work second jobs in the summer--or they do both: work and take summer courses.
Because of all of the above, this district has GREAT teachers. This district also has GREAT kids and parents. They are all working together to make our community GREAT. If this district continues to drive its educational system into the ground by not giving teachers a worthwhile salary, which will cause a lack of good teachers from which to choose for jobs, the community will go down, as well. Don’t you think a strong educational system helps keep crime lower? If you research it, you’ll find this to be true.
Also, no one has to prove that FNSBSD teachers are not performing. The district says they are. See the report at http://webdev.northstar.k12.ak.us/index..... This document shows how FNSBSD students are performing at a higher rate than the rest of AK and the rest of the US. Can't beat that!
There is no good reason to not give teachers a fair raise--not even if there's a few teachers who aren't worth it. The mass IS worth it.
More to consider: teachers' pay in Alaska hasn't kept up with inflation since the '80s. It's time turn that tide. In 2005, Alaska teachers were 50th in the state as far as percent change in pay since just '94 (DOWN 14.5% in terms of actual dollars earned—and the number is higher if we go all the way back to the ‘80s). Last time I checked, inflation and cost of living are going UP, not down. In relation to inflation, an average AK teacher is paid about $10,000 less today than in 1995. http://www.aft.org/salary/2005/download/......
I bet other workers will be asking for a raise when their contract, etc. is out in order to compensate for the rate of inflation over the year alone. It was 4.28%. Put the raise in perspective: it is a small increase and it's fair. I could see public outrage if teachers were asking for more than 10-15%, but come on, it's less than 5%.
Also, because it costs more to live here than many other places, FNSBSD teacher pay (while it looks good on paper) is not enough to attract new teachers. New teachers cannot afford to live here and pay all their bills. That's why there are not very many teachers in the district's hiring pool for all content areas (some have more than others, but some are almost empty/empty). If teachers strike, there are not enough non-working teachers here to replace the striking teachers.
This info, including any research to support it has been posted time and again to other blogs: the one under "Raises Needed," "Teachers Flock," and "Respect Teachers."
4.5% every year?? This year I got 2% and my husband was CUT $1 per hour. In that light, 4.5% is extravagent.
Teachers are not asking to become filthy rich. They just want to be comfortable with their monthly bills, as well as the rest of the financial responsibilities of becoming a teacher and maintaining a teaching certificate.
The teachers in this district have earned comfort, at least. Many are worth more than that, but no one becomes a teacher and thinks that he/she will become rich from it. And, thank goodness, teachers are not asking for anything unreasonable.
dukit22: If you had a way to fight this unfairness, you would, wouldn't you. Isn't that what teaches are doing?
Is anyone else in the private sector or otherwise being offered step increases followed by a 3% raise? PLUS ..... new teachers starting salaries increase nearly $3,000 annually from where they are now so it increases earning potential as they step increase according to Ms. Pierce from the article.
Now let's examine the annual salaries which are competitive with the private sector, etc. Has anyone else realized that this annual salary is based on a 9 month work year compared to the 12 month work year? In many cases, the teacher's salaries are higher on an annual basis! Teachers may have to continue their education during some summer months to stay accredited but come on! 9 months earning more money, in most cases - better health care and a better retirement plan than most employers offer.
Other posts, News Miner articles and letters to the editor have mentioned health care issues regarding the teacher's contract. Do all of you educators believe that rising health costs are exclusive to your profession? Heck no ..... we all are faced with the same rising costs regarding healthcare. How is this the fault of the FNSB School District?
I know that in the private sector I'm not likely to be getting a 3% raise this year as all employers are controlling operating costs due to the increased fixed expenses of business operation!
Inchworm - nice comparison about degreed professions (represented by a self-serving union). I think you hit it right on the head but mis-spelled something. I think that it has turned into a "greed profession" from everything that I've read in this paper and in these posts.
