Always Address False Allegations of Improper Conduct With Students

By Dave Arnold

Other than a child's family, no other people are as close to children than school employees. While this is an honor and a privilege, it comes with great responsibility and risk.

Why risk? Other than parents, no other group of people is accused of child abuse and molestation more often than school employees. And I do stress the word "accused." Fortunately for all involved, the majority of accusations are false.

Still, once someone has pointed their finger at you as a molester, the label is hard to shake. You have been branded, it seems, and no matter if proven innocent the public will remember the accusation. This is why school employees should take precautions against improper conduct with students. and defend themselves with no reserve against false charges.

A Damaged Reputation

While I was president of my local education support professionals (ESP) Association in Brownstown, Illinois, one of our bus drivers was falsely accused of child abuse.

During the investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), he made a huge mistake by not taking the charge serious. He brushed it off and made little effort to prove his innocence. His case was helped by his rock-solid reputation and spotless record of 40-some years. He kept his job, but that meticulous reputation he worked hard to develop over four decades now has a crack. And that is what some people will remember.

All accusations need to be defended vigorously. At the 2008 NEA ESP Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, UniServ Director Andres Becerra, from New Mexico, led a session titled, "Practical Advice for School Employees about Avoiding False Allegations of Improper Conduct with Students." He presented a video displaying proper and improper conduct between school employees and students.

Know the Laws

Children's protection laws may differ from one state to another. To help members in my state, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) publishes, "Ten Things You Should Know About the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)." They are:

1.  All school employees are mandated reporters and could be found guilty of a misdemeanor if they suspect a child has been abused or neglected and fail to report to DCFS.
2.  DCFS must investigate every allegation of abuse reported to the agency and must do so within strict time frames.
3.  An employee accused of abuse should never be interviewed by DCFS without an Association representative present.
4.  DCFS allegations may also result in a disciplinary investigation by the school, a criminal investigation by police, a civil suit by the parents and be reported to the press.
5.  DCFS will issue an "Indicated" finding if there is merely credible evidence of abuse and will issue an "Unfounded" report only where there is no credible evidence of abuse.
6.  The employee has 60 days from the date of the Indicated letter to file an appeal.
7.  An employee given an Indicated finding can appeal that determination and receive a hearing where he or she can present evidence and confront accusers who are over age 14. This hearing can be reviewed in court.
8.  The school employer may choose to take no action against the employee even if DCFS issues an Indicated finding or the school may choose to discipline even after an Unfounded report is issued.
9.  The Regional Superintendent will be notified of an Indicated report and can begin proceedings to revoke the teaching certificate.
10.  An Indicated finding will stay on the state central registry for a minimum of 5 years and will be disclosed to potential future employers who are responsible for children's welfare.

Public Judgment

The Becerra session focused on keeping our guard up and not allowing ourselves to stumble into a precarious situation where we might get accused of improper conduct.

Unfortunately, when allegations are made against a school employee -- from thievery to sexual harrassment -- the public will usually still doubt us even when proven innocent. In the folder that Andres handed out, there was a quote from Joseph Hall: "A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep its eyes on the spot where the crack was."

Still, we should not view DCFS with fear or disrespect. Their job is similar to ours: we are working for the good of the children. This responsibility is accompanied by much joy and some risk.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at darnoldjanitor@yahoo.com.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Consolidating School Districts Can Mean a New Contract and Lost Benefits

By Dave Arnold

In 1981, my neighbor phoned me with a distressing message. He had just heard on the radio that the factory where I worked was shutting down.

It wasn't a total surprise. There'd been rumblings. When reality did strike, I lost my retirement benefits, accumulated sick days, vacation pay, insurance, and seniority. Of course, my paycheck was history.

Consolidation Conundrum

In the end, I fell on my feet and found work as a school custodian in my hometown of Brownstown, Illinois. But now, 27 years later, I feel that same sense of job uncertainty as the Brownstown School District is currently being considered for consolidation with the St. Elmo School District located just 10 miles down the road.

It's not that the two districts are incompatible. We're already partners in many ways. As allies, the districts have a co-op arrangement regarding sports, vocational and other classes. After starting our ESP Association in Brownstown, I did the same in St. Elmo. We all know each other. My wife, Nancy, is a cook at St. Elmo High School, so I feel comfortable in both places.

New Contract Woes

So what's the problem? Contracts! Our contracts are with each school district. When we consolidate, the contracts and local Associations will be rendered void.

Under a new consolidated school district we will be required to vote in a new local Association and renegotiate every aspect of a new contract. We could experience a salary cut and lose the following:

• Accumulated sick days
• Accumulated vacation pay or days
• Health insurance coverage
• Present job position, therefore be reassigned to a different school building
• Bonuses, such as longevity incentive pay
• Seniority, which changes when combined with employees from the other school district

The consolidation reminds me of the 1981 factory shutdown because I stand to lose accumulated benefits totaling approximately $15,000 in cash value. Some veteran employees stand to lose more.

Employee Losses

One of our bus drivers, for example, was my bus driver when I was a student in high school. He now has 44 years of employment and stands to lose considerably more than me.

This doesn't mean we will lose everything. In Illinois, ESPs have the right to bargain. Before last year, ESPs in the state had no guarantee that they would be rehired after a consolidation. My UniServ Director, Marcus Albrecht, and other staff from the Illinois Education Association (IEA) were able to work with state legislators and create a law that guarantees ESPs be reinstated by seniority when two school districts merged.

If we consolidate, negotiating a new contract won't be easy. We will likely lose some benefits. But unlike 1981, my fellow ESPs and I will not lose our jobs. With help from Albrecht, IEA and NEA, we will survive.

More Dave's columns.
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Get Automatic Dues-Tab Insurance and Other Goodies

By Dave Arnold

Here's a consumer tip: You can't get something for nothing. When you see the word "free," you can assume there's a hidden catch. "Free" is sometimes another word for "bait," which means you could get trapped into something you might otherwise avoid.

Here's another tip: When you see the phrase, "at no additional cost," you can assume that this is a bonus for something you already paid for. It's worth investigating, especially when the National Education Association (NEA) is involved.

No Extra Cost

For example, NEA members are entitled to Dues-Tab Insurance , at no additional cost. This is life insurance coverage that each of us pay for as part of our Association membership.

The coverage is automatic when we become members, but we must register our beneficiary. And when a member does pass away, NEA must be notified by the beneficiary in order to collect.

To register or change your beneficiary, you have two options. You may go to the Dues-Tab site and register, or call Member Benefits at 1-800-637-4636.

Guaranteed

Dues-Tab is a guaranteed benefit at no cost to Active, Staff, Reserve, and Life members of NEA. Coverage provides:

• Up to $1000 term life insurance
• Up to $5000 of accidental death and dismemberment coverage
• Up to $50,000 of AD&D insurance for any covered accident that occurs while on the job or serving as an Association Leader
• Up to $150,000 of life insurance for unlawful homicide while on the job

While a $1000 life insurance may not impress a great number of members, it is guaranteed, automatic, and at no extra cost. I stress this benefit because a survey conducted by the Illinois Education Association (IEA) several years ago showed that nearly half of our membership had not registered a beneficiary.

Fifty K

The $50,000 coverage while serving as an Association Leader isn't bad either. This coverage includes all offices of Association leadership, not just president.

Visit Member Benefits and check out the many, many goodies available to you. You will find other insurance programs, financial services, and member discounts at hotels, rental car companies and restaurants.
 
Hundred Gran

Representatives from Member Benefits are always on the standby to help you. They are even available to visit your local Association to do a presentation about the benefit plan.

 A representative once told me that if a member was to take advantage of every discounted service offered by NEA Member Benefits, that member could save more than $100,000 per year as compared to using the same services without the member discounts. Maybe a person can get something for nothing after all.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com .)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.
                                                                                                                      

Newcomers are Not Born Knowing NEA Acronyms

By Dave Arnold

Anyone who knows me knows I love the National Education Association (NEA). However, those who know me really well know I occasionally get irritated with some of its members. At this moment, I'm having trouble with NEA speakers, presenters and discussion leaders who have an unhealthy fondness for acronyms.

They seem to think everyone in the audience knows every odd letter-grouping in the NEA universe. Sure, insiders know right away about the RA (Representative Assembly) and who is an ESP (education support professional). And most educators out there know all about NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act). Well, maybe and maybe not.

What's the RA?

A few years ago, at a Midwest region council meeting, our chairman was discussing upcoming business, stressing the need to prepare for the RA. This went on for about 15 minutes until a brave young teacher sitting in the back of the room asked, "What's the RA?"

