By ABEL MEJIA
Members of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers received another email on Nov. 1 from the Pajaro Valley Unified School District detailing how they had “sweetened” their previous offer. They agreed to address PVFT’s “desire for an ongoing salary increase and certainty regarding changes to health and welfare benefits.”
What they neglect to state is that the possibility of saving millions was in their hands a year ago. We could have millions more dollars now to pay for the entire salary increase PVFT is asking for. The district’s attempts to control the narrative in this seemingly endless drama continues to leave out important, vital details. Honesty would have avoided much of the continued drama on the streets in front of our schools and in public board meetings. As one of our elementary school teachers eloquently stated, “The district has received an F in basic addition and subtraction.” Liars figure, figures lie.
Let’s be clear, teachers are doing more than negotiating for their own benefit. We are committing countless hours organizing ourselves to protect the quality of public education in the Pajaro Valley. Newer teachers to the district have already decided that this school district does not respect their education, skills or talents. If they did, why are they paying so much less than surrounding districts? Why are so many of our former colleagues moving to nearby districts? Stalled, slow negotiations benefit the district. They get to continue hoarding our money, giving themselves raises and new contracts while teachers, nurses and counselors are still negotiating last year’s contract. Hmm.
The email states that the 2017-18 “proposal is in addition to the package previously proposed, which is worth over $5.7 million dollars to PVFT.” Signing bonuses for math and special education teachers will be effective July 1, 2018. This signing “bonus” will not benefit any current math or special education teachers. Will the bonus be a one-time offer? If so, it doesn’t guarantee that the new special education teachers will stay for the following academic year.
Another key term in this debacle is the word “worth.” Some people confuse this term with the word “value.” What is the value of a qualified and experienced teacher in your child’s classroom? Ask your child, or neighbor, if they have substitute after substitute in their classroom. What is the cost of having an inconsistent curriculum or an employee who gets switched from one classroom to another as their emergency credential allows them to work no more than 30 days at one site? The quality of a public education will definitely diminish as PVUSD will once again scramble to get qualified, experienced teachers into our classrooms. They will once again ask for a waiver, as they will not find enough highly qualified teachers. They do this year after year after year rather than get creative and grow their own teaching force from within. Their inability to think “outside the box” will result in a less than appropriate public education for too many of our children.
Since the signing bonus does not raise compensation for current employees, how does this offer get to over $5.7 million? I would like to see a breakdown of how much this proposal will actually pay out. Subtract the signing bonuses for future math and special education teachers. How much of that $5.7 million is left? How can the district even begin to calculate how many vacancies they will have in math and special education?
The key is in the phrase “up to.” It’s an old sales tactic luring potential customers to come enjoy fantastic discounts up to 50 percent. When you get to the store or sales lot, you see much less. The PVUSD should be very clear as to what it is going to pay out instead of including numbers that may be much different than we expect.
Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez and the Board of Trustees must ask for a breakdown of how much each item will cost the district. How many teachers will receive a bilingual stipend depends on how many of those teachers will remain with the district after this year. Any amount is merely a “projection” of actual expenses. How many “roving” teachers do we have? That number should be readily available as should be the improvements to the Early Childhood Education salary schedule, other salary improvements.
If the board of trustees and our superintendent are to rebuild lost faith and trust with our employees, they can start by being much more transparent about the facts and the entire truth.
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Abel Mejia is a teacher in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