Say all you want about work to rule. I can't believe we're arguing about a 4.5 annual raise. These are the people that educate our children. Send whomever you want to put out my house fire, I want a Genius teaching my child. Sign on for the 4.5 percent raise and consider it an investment in your children and future.
dukit22
because you get an inadequate raise you think that no one else should get respect? Try teaching for a few years and see if you really think 4.5% is unreasonable. After you do, then check back.
This is to address the concerns bout this district's graduation rates:
The graduation rate for the state, as well as for our district's schools, do not take into account transiency. That means that the students who come here through he military, or otherwise, but then leave before they graduate are counted as not graduating.
The graduation rate is just that: kids who start out in our schools and stay in our schools to graduate. How many of those kids who do not graduate here and do not end up graduating anywhere else is unknown. No one knows how to track that information, as many students leave without giving the district forwarding addresses. And while the receiving schools will ask our district for transcripts, how do we efficiently and effectively keep track of whether or not that child graduates, especially if the kid ends up in yet another location before graduation?
Also, regardless of the actual rate, parents and students bear some of the responsibility in staying in school. It's in their best interest. Teachers in this district are doing their part to help keep kids in school, too.
$311 per day (average) still sounds like enough money to be satisfied.
Old_Moe
"Is anyone else in the private sector or otherwise being offered step increases followed by a 3% raise?"
actually yes. MANY private sector employees who have 5 years or more of post secondary education and who train many many additional hours each year DO GET raises and bonuses of 5-20% most years. Check the pay of Doctors, Lawyers, Dentists, chiropractors, therapists, etc. Check the annual salary of most well-trained professionals and you will see that teachers lag WAY behind. Check The Annual pay for union plumbers or electricians. The only thing I would judge if I was outside looking in is that folks who complain about 4.5% raises seem to value the transport of human waste more than the education of societies' children. Good luck.
I have posted this before . . . it bears repeating (the "facts" from above need to be put in context--here's some context):
The teachers' pay scale maxes out with many years of experience and a lot more education than many of you could even imagine (if a teacher gets that far, it’s around $70,000—but it takes that “raise” a long time to pay for itself because teachers pay for the education needed to get there out of pocket). Also, as of 1997, I believe, teachers need 25 years to even try getting a good stab at a good retirement--and Tier 3 is no paid holiday.
Additionally, MANY teachers put in MORE hours in their 9 months than your so-called work all year long folks. Teachers often work late, work weekends, attend functions/create functions for kids--for FREE. Teachers who care about their students are busy educating AND entertaining them--everyone else's kids with a teacher’s own free time and money. And what about all of the money teachers spend on other people's kids? Giving kids money for breakfast/lunch and supplying their classrooms with things they need, too. What about just maintaining their teaching certificates/continuing their own education? This is all very costly. It often requires loans.
FNSBSD does not pay enough to attract teachers here anymore--the pay has not kept up with inflation since the '80s. This is why FNSBSD teachers' pay is number 40-something (out of 50) in pay compared to the rest of the US after the cost of living is considered.
Oh yeah--don't forget the sheer numbers of kids teachers see. Elementary school teachers have close to 30 kids a day. When's the last time you managed 30 young human beings? Or look at the middle/high school teachers who can have about 150 kids a day. Can you imagine? Think about it. Do you think it's EASY to get all of those kids to perform at the same rate? It takes a lot of effort--from teachers and parents. And don't forget all of the grading and contacting of parents that comes with working with kids as a teacher (and most parents are working hard for their kids, too).
Also, for those of you who think we have a high dropout rate, remember that the number does not take into account transient students who start out here and end up somewhere else (like military kids). Besides, don't parents bear a responsibility in keeping kids in school?
AND, home school is "successful" because the parents only have a few kids to educate. If teachers had a lower PTR, they would certainly be just as successful (see the numbers above).
Lastly, why shouldn't teachers want a decent pay? They don't want to be paid handsomely; they want to be paid fairly. They want to continue doing what they love for a REASONABLE living. Nobody who is a teacher is expecting to be a millionaire for it, or even close to it.
Here's some more:
I would love to see some of you spend a day or more with a teacher.