This was the first meeting of the year attended by several newly-elected members. Association members and educators constantly use abbreviated terms and acronyms during presentations and speeches, which can be frustrating for the uninitiated.

One solution in the name of clarity is to explain all terms on first reference, then use acronyms to your heart's content on subsequent references. New hires and the general public will love you for it.

Deciphering NEA Code Talk

What might seem obvious to some is a mystery to others.  About 10 years ago, veterans of my state group, the Illinois Education Association (IEA), realized that new members might not be familiar with all the acronyms that were being tossed about at meetings. So, the Association published a booklet defining common acronyms. That was good, but it didn't solve the problem of "insider code talk. "

Those new to NEA and state Associations can also be confounded by business procedures. I have been an IEA member for decades and have never met a local treasurer who admits to fully understanding how the Association determines dues billing. They agree that it's fair and honest, but can be quirky too.

While I served on a state committee, I learned that three co-members were skipping meals because they couldn't afford the area's restaurants. No one had explained to them that they'd be reimbursed for meals and other expenses.
 
Limit Your Language Shortcuts

Every year, members are urged to take appointments to various state and national committees. Members are also urged to run for election as delegates to the RA, but they are not always told what is expected of them. Maybe background briefings should be presented before appointments and elections are final.

We have the greatest Association in the world. Each of us can help new brothers and sisters and the public better understand us if we limit our language shortcuts. After all, no one is born knowing this stuff.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Today's Electronic Gadgets Don't Bolster Imagination at School

By Dave Arnold

Thomas Edison once said, "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk."

A person with a good imagination is usually creative and productive. Every invention -- from telephones to televisions -- is the result of someone's imagination and creativity.

So, who will tomorrow's Edison be and what will they invent? This worries me.

Exercise Your Imagination

It has always been my thought that as we inundate children with various forms of electronic games, entertainment technology, and other luxuries, we stifle their imagination. The cost for this is fewer Edisons.

I shared this idea with some elementary school teachers. Each emphatically agreed with me that children are losing their ability and motivation to imagine and create. One teacher said that she noticed a lack of imaginative spark among students of wealthier families. Why? They have too many electronic toys that force them into a "feed me" or passive posture. They don't exercise their imaginations.

Another teacher said she had noticed that most of her students only wanted to read books that had pictures to accompany the story. Apparently, students did not want to be forced to make up the pictures in their minds. That would take imagination.

Can't Measure Creativity

Should we panic that our schools are not producing enough imaginative graduates? Who's to say whether we are or not? According to the Children's Health Encyclopedia, there are tests that measure a person's intelligence but few if any that accurately measure creativity and imagination.

Creativity, like beauty, is judged differently by the beholder. There is data showing that creative individuals tend to share certain characteristics, including a tendency to be impulsive or spontaneous. Nonconformity (not going along with the majority) can also be a sign of creative mind, though not necessarily one that will invent something useful.

Many creative individuals are apparently unafraid of experimenting with new things. These risk-takers are often less susceptible to peer pressure, perhaps because they also tend to be self-reliant, highly opinionated and willing to go against conventional wisdom.

The Dark Side

There is, however, a dark side to creativity. Some studies indicate that by encouraging creativity we are encouraging a departure from society's existing norms and values. Researchers tell us that there can be a link between creativity and mental illness, including depression, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

My younger brother and I didn't have a wealth of toys as we were growing up. We were forced to imagine and create what we didn't have. A bent-over tree trunk on our farm's hillside became a bucking bronco, jet fighter plane and countless other objects.

When we got a little older, we scrounged up what scrap material we could find and built our own cabin. Our family was not rich, but we were wealthier than we ever realized through our imaginations.

I hope today's students can say the same long after they've left their video games behind.

More Dave's columns. 
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

NEA's President Has Traveled Far Without Losing His Way

By Dave Arnold

Reg Weaver, my friend and president of the National Education Association (NEA), once said: "Success is not a measure of where we are or what we have become. Rather, the measure of success is how far we have come to get to where we are."

I like that. By his definition of success, I would say that Reg is about as successful as a person could ever hope to be. As our schools commemorated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 21, and as they study about the lives of outstanding Black men and women during Black History Month, which is celebrated annually in the U.S. and Canada in February, I always think of my friend, "Reggie."

Hard Work Pays Off

He is history in the making. It might not seem so, being based in Washington, D.C. at NEA headquarters. But he has come a long way to get there.

Reg attended schools in Danville, Illinois. As a student, a counselor once told him that he would not likely ever do more than manual labor. Reg didn't let that pessimism stand in his way. He earned a bachelor's degree in special education for the physically challenged from Illinois State University, and a master's from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Reg worked his way to the top of the education field by first serving 30 years as a middle school science teacher. During that time, he was president of his local Association in Harvey, Illinois, and president of the Illinois Education Association (IEA). He is now in his second term as NEA president.

Global Influence

For more about Reg's life, see his inspiring biography (and those of other NEA executives) at http://www.nea.org//presscenter/neabios.html.

Reg has worked hard to improve public schools in the U.S. and abroad. I'm particularly taken with his stint as vice president of Education International, a 348-member organization representing more than 29 million teachers and educators in 69 countries. This is a long way from Danville.

But the most fascinating thing about this man is that he's as comfortable standing before a U.S. Congress committee fighting for school funding or talking with the president at the White House, as he is reading Dr. Seuss to a kindergarten class or sitting at a Formica table having a plate of fried catfish with a group of school employees.

The Common Touch

Reg always amazes me with his people skills. For example, he never fails to speak to me and call me by name no matter where he is or how busy. He has a personal relationship with many of us ESPs (education support professionals). If you've ever been to the gala dinner at an ESP national conference when Reg is the emcee, you will know how much affection and admiration ESPs have for their NEA president. The applause is deafening.

Same with teachers, retirees and student members. Somehow, some way, Reg connects with every sector of the vastly diverse NEA membership. That can't be easy. But that's our Reg.

More Dave's columns.
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.
                                                                                                                                         

Next President Must Confront NCLB Deficiencies

By Dave Arnold

If you examine each grain of sand in a desert, you will find each tiny particle to be different. No two are exact in shape, color, or composition. Likewise, there are no two people exactly the same. Even identical twins have distinct personalities, fingerprints, and DNA.

To think otherwise is contrary to science and creation. But that is exactly what our government has mandated in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Although January 8, 2008 marks the sixth anniversary of the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the current version of (ESEA), it is January 7 that is being celebrated by National Education Association (NEA) members.

On the eve of the bill 's anniversary, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that Education Department Secretary Spellings is violating the Spending Clause of the Constitution by requiring states and school districts to spend their own funds to comply with the law.

"The court's message couldn't be more clear: If the president is sincere about continuing No Child Left Behind, he needs to put his money where his mouth is," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "The president refuses to budge on NCLB, his flagship domestic policy, but unless he takes action it is clearly a sinking ship."

Common-sense Flexibility

NEA has expressed support for NCLB's goals -- raising student achievement, closing achievement gaps, and providing every child with a qualified teacher. These match NEA's belief that great public schools are a basic right for every child.For NCLB to succeed, Congress must not only provide funding but also shift from its one-size-fits-all accountability system. Just like every child is different, every school is unique.

I've never met columnist Charley Reese, but in a recent article for the Associated Press he says: "One thing the next president should do is ax the No Child Left Behind law. Essentially, it mandates that by a certain time, students should perform the same in academic skills. That is as stupid and unscientific as decreeing that every child run the 100-yard dash in the same time." Reese continues: "More importantly, teachers given a classroom full of individual differences and backgrounds should not be blamed for failing to achieve politically decreed uniform results, except by fraud."

Educator Input

It seems to me that NCLB was destined for failure since the start because it's an education bill that was not designed by educators. NEA's comprehensive "Positive Agenda for the ESEA Reauthorization," offers detailed recommendations to improve the law. It was developed with input from thousands of NEA members who have lived with the negative consequences of this legislation. 

NCLB has also failed because it's been an unfunded mandate. This failure translated into a projected funding gap of approximately $14.8 billon for NCLB programs in the next school year, on top of the previous cumulative gap of $56.1 billion.

Break the Mold

The lack of funding is bad enough, but the unrealistic expectations placed on students is what really burns me. Some students take tests better than others. Like grains of sand, every child is different and should not be judged solely by test scores.