I would also like to know what kinds of jobs the anti-teacher folks have. I would like to put in my two cents about whether or not they should have pay that keeps up with inflation. I would also like to know what kind of job they have that allows them to blog on the News-Miner's website while they are supposed to be working. A teacher would never have time to do so during the working day. Not even at lunch, as most teachers are helping kids during their "duty free" lunches. (I am not currently teaching, and I am not at work right now, either.)
Also, if YOUR current pay is not enough money to satisfy you, don't throw in the towel and behave bitterly toward those who strove to be a professional: put the time, effort, money, sacrifice, and brain power into a trade school or university. There are opportunities available to you. It will eventually pay off, monetarily. However, understand that the jobs many people get with the above education are jobs that require many more hours than 7 or 8 hours a day, with no opportunity for overtime and/or the overtime comes at a cost of family and/or friend time. Think about the many tradesmen and women who work away from home for weeks and months at a time.
Life is full of choices. Teachers shouldn't take this abuse for choosing this career (do other professionals take this kind of public abuse?). Again, try spending some time in a school or a classroom. However, even then, many of you won't get it because many teachers make their jobs LOOK easy, when they are not--that's part of the being a skillful teacher. And you'll never fully appreciate the hours spent at home or at school on the weekends.
It's time teachers' pay attempts to catch up with inflation . . . it's been since the '80s that teacher pay has come up short. Perhaps, if salaries did improve, the quality of ALL teacher performance/service will improve. Though, MANY teachers are already doing a top notch job--it's just that they don't wear their jobs on their sleeves, so you don't know how many hours they are putting into their kids (students)--YOUR KIDS.
And a little more . . .
The FNSBSD is NOT attracting teachers because the pay is not commensurate to the cost of living, not to mention all of the other teacher expenses. Why do you think the district wants to increase STARTING teacher pay? This affects no currently teaching teacher--the district KNOWS it needs to attract new teachers!
Most of the teachers who are here WANT to be here because they like/LOVE this community. They SHOULD be paid a decent salary that keeps up with inflation and that allows them to keep up with their other monetary requirements for being a teacher, comfortably. No teacher expects to become rich from this job!
Here's some other things teachers are fighting for: The union wants more medical because, for the last 10 years, at least, teachers have LOST medical benefits with each new contract. AND the small percentage of a "raise" didn't make up for the lost medical benefits. TEACHER PAY HAS BEEN GOING DOWN SINCE THE '80s IN RELATION TO INFLATION AND LOST BENEFITS, INCLUDING RETIREMENT PACKAGES (tier 3).
AND, again, MOST teachers work between 50-80 hours per week. That is above and beyond what the pay stub calls for. In those 50-80 hours per week, MOST teachers will work more than their 12 month counterparts.
Don't forget all the education that they pay for OUT OF POCKET just to be a teacher (to keep being a teacher). And don't forget the supplies, food, etc. for their classrooms/kids. Also, most teachers still work in the summer, whether it be a second job or summer school (or both!); summers are not "off."
Be more affective than this, go to the next school board meeting, all of you.
they just announced the Permanent Fund lost $5 billion dollars. Again, where are you people getting the money for all this. Wouldn't be surprised if the State employee retirement fund has lost a bundle in it's stocks. Don't worry, they'll just take what is left in the PFD and increase taxes and add new taxes. Problem is how many will be left to support an inflated government based economy, when the government does have the money to do so. teachers answer the question, who do you expect to pay for this? If teachers are so smart they should understand the word depression.
The district already has the money for the raises.
I SUPPORT THE TEACHERS. PAY THEM MORE, THEY ARE WORTH IT!
GDogg
I dont know if that is true or not, for the sake of discussion, Ill assume that you are correct
Because they have the money this year, will they have money next year, 5 years from now, 10 years from now?
One thing I do think though is that, FNSBSD administration should get the same rate of raises as the teachers. In this together suffer together or prosper together. This is not an attack on teachers, it is only an observation that everyone should be treated the same.
Why don't you all get this upset over what our enlisted soldiers who are fighting in Iraq are being paid? They are making much less on average than what the teachers are making. I assure you they are working a heck of a lot more days and hours, and they don't get to eat dinner with their family every night or sleep in their own bed, and, OH YEH, they're being shot at! I don't see or hear any of them complaining about their pay, and they make much less than teachers. They chose that career and knew they wouldn't get rich going in. So did teachers. Live with it.
You may have money this year, the problem is do you have it for the next ten?
Just because teachers chose their profession doesn't mean that they should stand by and watch their salary, benefits, and retirement dwindle with each new contract.
I RESPECT soldiers for their jobs. I have military people in my own family and friends, too. I think they are worth more, as well. My heart aches for those who have loved ones who are away, that they are missing in their daily lives. But that's not the issue today. Today, it's teachers.
In fact, I cannot think of any type of worker I don't respect. Our society needs all of its workers.
Teachers are asking for what's fair and reasonable, nothing else.
I don't think the community has a problem paying for good teachers. There are many that have their 4 year degree in something that has nothing to do with what they teach. When you research the median salaries for Alaskan teachers we are in the top 10 out of 50, yet when you research the standings of our students they are in the bottom 10. The starting salary may be around 38k but then there are the benefits, which health insurance alone could add another 5-10k to the top of that. Not too shabby out of the box. I appreciate the job that the teachers do, but I also put in a long week yet still get to spend an hour or so helping with homework that should of been done in a proper learning environment.
Teacher contracts only last three years. Administrators are on a different contract schedule. I am pretty sure they already got a raise in the last round of their own negotiations.
dogzhaus: Your info is out of context. Teacher pay in AK, when cost of living is factored in, is in the lower half out of the 50 states. Also, teachers HAVE to be highly qualified. That means they either HAVE to had majored in their content area (MOST FSNSDB teachers are in this category) and/or they HAVE to take the PRAXIS test to prove they know their stuff. There are probably many BUSH teachers teaching out of their content area (because of the smaller schools, teachers have to teach more than one content area), but not many FNSBSD teachers have to do this.
Governor Palin has forward funded education for three years.
She did this when she was looking at the huge budget surplus.
The picture looks less rosy right now. However, money is their
and the argument of most teachers is that the COL and CPI are climbing so
quickly that we hope that we can get paid the money that was appropriated by our state and borough governments.
I would like to extend thanks to our effective local legislators and assembly for all of their support and wisdom.
Sincerely,
Thomas
dogzhaus: "Results from the ACT show a composite score of 21.8 for the 260 district students who participated. This score is higher than composite scores earned by students in Alaska and across the nation (21.2). Scores on each of the subtests are also higher for Fairbanks district students in comparison to state and national participants, with the exception of the math subtest on which our students scored higher than the national average but lower than the state average.
On the SAT, 397 district students earned an average combined score of 1542 (524 on the reading subtest, 520 on the math subtest, and 498 on the writing subtest). Students in Alaska earned a combined score of 1527 (519 on the reading subtest, 517 on the math, and 491 on writing). Students across the nation scored an average of 1511 (502 on reading, 515 on math, and 494 on writing).
Two hundred and ninety-one district students took 540 Advanced Placement (AP) examinations in 22 subject areas. A score of ‘3’ or higher is considered “passing” and generally earns the student college credit for the course. A score of ‘3' or higher was earned on 65% of the exams taken by district students, compared to 64% of the exams taken by the Alaska and 59% of the exams taken by all students tested."
http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/index.php...
Looks like FNSBSD kids are scoring better than the rest of the state and the US. FNSBSD teachers are doing a good job, as are the kids!
The reality is, how long can we afford to continue to pay contracts, when you know the minute the contract ends and they do not get what they want because the community doesn't have it, they will call strike or threaten a law suit. How many teachers are willing to sign a contract each time that includes, should the economy change and money becomes short we will take a pay cut? I bet none of you are.
Forgot one thing, the DOW dropped below 9000 today another 700 point drop. Can we spell depression?