Before endorsing a candidate at the NEA Representative Assembly in July or at the ballot box in November, we should know what candidates intend to do about NCLB. And we should be certain that they do not expect every student in the nation to fit into the same government mold.

More Dave's columns. 

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

What ESPs and Teachers Should Know When Threatened by Students

By Dave Arnold

Adult violence against children is heinous, brutish and downright criminal. But what about the other way around -- kid violence against adults?

School employees, teachers and education support professionals (ESP) are sometimes victims of violent acts by students, acts which often go unreported and unpunished. For some reason, people seem to have a misconception that when a teacher or ESP is punched, kicked, bitten, spit on or otherwise injured, threatened, or harassed by a student that it is just part of the job. Wrong!

My friends, it is not acceptable for anyone at any time to be a victim of another person's violent act! However, things happen that we cannot avoid, so every school has a procedure to follow when an employee becomes a victim of violence inflicted upon them by a student or other adult.

She Stood Her Ground

This subject came up recently at my region council meeting. I was amazed at how many teachers and ESPs at the meeting had been victims of violent acts inflicted by juveniles. There was only one person who had taken the proper action: Mary Jane Mattix.

She was teaching at a high school where she had worked several years without any problems. Toward the end of the last school year, she was being harassed by one of her students. He had been making verbal threats. When she told her principal, the principal ignored her and brushed her off. Finally, the student made the threat that he was going to shoot her. On the last day of the school year, he pulled a water pistol from under his jacket and squirted her in the head.  From her perspective, she saw a gun in his hand, then felt something hit her head with a sharp sting. She then felt something run down her face.

For a few terrifying seconds, she believed she had been shot by a firearm. That was the last straw as far as she was concerned. She had been harassed, threatened, and now assaulted!

Without the principal's or superintendent's backing, she went to the phone and called the police and filed assault charges against the student. The principal and superintendent wanted her to drop the matter and told her she was making a mountain out of molehill. She took it to the school board and they sided with her. When the case went to court the judge did too.

Mary Jane made national news by not taking any more abuse from a misguided, aggressive, disrespectful student. At the trial, the judge said that "the next time, the gun could have been real." He placed the student on probation, ordered him to do community service, and maintain at least a C average.
 
Document Everything

The Illinois Education Association to which I belong has prepared a checklist of actions that can be taken if you should become a victim of violence while at school.

• Know collective bargaining agreement (if your state has bargaining rights).
• Know the school board policy provisions regarding school violence and discipline.
• Seek medical treatment and preserve evidence of injury.
• Get assistance from your Association and police.
• File criminal charges.
• Preserve evidence, get witness statements, and maintain records of the incident.
• File a workers compensation claim for medical reimbursement, temporary and permanent disability.
• Seek an injunction or order of protection.
• File a civil suit for personal injury or property damage.
• Submit an insurance claim for personal injury or property with school district, state board of education, homeowners and union liability insurance.

Again, these steps aren't appropriate in every situation. Though state laws vary, you do have the right to defend yourself. But be careful. You do not have the right to go on offense.
                                                                                                                         
More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Reading "Dave's View" On the Job Might Violate Your AUP 

By Dave Arnold

If you are a school employee reading this while on the school's Internet, you might be violating the school district's Acceptable User Policy (AUP). My UniServ Director, Marcus Albrecht, tells me that violating AUP is the number one cause of school employee reprimands and dismissals. So, we need to be careful.

User Guidelines

• Every school district has rules established regulating the use of their Internet, computers, fax machines, and technology.
• Although every state's board of education has certain guidelines, no two school district policies are exactly the same; each school board determines them.
• The policy governs the method and time the computers and Internet are used by students, staff, and the public.
• The policy is included in and is part of the board policy, but it may also be referenced in a separate policy manual.
• The Internet AUP will detail who, when and why someone may use the Internet.
• Usage may differ from one employee to the next, such as from teachers to support staff, or from students and the public.

Marcus' 10 points On Computer Usage

• Read the AUP, then re-read it during the year. Ask for training in areas you don't understand.
• Assume you have no privacy regarding e-mail you send and receive on your employer-sponsored system. Only send e-mails that you would feel comfortable reading on the front page of your local newspaper. For more information on privacy issues, visit the Electonic Privacy Information Center or Center for Democracy and Technology.
• Do not share your password, and change it often. Turn off or lock out your computer when you leave your work area.
• What you post on blogs and personal Web sites may be accessed by many people and could result in sanctions by your employer under certain circumstances.
• Some states have statues prohibiting the tape recording of conversations unless all parties to the conversation consent; and the Federal Wiretapping Act prohibits the interception of electronic communications, possibly including stored voicemail messages.
• A "deleted" computer file, including e-mail, can often be accessed by experienced investigators.
• There is a trail on the computer you are using showing what Internet sites you access.
• NEA.org also has information about technology issues in education.

Busted

Even if you abide by the Internet policy at school, you must remember that your activities can be tracked. Marcus mentioned one incident that caused an education support professional (ESP) to be reprimanded for his activities. A custodian was using the Internet during his dinner break on an evening shift. His employer stated that it showed he had habitually used the Internet for no less than 40 minutes each evening, but his contract only allowed for a 30-minute break.

I witnessed a case involving a teacher being dismissed for extensive e-mail conversations with a friend when she was supposed to be teaching at that time.

Mom is Watching

Schools are required to make their board policy available to anyone who requests it. School district officials are required to advise their employees that they must abide by AUP. If you are ever in doubt, use common sense and don't do anything that you wouldn't be comfortable doing while your boss or mother were watching.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Personality Types Often Match A Certain ESP Job Category

By Dave Arnold

Over the decades, I have attended my share of national and state education support professional (ESP) conferences. I know ESPs from almost every state and every job classification.

This might seem odd, but it appears to me that folks in each of NEA's nine ESP job classifications have personalities that are tied to their job classification more than to their environment or gene pool.

Our ESP Inner-selves   

Bus drivers in Maine behave and think pretty much like their brethren in Kentucky, Utah, New Mexico and Oregon. Food service workers in Florida have more DNA in common with those in Delaware, Texas and Wyoming than they do with their fellow ESPs in The Sunshine State.

At first, I thought this observation was loony. After I developed enough courage to share it with some UniServ directors, I was surprised to learn that they agreed with me. Yes, they said, each ESP classification does seem to contain folks whose personalities are linked to the skills, physical demands, and other characteristics of their job. This might explain in part why you are a paraeducator instead of a security guard or counselor.

But the question is: does the job shape the personality or does the personality acclimate to the job? Were you born to be one type of ESP and not another?

Products of Our Job Categories 

I guarantee that if you are around an ESP long enough, you can probably guess their job classification. Still, it bugs me as to why the similarity in personalities exists. You would think that a custodian, nurse, or technical support person working in a crowded inner-city school would have a far different personality than one from a slow-paced rural school. But no. They're similar.

It is a question similar to the one about whether we are products of our environment or of our heredity?

Human Conditioning

This debate has gone on as long as humankind could talk. And there is still no clear-cut answer. Here are three arguments:

One: individuals develop certain interests, hobbies, habits and therefore are attracted to certain jobs related to their specific interest. For example:

• Custodians and maintenance personnel are generally do-it-yourselfers.
• Secretaries and bookkeepers typically scored above average in math.
• School cooks generally are interested in hand crafts and creating.
• Security personnel are generally outgoing and quick to make friends.

Two: a person's environment (home and work surroundings) will affect their attitude and often shape their personality. For example:

• According to American psychologist John Watson, studies suggest that an infant can be conditioned to fear things that it has no natural fear of.
• Harvard psychologist B. F. Skinner's early experiments produced pigeons that could dance, do figure eights, and play tennis. Known as the father of behavioral science, Skinner eventually went on to prove that human behavior could be conditioned in much the same way as animals.

Three: Emily Ann O'Coin of The Rochester Institute of Technology said in her report, "Nature or Nurture: The Inexhaustible Debate," the following:

• "One's genetic makeup provides the potential for the development of behavior among individuals."
• "The environment in which one develops helps to shape the person that they become."
  

Job Family Genetics
 
Though I don't have definite answers for this puzzle, I'm inclined to believe that the personalities of ESPs are not formulated by their work or study habits. Instead, I do believe that their personal interests do make some jobs more appealing to them than others. When it comes to theories of heredity versus environment, I listen but don't buy into any one theory 100 percent.

Studies of identical twins having exactly the same genetics show that they still develop separate personalities regardless if they are raised in the same environment. I tend to lean toward Popeye's philosophy of, "I am what I am."