FreeDarfur: When's the last time FNSBSD teachers went on strike? I can't remember ONE time. So it's NEVER, I am pretty sure. I can't remember a time when they even got as close as now to striking. I can't even remember a time when they started a new year WITHOUT A CONTRACT. Give me a break. Are you even in this borough?
Everyone deserves to get paid for their hours worked...public or private employees. The work rule enforcement seems reasonable...if we as a community will not appreciate all the EXTRA hard work and effort they give us daily, then they will only give us what is required. Reasonable and hopefully effective.
4.5% is a bargain. If we had to pay them for actual hours worked (another option) the expense would be huge. If 4.5% ($2,200.00 per year for mid level teachers?) keeps them happy and putting forth the extraordinary effort, then that is a deal for taxpayers.
Try the alternative, conservatively $35 per hour X 20 extra hours a week X 40 weeks a year....$28,0000 per employee. This is rough numbers at a straight time wage....1.5X that for overtime.
And AK guy....you have no credibility here with me. All you do is attack public employees. Try comenting with facts instead of unfounded, unsubstatiated opinions.
The problem is that Alaska's entire economy has been falsely inflated by the government sector. Half the workers in Alaka would be making 50% as much doing the same job in the lower 48.
What do you think Alaska's top industry is?
If you guessed government service you are correct.
All jobs in the construction, mining, fishing, truck and air tranportation combined employ less people than the government sector. 23% of all Alaskan workers get their paycheck from the government. If we had to pay with taxes instead of oil revenue, each Alaskan worker would be on the line for $30,000. With the average salary only $39,000 that would leave $9,000 a year to pay for everything else.
http://labor.alaska.gov/research/trends/...
Fairbanksgas: This kind of argument is moot. It doesn't make sense to try to compare apples and oranges. At least try to compare teachers to university professors or something like that, or those professions that require the same kind/length of education and continuing education, as well as actual hours to do the job well. Again, MOST FNSBSD teachers are making the grade.
been in this "borough" more than sixty years and don't kid yourself that teachers will not go on strike if they don't get what they want. You have no idea what people who are living beyond their means are willing to do to get an extra dime. When in the past haven't they gotten something. teachers are like everyone else, no matter how much they make, they want that extra dime. By the way, the talk now is we are heading for another "Great Depression." They are saying the auto industry will fail next year. Unions are heading for the end of their time with this economy. What will teachers do when the unions go down forever.
From the above:
"What is the average teacher salary in Alaska?
In 2007-2008, the average teacher salary in Alaska was about $56,757.95."
The above figure is AVERAGE for the whole state.
Applying the state AVERAGE to FNSBSD:
Plus an approximate 35% benefit package.
The AVERAGE estimated Fairbanks teacher's cost is $76,623.23
--- for those teachers who have guaranteed job.
It looks like Ford and General Motors are about to go bankrupt. To few buyers, and credit very tight to those who have credit want to buy. Ford traded around $2 and GM in the $4 range. Which is less than what they went for in the 1930's. GM a few years ago was in the $50 range.
Their worker's jobs are in danger, since their work product (car) sales are very poor.
----
You teachers are safe, be thankful for what you have.
The borough assembly does not need to appropriate a dime to the SD.
Because: they are a legislative body.
I support the teachers 100% and I think the school district is appalling! I have 2 kids in elementary school but I will find a way to take care of them, despite the fact that I work full time, if the teachers end up going on strike. Again, I support the teachers fully.
I am so sick of this. Teachers going on strike have been around for years. Even when I was in School over 14 years ago. The children are the ones that suffer not the TEACHERS. If the teachers are not happy with what they make then quit and find a different job that gives you the money that you desire.
I don't care what you get paid you took the job to teach the children and I am dealing with a teacher who should not be. You don't just give the kids work without explaining how to do it and tell them to just do it when they ask how it is to be done.
So teachers...word of advice...stop saying the children learning is important when all your thinking about is yourself and money. that does not put the childrens learning at the best interest.
armywife_92;
If it weren't for teachers, we wouldn't be able to read or write. It's obvious you don't care, other
people who are parents/teachers do care. Howelse would you recommend that teachers ask for
a raise? Know of better way?