At an ESP conference, during a custodial-maintenance round table, a custodian said: "Our jobs and problems are the same. Only the faces, names, places, and size of problems differ."

For a custodian, he sure sounded like a school counselor.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.
 

'Working For the Children' Doesn't Mean 'Work For Free'

By Dave Arnold

Many schools across the country were built in the early 20th century, before air-conditioning. Brownstown Elementary School where I work is one of those. To this day, we cope with heat and humidity by turning on fans, openning windows and thinking cool thoughts.

This year, I took it upon myself to report early each morning and open all windows and turn on all fans in every classroom before beginning my normal work schedule. A substitute teacher met me in the middle of the day recently and thanked me for my efforts. She then told me that a former principal once told her that everything we do at school we do for the children, for they come first.

Most teachers and education support professionals (ESP) I know love children. But would they work for free just because it's "for the children." I doubt it.

Bills and Budgets

Yes, the children must come first, but teachers and ESPs must also keep in mind that we have bills to pay, families to support, and ourselves to sustain. We cannot do everything for the children without some compensation.

Funny thing -- superintendents and school boards probably love children too. But they can't do everything for the children either. They must work within a budget

They receive a certain amount of funding from the local government, state government, and federal government. The amounts of funding and percentages of funding from each entity will vary each year and can't be predicted or relied upon. Yet, they must formulate a budget on which the school can operate. The biggest portion of that budget will generally be the employee's salary.

Mind Games

As state and local Association members negotiate contracts, we must consider the employer's ability to meet our request as well their ability to meet other aspects of the budget. However, be careful not to fall victim to some of the mind games that negotiators will often play. School administrators, board members, and their negotiators will often tug at our heartstrings by saying, "you must do this for the children."

No, we mustn't. You should not have to take a cut in salary, "for the children." You should expect a living wage and reasonable benefits for the work you do at school. You should not have to endure any unreasonable hardships. See Dave's View, "Time of Your Life ."

The Hardship Factor

Yes, I give up a little of my time every day by opening windows and turning on fans, but that does not cause me hardship. Plus, I'm not the only ESP that does a little extra for the children without being compensated. I believe that every school has individuals who do more than their job description requires of them.

For example, every December, James Moschenrose works weekends and evenings setting up a miniature Christmas village complete with model trains, buildings, people, and a miniature school. James is the head custodian at Effingham Central School in Effingham, Illinois. He could have retired a few years ago, but wouldn't think of it.

Being Human

He told his family that a retired life without the students wouldn't be his idea of living. Several former students have told the Effingham Daily News that some of their fondest memories of school were of Mr. Moschenrose and his Christmas village.

Most ESPs do a little extra "for the children." We don't get paid for it, not even in the form of a thank you note. But it makes us a little more human. Still, do not fall in the trap of having an administrator take advantage of your generous nature and talk you into volunteering extra time "for the children."

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Illinois ESPs Help Pass a State Law That Limits Outsourcing

By Dave Arnold

How many times have you thought to yourself, "there ought to be a law!"

A few years ago I caught myself saying that when one of our paraeducators had her accumulated sick days taken from her after she'd been laid off.

When I spoke about it with my UniServ director, Marcus Albrecht, he said teachers were protected by law from the loss of sick days, but not education support professionals (ESP). This frustrated both of us to no end. ESPs are not protected by law the same as teachers in many respects. There ought to be a law!

This column explains how ESPs and Association staff worked with lawmakers to write a bill and create a law that sets limits on outsourcing, which until recently threatened to decimate locals across Illinois.

Our Story Begins

In 2005, my friend, Rich Dawson, learned his school district in Mascoutah, Illinois was outsourcing custodial positions. Without warning from school officials, Dawson and his fellow ESPs were suddenly jobless. This act got the attention of the Illinois Education Association (IEA).

The contractor announced he would generously hire some ESPs, although at one half of their previous salary. Well, don't do us any favors! Again, Albrecht and I were frustrated that this injustice was completely legal. Why isn't there a law, we asked.

Time after time, ESPs and UniServ directors fight for contract language to protect ESP members against subcontracting, the loss of sick days, and from a reduction in force (RIF).

While some locals gain contract language, most locals find themselves against a brick wall and a subcontractor with a hard heart. In recent years in Illinois, subcontracting was rapidly becoming a statewide threat to locals of all sizes. Albrecht and others at IEA and the National Education Association (NEA) knew something had to be done, but we weren't sure what.

At the time, IEA and NEA were concentrating on educational funding and our state's near-bankrupt teacher retirement system. However, ESPs, local staff, and some UniServ directors continued to discuss subcontracting with lobbyists and legislators. Why? Because all of know us know there ought to be a law protecting ESPs who dedicate their lives to helping create great public schools.

Unity Was Key

In the fall of 2005, IEA lobbyist, Rich Frankenfeld, contacted a group of UniServ directors and requested that they poll their ESP leaders to get a consensus on what their primary legislative ESP issues were. Of course, privatization and subcontracting were at the top of the list.

In January of 2006, IEA arranged for a group of UniServ directors, ESPs, and Region 5 Chair Jeanne Johnson, to meet with a group of state legislators to discuss subcontracting at public schools. At this meeting were state Sen. Deanna Demuzio and state Rep. Gary Hannig, who oversaw IEA Region 5. They consented to sponsor a bill in each chamber of the Illinois Legislature.

As IEA members and staff politely expressed their needs and concerns about the injustice of subcontracting school jobs, the legislators listened with both ears. This historical conversation produced shell bills that were presented at the statehouse that spring.

Never Say Die

While ESPs were excited about the subcontracting legislation, our enthusiasm soon dwindled. Other issues took precedence and were debated. Plus, state budget talks went into overtime. The "ESP bills" were gathering dust.

But IEA ESP Director Stacy Burroughs and Region 5 Grassroots Political Activist Peggy McGinness weren't about to let our dreams of job protection die out. While most ESPs were enjoying their summer break, Stacy and several others were contacting region chairs, ESP leaders, lobbyists, and legislators to keep the ESP bills in play. In the meantime, lobbyists Frankenfeld and Brian Rous stepped up to bat.

They developed alliances with the American Federation of Teachers and other community groups.

"It was decided that it was best if we moved this bill as a coalition," says Rouse, who also credits the leadership and tenacity of ESPs as helping to keep the spirit of the bill alive.
"They would talk with legislators and provide personal stories," Rous says. "They played a number of key roles. Our certified members responded to our call for action as well."

Circulating the Messsage

When school began in the fall of 2006, ESPs across the state were told to not forget the two ESP bills pending in the Legislature. Soon, ESPs were contacting area legislators and explaining the need for their vote on these two bills. In my approach to state representatives, I stressed school and student safety as it related to the subcontracting bill.

I also gave them a copy of a previous column titled, "Surrogate Parents. " It explains how ESPs often treat students like their own children, something that would occur to few, if any, profiteers like subcontractors. Others jumped on that idea and soon the article was being distributed to most of our policymakers.

The ESP bills were being met with mixed emotions at the statehouse as more and more ESPs contacted their legislators and the media. Still, the majority seemed supportive. IEA got behind the effort and during our state ESP conference in October, the need for pushing the subcontracting bill was explained to conferees. The message was simple: this was our best chance to finally curtail the rapid growth of subcontractors. It was history in the making.

The Opposition Responds

(from left) Dave Arnold, Marcus Albrecht and state Rep. Garry Hannig

Last January was bitter cold outdoors, but the legislative push for the bill was on fire. ESPs would not relent. Soon, the Subcontracting Bill (House Bill 1347) and Rif and Recall Bill (Senate Bill 1560) were the topics of every ESP gathering in the state.

Every chance we had we either telephoned, e-mailed, or wrote our legislators. But we weren't the only ones. Subcontractors and education administrator associations met us head-on with equal force.

It was a battle, but none could match the letter that Albrecht sent to legislators. It did not pull punches. Here's a taste:

". . . this bill levels the playing field for education employees by placing controls on school districts considering subcontracting. Subcontracting firms prey on districts with cash problems, promising them first year "low ball" bids. Many districts then find out too late that the savings are temporary and fleeting."

Due Justice

We built momentum until finally both bills passed overwhelmingly early last summer. Those that had met with our ESPs at the first meeting in January of 2006 either sponsored or co-sponsored each of the bills. Many legislators stated that passage of the bills promoted student safety and were in the best interest of schools. They also said the bills brought due justice to hardworking ESPs. Listed below is text and analysis of the subcontracting and RIF bills.

It has been said by many that the passage of these two bills is the greatest legislative achievement for Illinois ESPs since the 1983 Collective Bargaining Act.

Every state has their battles with subcontracting and reduction in force. I hear talk about it every year at the NEA ESP conference. If laws against subcontracting can be passed in Illinois, they can be passed anywhere.

More Dave's columns.
Read a companion article on the Illinois subcontracting issue in September's NEA Today. See "ESP" page.
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Listed below is text and analysis of the subcontracting and RIF bills.

HB1347
(Third Party Subcontracting of School Services)
Rep. Gary Hannig
Coalition Position-Support
Rationale for Support

Throughout the state of Illinois public school services are being subcontracted to private companies with the promise of a cost savings to the school district and service at or above the current level.  Many times those promises are broken on both accounts and districts are left paying a higher price for service at a much lower quality.  This legislation helps ensure that public school services are:

Performed by the highest quality workforce compensated at a reasonable level and cost to taxpayers;
Completed in a manner that promotes and protects the safety of students;
Bid using a standard process that establishes requirements of accountability.

Analysis

This legislation places the following requirements on school districts and private companies bidding to provide services currently performed by employees of a public school district:

• No contract may be entered into during the life of a collective bargaining agreement.
• A 90 day notice must be given prior to the implementation of a decision to subcontract work to a third party (now a 30 day notice is required).
• A contract to subcontract work may only take effect at the beginning of a fiscal year.
• A subcontractor must provide evidence of liability insurance equivalent to that required by code and provided by the school board.
• A comparable benefits package for employees must be provided by the private company.
• Requires a three-year cost projection included in the bid that can not be increased.
• Requires the board of education to provide a cost comparison.
• Requires that the subcontractor provide information regarding sexual misconduct, substance or alcohol abuse, DCFS complaints and investigations, traffic violations, and licensure problems and revocation of employees who may perform the services.
• Requires that review and consideration of bids take place in open session of regularly-scheduled school board meetings.
• Requires two public hearings held before two regularly scheduled board of education meetings to discuss the issue. Public notice of the first hearing must be posted six months in advance of the first hearing.
• Requires that a contract between a private company and a school board contain provisions that require the subcontractor to offer available positions to district employees who are terminated due to the contract.
• Requires a nondiscrimination policy and equal employment opportunity policy.
  

SB1560
Educational Support Personnel Reduction-in-Force/Recall
Sen. Deanna Demuzio
Coalition Position - Support
Rationale for Support

This initiative would allow dedicated education support personnel (ESP) who are familiar with the school district, school building, students, and staff to continue their service to a school district in another position for which they are qualified in the event of a reduction-in-force (RIF) and would provide a reasonable notice to the ESP of a pending reduction-in-hours. 

Analysis

This bill changes the reduction-in-force and recall procedures for educational support personnel in the following ways:

• Expands the definition of RIF to include a "reduction in hours" (currently it only includes a "severance in employment").
• Requires a school district to provide an ESP with 30 days written notice of a pending reduction in hours (currently only provides notice for removal or dismissal).
• Requires a 5 day written notice if the reduction in hours was due to an unforeseen reduction in student population.
• Allows an ESP to be recalled to a vacant position in any category for which he or she is qualified for the following school term or within one calendar year from the beginning of the following school term (currently an ESP only can be recalled to a position in the same category).

Veteran Workers Know Where the Bodies Are Buried, So Treat Them Well

By Dave Arnold

You know those veteran workers at your school? The ones with gray hair, out-of-style eyewear, and 20-plus year's experience? Be nice to them. They know where the bodies are buried. They know the secrets, legends and myths of the school. They have institutional knowledge.

Unfortunately, not all schools acknowledge the inherent value of decades spent on the job. Last June, I completed 25 years of employment for my school district in Brownstown, Illinois. Just as anticipated, the event passed without notice (see a previous column, "You've Got a Friend "). The only recognition I received is what most people might consider a slap in the face.

Adding Salt to the Wound

Since having organized my local Association of education support professionals (ESP) in 1993, I have served as president and been on every contract negotiation team since. I have also served as head negotiator for my ESP local. Because of a family medical emergency, I wasn't able to sit in on the negotiations this year. Still, my name came up a lot at the meetings due solely to my having spent 25 years on the job.

Association negotiators knew the school district wouldn't be able to match the pay offered in other nearby school districts. So, we were considering a simple cost of living increase with some additional language changes that included more time off on non-attendance days.

What's in a Title?

While I sat at the hospital (my mom was ill), members of our negotiating team made their proposals. The school board's offer promised to save money for the district. They proposed a cost of living increase of 3 percent, 4 percent, and 4.5 percent over the next three years. The catch was that they also proposed adding an additional step to each ESP classification while dropping the title of "head" in every classification. In other words, I would no longer be a head custodian. Instead, I would now be a custodian who had reached the maximum level of the salary scale.

That offer didn't sound bad to most of our negotiating team because that would allow them to move up one more level on the salary scale. Deb Deal, our local president and head negotiator, saw things in a different light. She is also a custodian at my school. She explained to the board's team that my 25 years of experience was invaluable. She said that whenever there is a question about the location of an ancient underground drain line, or a problem with an obscure electrical switch or our antique boiler, they rarely consult a blueprint or instruction booklet.

Instead, they call me because I was likely there when the problems first occurred back in the Dark Ages. Deal believed that this institutional insight was worth something, so she proposed a stipend be added to my salary for my years of experience and accumulated knowledge.

No Title, No Stipend

The school board's team considered the proposal, but feared that this would cause a stampede when others too entered their dinosaur age. Their proposal stood as presented, take it or leave it. Our team felt they had the best offer they would get and signed an agreement. After two weeks, it received a unanimous vote by both parties. I voted for it too.

The fact that my position of head custodian was taken away from me without my knowledge or consent was a slap in the face. The fact that the school board apparently sees no difference between six and 25 years of experience still sours me somewhat.

But a contract is for the benefit of everyone. While me and future veterans might have been the losers here, the majority of our ESP brothers and sisters benefit from the new contract. I learned the hard way that most anything you have at work can be taken away with the stroke of a pen. Guess I'll just deposit this new tidbit into my institutional knowledge bank account.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is a custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Seasonal Chores and Seemingly Fun Activities Carry Risks

By Dave Arnold

On the last day of school, I always hear one of our teachers say to the students, "Have a good summer. Be careful. I'll see you in a few months." If only students would remember to be careful.

Sure, summer's a fun time for students. They get to ride bikes, swim in lakes, and read books, maybe while perched in a tree. Unfortunately, some carefree activities carry risks.

Within days after school let out this year, I heard on the news that an 11-year-old boy was riding his bicycle when he was struck by car driven by a 16-year-old girl. The boy is in critical condition at this time. Even worse, soon after that, I heard that a 10-year-old boy was killed while riding his bicycle.

When I hear stories like this, I can only wish that these children had been more careful.

Hard Lesson Learned

Last year, after one of my neighbors graduated from high school, he began building a car that he planned to race on a track. He reported to a job at night and to his beloved race car during the day. He received numerous warnings and cautious advice about this dubious pursuit from parents, relatives, and friends, me included.

My house is located somewhat near the track. On the night of his first race, I heard the sound of fire trucks and ambulances rushing to the event. Then a medical helicopter flew by.

I hoped that whoever was hurt would be okay, but mostly I hoped that it didn't involve my young neighbor. Unfortunately, it did. His new race car had gotten hit with such a force that it exploded into a fireball. He received third-and second-degree burns over the majority of his body.

He spent several months in the hospital, and recently returned to work. We in the neighborhood are all grateful for his recovery, but remain concerned about future summertime tragedies, including those that befall adults.

Beware of Ladders 

Teachers and support staff can also fall victim. Or, should I say, can become victims of a fall. A few years ago, a teacher friend of mine was building a new garage for his truck and trailer. Things were looking good until his foot slipped and he fell off his ladder. He suffered a concussion and broke an arm and three ribs.

House repair can be dangerous, despite the friendly setting of a bright summer sky. Last Memorial Day weekend, one of our school bus drivers was on her roof cleaning the gutters. Jane Scott, 44, slipped and fell backward over her ladder to the ground. She landed on her back and is paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors tell her that they doubt she will ever walk again.

Jane is a fighter and loyal member of the Brownstown Education Support Professional Association of Illinois. After starting therapy, she says that things could be worse. She is home now, on a year's leave of absence.