Gil -
When you quote the great SAT and ACT scores in 2007 - also factor in the amount of HS dropouts and all who didn't take the test - then you will get a truer picture I think...
Get rid of the hourly rate and pay them a salary of the same amount...them most of the whining about hours worked will have to go away....
seems that preachers and liquor stores make a lot of money in hard times and depressions.
"So teachers...word of advice...stop saying the children learning is important when all your thinking about is yourself and money. that does not put the childrens learning at the best interest."
And what are the teachers doing each day? Going to work, teaching your children. Still, for the most part, putting in the extra hours (my spouse is). Yes, attending union meetings once a week or so after working hours. I have yet to see any one in the teacher's union call for a strike. My spouse's thoughts are not on salary all day long, they are on running that classroom and making sure the kids are learning and safe and relatively happy. And I'm sure that's true for the majority of the teachers out there.
And as for quitting, you think you're having issues now? If all the GOOD teachers quit because they are worth more money (and they are), more kids would have to suffer through the bad teachers that would be put in their place.
Things like this never happened before our new superintendent came from Outside to take over here. The contracts seemed to be settled fairly amicably. In my 15 years in Fairbanks, I can't remember ever reading in the paper that there had been a contract dispute like this. Another commenter noted, "I can't remember a time when they even got as close as now to striking. I can't even remember a time when they started a new year without a contract." It's my understanding that when the last superintendent left, so did many of the top people who worked over on 5th Avenue. The fact that the big change this round of negotiations is the new administration leads me to conclude that the new administration’s approach has forced our teachers to this point. It's sad. One commenter mentioned, "If a strike occurs it rests on the head of the top administrator." I agree with that wholeheartedly in this case. Our new administration doesn't seem to be serving our community.
akguy: "also factor in the amount of HS dropouts and all who didn't take the test"
Really? How do you propose to factor their scores in? Besides, there's academically smart kids (even amongst those who dropout) who are not going to college (or wait a while) and don't need to take the test.
What's your formula for estimating their performance?
From http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/index.php...
"District students scored higher than
the national percentile in every subject
on Terra-Nova 2nd Edition national
standardized tests."
More proof our kids are doing well because they have good teachers (and parents). All district kids take the Terra-Nova at some point (if they aren't taking a state Benchmark or the HSGQE or in kindergarten).
I meant to say "are in kindergarten." Kindergarten students do not take the Terra Nova.
This is my first year teaching in the district. I came here from Georgia and before I moved I heard stories about how great the schools are and that the pay was great. Truth be told, I am making about $1K less a year and the cost of living is much higher. I am not living beyond my means as one person wrote above, as an educated person it just doesn't seem right to spend more than I make. I would like to travel home for the holidays to see my family but I will not be able to as I will be registering for a college class to keep my certification current and spending more money on educational resources for my students.
I don't sit around all day thinking about an imminent strike. I am teaching your children and trying to keep them actively engaged in the learning process. Have any of the negative visitors to this site tried to control a class of twenty-five, twelve-year-olds? Probably not.
I love what I do. It is a challenge but I knew what I was getting myself into when I began my degree. I did not realize however how disrespected teachers were. Parents and school boards treat us like we can’t be trusted, I have been called a racist, sexually harassed and physically threatened. FNSBSD teachers are just asking for fair compensation not oodles of cash, I don’t see anyone bashing professional football or baseball players who make millions of dollars each year just for playing a game!
I am a teacher and quite frankly even more than the district refusing to see to it that we have a fair and equitable contract, I am disgusted by the public view of teachers in this area. I am not sure why people are so anti-teacher/education in Fairbanks but let me tell you I am at my wits end. I feel abused less by the district and more by the general public. It is a sad situation and yes I know many of you will say "don't let the door hit you on the way out" It really is a shame but what I read on this blog makes it more and more difficult to feel passionate about my job.