Learn the Risks

Too often, we hurry ourselves into peril. Young and old alike, we sometimes ignore the dangers that often accompany ostensibly fun activities, especially those outside our normal routine. Climbing ladders, firing up grilles, and popping firecrackers on the Fourth of July can take a toll if we are not just a little cautious.

A few months before I went hunting in the mountains of Colorado, I began working out on a treadmill and walking as much as possible. On the trip, I still ran short of breath in the high mountain altitude, but I didn't tire out while climbing the steep terrain. I had prepared myself for the task as best I could. I also studied maps and guidebooks.

It was an enjoyable outing, and I wish you the same for summer. Stare at the stars. Soak up some sun. Swim in the ocean and walk on the beach. But be careful. Your students need to see you in a few months.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

School Incident Involving a Student's Suicide Attempt "Never Happened"

By Dave Arnold

A custodian I know was going about his daily routine one day when he entered the boy's restroom and heard a loud "click, click, snap." The custodian was ex-military. He knew the sound of a revolver when he heard it. Fortunately, this one had been cocked and fired on an empty chamber.

He later told me, "When you have become familiar with firearms, you will never mistake that sound for another."

Revolvers hold six rounds. He was immediately concerned that the next "snap" might shut down on a bullet. He quickly started kicking stall doors open. Again, he heard "click, click, snap."

Gun at School

He finally kicked in a door to find a frightened teenage boy standing with a revolver to his head. Without a word, the custodian bulldogged the boy and a struggle ensued. The custodian is big and muscular, but the boy was quick and determined. He put up a good fight.

To the custodian's horror, the trigger snapped again during the struggle. Again, the chamber was empty. The custodian finally managed to subdue the boy and get hold of the pistol. He then delivered the boy and firearm to the principal.

The custodian expected to see a police car arrive on campus with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Instead, he was told that school officials would handle the situation in their own way. The custodian was ordered back to work without being questioned about the incident, or the severe cuts and bruises he sustained during the struggle.

"Never Happened"

The next day, the principal, superintendent, and a military officer from a nearby base called the custodian to the front office. They told him to forget about the boy, the gun and the struggle. "The incident never happened," they said. The custodian might have been shot by a student and "it never happened?" He was ordered to not say anything to anybody.

Later that day, the custodian noticed the boy in school, as if, well, the incident had never happened. Was the boy counseled for the event that "never happened" in which two lives might have been lost? Could the boy attempt another suicide? Could he shoot others? Why was he allowed back in school so soon? Was the gun loaded?

These nagging questions still cause an emotional response from the custodian, though he is retired now.

Cover-up

Some of the individuals involved were high-ranking military officers. Before I could report this story, I agreed with all involved not to reveal names and places, other than to say it occurred at a large, wealthy school district that encompassed a military base.

Many of the students at this school were military dependents who had traveled with their families from country to country, base to base, school to school. There is no place that many of them can call home. Lasting friendships are hard to maintain, I was told. Add that to normal teenage angst, and it can mean deep emotional trouble. The custodian was aware of these characteristics, he said, but never realized they could lead to the cover-up of an attempted suicide on campus involving a gun.

Nowhere to Turn

At the time of the incident, the custodian was in a wall-to-wall Association of teachers and ESPs, though the ESPs had just been privatized. The custodian had been forced to work for a contractor at about half what he had earned previously. Even worse, the teachers didn't want ESPs in their Association since they were actually employed by a contractor.

Teachers were trying to divorce themselves from ESPs. So, in one hand, the custodian is facing a school cover-up. In the other, he is apprehensive about the Association's support.

After two weeks of reflection on the incident, he realized how close the student had come to killing the two of them. He never learned if the gun was loaded, but the emotional experience of the incident became more than he could bear.

Post Stress

He would often go to work and find himself emotionally overwhelmed. He needed professional counseling, he said.

Fortunately, his wife and pastor knew the story and supported him. Thanks to them, he said, he survived this confusing episode in his life. I call him a hero because of his courage, inner-strength and determination to survive the opposing powers that often exist in a school setting.

Many ESPs I know are often overwhelmed by well-connected, strong-minded and powerful authority figures. Fortunately, most of us have our local Associations to watch our backs. The custodian was somewhat alone, yet he didn't quit.

He worked a few more years after the incident before taking an early retirement. I could see that reliving those memories bothered him. Two lives might have been lost if that day. We'll never know, since it never happened.

This is the third and final installment in a series of articles featuring ESP heroes. The first two columns are titled, "Bravery Unrewarded" and "Putting Others First."

More Dave's columns.
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Twila Zirakzadah Risked Losing Her Job to Help an Ill Student  

By Dave Arnold

Twila Zirakzadah isn't supposed to eat Hershey bars. She has an allergic reaction to chocolate that can cause a sudden, severe and potentially fatal drop in blood pressure, itching, swelling, and difficulty in breathing.

If she consumed something disagreeable with her system, she would go into anaphylactic shock. Twila is a kindergarten paraeducator in Louisville, Colorado. Since she helps kindergarteners with their lunch each day, she must carry an EpiPen (for emergency injections) in case of unexpected contact with chocolate.

On one particular day, Twila's dreaded allergic reaction happened at school. But it wasn't she who went into shock. It was one of her beloved students.

My Children

I met Twila at the recent NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) Conference in Nashville. Twila was quick to tell me that after nine years of employment, she considers the 800 students at the school "my children."

When the school began bringing in vendor food service for middle school students to buy lunch in the a la carte line, Twila fought against this form of privatized food service.

Twila is one of more than 300 members strong who comprise the Boulder Valley Paraprofessionals Association. They didn't know at the time that the vendor's products would have an adverse affect on a student's health.

One of the vendors was Chick Fil A. Being an outside vendor, the company is not required to list how they cook their products. Apparently, Chick Fil A uses peanut oil to prepare some of their products.

Putting the Student First

As Twila was helping the kindergarteners with lunch, she noticed a sixth-grade girl holding her throat and wheezing. As Twila approached,  the girl's face turned red, and the areas around her fingernails turned blue.

Twila quickly recognized the symptoms of an anaphylactic allergic reaction. Not having time to wait for emergency personnel, Twila told me she grabbed her EpiPen and gave the girl an injection while instructing other students to call for help. Two other students also had negative reactions to their lunch, but not nearly as severe.

It is rare for a school employee other than a nurse to administer an injection, but considering the severity of this girl's allergic reaction, Twila knew from experience that she had to act fast. She may have saved the girl's life.

Know Your Liability

Yes, Twila could have called for an emergency technician and put the responsibility in someone else's hands. Yes, she could have lost her job and been sued had things gone wrong. But she  quickly assessed the problem and knew her EpiPen was the best chance for the girl's survival.

Twila put a student's welfare ahead of her own. This makes her an ESP hero in my book.

Every school employee should check their state liability laws regarding emergency aide for a student. In Illinois, members of the Illinois Education Association (IEA) lobbied for legislation so that a teacher becomes the acting parent or guardian of the student in a life-threatening medical emergency.

Therefore, that teacher is not held liable for acting in the best interest of a student's welfare. Every state is likely to have different laws regarding school employee liabilities. School employees need to be aware of those laws in case of an emergency. At the least, NEA members have liability insurance coverage in the amount of $1 million.

Who's a Hero?

We often think of a hero as someone who has risked or sacrificed their life to rescue another. Sometimes a hero is the right person in the right place at the right time, and who makes the right decision. Just like Twila.

This is the second in a three-part series featuring ESP heroes. The other two are titled, "Bravery Unrewarded" and "A Deafening Silence." 

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

A Selfless, Heroic Act Almost Gets a Custodian Fired

By Dave Arnold

Superman wears a big red cape and can leap tall buildings in a single bound. He's also faster than a speeding bullet. That's part of what makes him a superhero in the fiction world.

I know a human hero who wears a T-shirt, short pants and tennis shoes. On some days, he covers his 55-year-old noggin with a baseball cap, which makes him look a little like the Skipper (played by Alan Hale, Jr.) from Gilligan's Island.

He's endured hip surgery, 33 years of loyal service as a school custodian, and the unjust humiliation of almost losing his job for wrestling a handgun away from a school intruder and then locking her in a teacher's restroom.
 
I met this custodian last March at the NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) Conference in Nashville. When he introduced himself, I was surprised to find that he worked only an hour's drive from my school in Brownstown, Illinois. Small world.

A school official didn't allow me to reveal his name or that of the school's.

Gun on Campus

As the custodian was sweeping the hallway one morning, just before student-filled busses were to arrive, he noticed a woman enter the school. She could have easily been dismissed as just another mother looking to talk with a teacher.

The custodian, however, recognized her. She was an old classmate of his. He attempted to speak to her, but she didn't respond. He then noticed she had something in her hand.

It turned out to be a pistol. Without hesitating he grabbed it out of her hand before she could react. She fought back, but the custodian was able to shove her into a small teacher's restroom. He locked her in and yelled for the secretary to call the police and administrators.

While the students were diverted to another entrance, the custodian stood guard outside the door until police and emergency personnel arrived.

Crazed Intruder

He says the woman was belligerent, though it was later learned that she had quit taking her antidepressants and was delusional. Her intent was to kill a teacher who she believed was having an affair with her husband.

One can only guess what might have happened with packs of students entering the building. One would assume that the custodian would be recognized for his bravery and selflessness. But no.

The principal tried to have him dismissed because he didn't follow procedure. Under school policy, employees are required to go to the office and declare a Code Red before doing anything else. This requires students to hurry to their classrooms, which in this case would have put the students in direct confrontation with the intruder.

The principal contested that the custodian endangered the lives of all those present when he took it upon himself to disarm the intruder.

Saved Lives

When police and emergency personnel heard that the principal was calling for the custodian's dismissal, many of them showed up at a school board meeting along with a good number of parents. The police chief testified that the custodian's quick thinking and action saved lives.

Ironically, the woman he disarmed later thanked him for stopping her. She stated that she would have never thought of harming anyone, but lost control over herself due to not taking her medication. The principal's request of dismissal was dropped, but a reprimand was placed in the custodian's file. That principal, by the way, eventually resigned.

While the school had a crisis plan for intruders, it would have been a poor decision in this case to follow it verbatim. The situation called for quick thinking and quick actions. The custodian answered that call while giving no thought to his own safety.

A Series of Heroes

His primary concern was the safety of the staff and children entering the building. He undoubtedly saved lives and that makes him a hero in my book. I just wish he could receive the recognition he deserves.

I have had the privilege of meeting three ESPs who in my mind qualify as heroes. This is the first in a series of three articles that feature each of them individually. The other two are titled, "Putting Others First" and "A Deafening Silence."

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

ESPs Should Be Compesnsated for Overtime Work

By Dave Arnold

We've all heard the saying, "time is money." UniServ Representative Rich Mullins of the Kentucky Education Association adds a twist to that idea: "It's your time, don't give it away!"

I'd like to take it another step: "Your time is your life. Don't give it away!" However you phrase it, what these sayings can mean to ESPs is, "don't work for free."

Deserved Pay

Rich was a presenter at the National Education Association's 2007 Education Support Professionals (ESP) Conference in Nashville. He pointed out that while ESPs work at various jobs and have different motivations for employment, there is one cold hard fact that they share with most everyone on the planet: paying bills.

Creditors are not interested in how many extra hours we worked for free. They are not interested in our "good intentions." They want to get paid. My tax collector is less interested in how much I enjoy my job as head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School, as in me writing the city a fat check.

Our Own Fault

It is a chronic illness among ESPs to work extra time without pay. But, the source of this disease is within us. In other words, many ESPs work extra time and do not report it. Part of this predicament is our fault.

Rich says an administrator will often ask an employee to work during their lunch hour, at break time, or at a PTA fundraiser. They will justify the request by saying, "It's for the kids."

Yes, we know. Everything ESPs do is for the children. But we also must remind ourselves that we have bills to pay. We have to make a living for our families and ourselves. Administrators aren't necessarily out to get us, they just don't want to cut into their budget. They don't want to pay for something -- overtime -- they can get for free.

Follow the Law

The law is on the side of ESPs. It states that a person must be compensated for every minute of time they work for their employer, which can be through hourly wages or a salary. Some employees may be considered exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Even so, employees must be advised of extra work and agree to it as a condition of their salary and employment.

When an ESP is asked to work overtime without pay, it is wrong and a violation of labor laws. Workers must be compensated for overtime. By compensation, I mean that they should be paid for their time or receive time off from work.

Sometimes the employer might argue that the employee voluntarily forfeited their right to overtime compensation as a donation to the school. There is nothing wrong with an employee making a donation of money or time to the school. But the law says that the employer must be able to show proof that the employee was compensated for the hours worked and that the employee then made the donation in return.

Time Slips Away

At the ESP conference, Rich also said that when an employee has not been compensated for every hour of work, and they have a legitimate grievance, it's grounds for a legal case if not rectified by the employer. If the employer does not correct the matter and the employee can show proof that they have not been compensated for the time they have worked, then the employee should contact the labor board of their state or The Federal Wage Hour and Rate Commission. The employer's records will then be reviewed and any errors in lack of compensation by the employer may be corrected.

For every minute that an employee works, that time of their life is gone and can never be restored. To give up that portion of your life in trade for monetary gain is what we all must do to pay our bills.

When an employer does not compensate a person for their time, then to my thinking the employer has robbed the employee of that precious time in their life. Your time is your life, don't give it away!

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Consider All Opinions Before Enacting A Law

By Dave Arnold

"School Officials Explore the Possibilities of Longer Day." That headline caught my attention as I expect it would most education support professionals (ESPs) and teachers.

While most school days average 6.5 hours, the article said that Maynard Academy in Cambridge, Massachusetts was experimenting with an 8-hour school day, one of only 10 states to do so.

Consult Everyone

The article stated that the National Education Association has no official opinion on extending school hours, though NEA would likely support the idea if, as in Massachusetts, teachers could choose whether to work the extra hours. Reg Weaver has said that teachers must be adequately compensated and have a say in setting the goals of any such effort.

Teachers and support staff should be given a choice as to whether or not they would want to work the extra hours of an extended school day. I think students too should have a say.

Students are at the mercy of legislators. I hope that policymakers and other adults involved will study every positive and negative aspect of an extended school day before making it a law. Listed below are six points to consider.

First, the cost. The extended schedule could cost on average $1,200 extra per student. Massachusetts is spending about $1,300 per student extra on its extended school day. The article also stated that a senior teacher could make up to $20,000 more per year for working the extended hours.

Second, No Child Left Behind. Schools that fail to meet annual asset goals in accordance with the federal law are labeled as needing improvement. Some remedy-steps may include offering classes to stimulate creativity that could only be accomplished with the extended school day.

Third, more teaching and learning time. I can see the possible benefits of the extended school day. I have often heard teachers and students alike wish for more time to work on projects. There never seems to be enough time for our science and art projects.

Fourth, teachers less rushed. But, how much is too much? Students in Japan are forced to attend long classes year-round and are physically punished if they don't perform. While Japan may be leading the world in industry and technology, they are also leading in the number of suicides among children and teenagers. Is that consequence worth the cost?

Fifth, 12-hour days for rural districts.  Schools with extended hours operating today are all within cities where students travel only a few blocks to school. What about a rural setting. In my particular school an 8-hour school day would force most students to get up at 5:30 a.m., board a bus at 6:30 a.m., and arrive at school at 7:30 a.m. Then, put in eight hours of class, leave at about 4:00 p.m. and return home at 5:00 p.m. This would mean that the students would be putting in almost 12-hour days.

Sixth, parents. Some will love it, others will not. Enough said.

A seismic change such as an extended school day will affect everyone who exists within a school's stratosphere. The earth will shake. I think all sides need to be heard, including students.

More Dave's columns. 

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

If Members Cannot Find the Conference, the Conference Must Find Them

By Dave Arnold

"If Muhammad cannot go to the mountain, then the mountain must come to Muhammad." I don't recall the origin of that saying, but the thought of moving a mountain reminded me of a group of Illinois education support professionals (ESP) who were determined to either move a mountain from one side of the state to the other, or build a second mountain.

Bridging the Gap

Traditionally, the Illinois Education Association Support Professional Council holds its annual ESP conference in a Chicago suburb.

Since nearly half of the state's population lives in or near metropolitan Chicago, it's the best location for a conference. However, geographically, Illinois is a long state. This makes it difficult for ESPs in the south to attend a conference nearly 400 miles due north.

Because of the long drive and overnight costs, many ESPs from down-state were not attending Chicago-based ESP conferences. So, some of us from the southern end of the state borrowed a page from planners of the national ESP conference, being held this year from March 9-11 in Nashville.

Every year, the national conference is held in a different state. If the national staff can move their mountain of an event, then why not us?

Convening the Conveners

In early-1999, several Southern Illinoisans got together and decided to propose organizing two state conferences, one in the north end of the state, the other down south. This made sense since most ESPs live down south, near the Missouri state line and a stone's throw from St. Louis.

Several friends and I had to convince our ESP state director, Dr. Stacy Burroughs, that we needed a down-state conference. In the fall of 1999, Stacy inquired among Association officials and others about the feasibility of having a second, southern-based ESP conference.

Stacy then agreed to contact each of the region chairs and UniServ Directors in southern Illinois. It was decided to give it a try. Organizers then sent letters to ESP leaders inviting them to a meeting held at our regional office in Edwardsville.

Those attending accepted jobs to help organize the new conference, set for the spring of 2000. The following "to do" list might help others in a similar situation:

• Organize a working committee
• Identify a hotel and establish a partnership with the staff.
• Determine the number of meeting days.
• Make a list of workshops and seminars.
• Make a list of workshop presenters.
• Make a list of speakers and VIP guests.
• Determine a fee for attendees.
• Plan meals, snacks and break times.
• Determine conference materials (bags, literature, freebies).
• Determine entertainment activities.

Well, the 2000 Southern IEA ESP Conference was almost as well attended as the ESP conferences in Chicago. For the majority of attendees, it was their first state conference.

Maximizing Accessibility

Once we brought the mountain to them, they climbed all over it. Most attendees were within an hour's drive of the conference, whereas they would have needed five hours on the road to attend the Chicago event. Some didn't have to stay overnight, saving on hotel costs.

Another plus: most of those attending the down-state conference were from small locals that couldn't afford to send members to a far-away conference. A down-state conference is now held every year.

Like the national conference, we vary the location. It is based in either Collinsville (St. Louis area) or Effingham (a more central location). What works in Illinois surely can work in other large states where ESPs must drive across the state to attend a conference.

ESP conferences should not be organized in a manner that allows only those from larger and wealthier locals to attend. Conferences should be accessible to all members. And if members cannot go to the conference, then the conference must come to them.

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Changing Bargaining Styles Can Mean Success for All

By Dave Arnold

My son-in-law's grandfather was a pilot in World War II. His P-51 Mustang, named "Fiddle De Dee," once saved him during a dogfight with a speedier German Messerschmitt.

The grandfather relied on some evasive maneuvers to survive, including pushing his plane beyond its normal limits. The Mustang's maximum speed was 437 miles per hour. The plane would break up if it went beyond 500.

As the story goes, the American pilot had so much faith in his plane that he climbed as high as possible to dodge some bullets, then plunged into a steep power dive while pulling a hard left turn. This maneuver pushed the P-51 to over 600 miles per hour. It held together. After his grandfather ended his story, my son-in-law asked him if he had gunned down the German plane. His grandfather replied, "Nope, we both won that day."

Applied Pressures

At the end of a truly successful bargaining day, folks on both sides of the table should be able to feel like they have won. Employees may not get everything they want from employers, who may not get everything they want. But if you can find a way to overcome obstacles and barriers to reach an agreement, then you both can claim the victory of a signed contract. Like the two fighter pilots, no one will have gone down in flames.

At my local in Brownstown, Illinois, we usually use the traditional, "collective" style of bargaining because it works for us. In my neck of the woods, the bargaining environment has been cordial, respectful and even friendly. This may not be the case in your area. Illinois Education Association UniServ Director, Marcus Albrecht, says many locals across the country may encounter five kinds of "pressures" during negotiations that may cause Association members to consider using a "collaborative" style of bargaining. Listed below are some of the pressure forces identified by Albrecht:

• Hostile bargaining environment: Association leaders should explore a different style of bargaining under unfriendly circumstances.
• New school district or local Association personnel: New personnel always mean new ideas and changes at the table.
• New group attitude from new members: Younger employees may be more focused on professional issues and in building professional relationships with administrators while older employees may want to concentrate more on issues such as benefits and contract language.
• New concepts in labor-management relations: New ideas about how to relate to management may alter bargaining strategies.
• Education reforms: State and federal education laws are changing constantly. School structure and programs are also in flux. These changes may prompt the local Association to consider a different approach to bargaining.

Collaborative Bargaining

To help respond to new pressure forces, consider using the collaborative bargaining method. For it to work at its best, there must be a mutual agreement between both parties to accept this bargaining method before negotiations begin. There are three basic sub-categories to collaborative bargaining:

1)  Expedited Bargaining: seeking an agreement in a relative short period of time by restricting the time and number of issues on the table.

2)  Progressive Bargaining: designed to permit full discussion of every issue that both sides want to discuss. Its major aspects are:

• Early start on negotiations
• Separation of economic and non-economic issues
• Referrals of issues to subcommittees
• Early mediation and/or fact-finding

3)  Interest-Based Bargaining (also called "Win-Win"): both sides promise to reach a settlement within 30 days. This process views school board, administrators, and education employees as members of a family with a common cause: caring for the welfare of the children (students).

Potential Outcomes

When a collaborative bargaining process works it has the potential to produce a number of benefits for your Association:

• Improve public confidence in the education system
• Improve relationships between local Associations and employers
• Encourage creative solutions
• Development of long-term vision and goals

When Collaborative Bargaining does not work, problems can occur:

• Failure to effectively deal with member interest
• Conflict with some members' perceptions of advocacy
• Worsening of labor-management relationships

Two Key Points

It has been said the definition of true wisdom is changing that which you cannot accept, accepting that which you cannot change, and knowing the difference between the two. During negotiations, one key to success is having the wisdom to identify the best style of bargaining to counter pressure forces in your environment. The other key is knowing when to engage your opponent and when to climb high above the clouds and escape in order to return to fight another day. That's when you both win.

More Dave's columns.
 
(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Investing Time in Students can Reap Benefits Beyond Expectations

By Dave Arnold

"You reap what you sow." I never gave much thought to those words. Then, after 25 years as an education support professional (ESP), I saw what I was reaping when it came to the students at my elementary school.

When fall hunting season hits, you can safely bet that you'll have to search a vast area of Illinois woodlands to find me on a weekend. After a recent outdoor outing, my Jeep and I were only a few miles from home when the right rear tire decided that it had been in this world long enough. I safely came to a halt along the roadside and found that there was very little rubber left on the rim. Fortunately, I had a spare.

On a Country Road

I was in the process of getting my jack when I heard the screech of brakes behind me. I looked up to see a familiar face. The young man behind the wheel had been a freshman in high school when I started working as a custodian in 1982. He had also been a frequent visitor to my janitor's room in search of heart-to-heart talks.

My young friend was small for his age during those years. I always tried to encourage his athletic aspirations, especially after he patiently endured extensive bench warming throughout ballgames. Now, his sons were also visitors to my workroom, which sometimes seconds as a science lab and student center.

By the roadside, I thanked our former student for his offer to help, but assured him that I had things under control. He said that he was pressed for time, but wasn't about to pass me up if I needed help. He then added that he knew I would never pass him by if he were in need of help.

That's when it hit me that we can reap great dividends when we nurture the growth and development of students. They don't usually forget.

Students Remember You

After my friend left, I was back to changing the tire and watched several cars pass by. But, once again I heard the sound of brakes screeching and looked up to see two teenage brothers climbing out of their pickup. Once again, they were students that I had been close to back in the day.

I had grown up with their parents, and their mother is currently our school district's second-grade teacher. These boys wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted that they help me change the tire. Even though I didn't really need the help, it was good to see the boys and catch up on their lives.

The expired-tire experience provided a good lesson for me. It confirmed my theory that the majority of young people are good-natured and appreciative of the help that ESPs, administrators and teachers give them. I think the media often exploits the small percentage of bad examples at the cost of telling uplifting student stories.

More Valuable Than Gold

In May, I will celebrate my 25th year as a custodian for my school district in Brownstown, Illinois. I'm reasonably certain that there won't be a gold watch presentation or huge celebration. I really doubt that anyone will even notice.

But, there is a long list of students out there who will remember me as their custodian. And it won't only be because I polished floors and cleaned pipes and drains. It will be because I treated them as I like to be treated.

Does this make me special? No way. I believe that I'm no different than any ESP or other educator when it comes to enjoying life and helping children in every way possible. It's evident from my roadside mishap that our displays of kindness toward students will be returned when given the chance. This is good because you never know when you might need help from a former student when stranded on a secluded country road.  

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Visualizing Your Retirement Lifestyle Helps to Attain it    

By Dave Arnold

Most every education support professional (ESP) I know has a different idea about how they will spend their retirement years.

Some look forward to spending more time with friends and family and hobbies. Others can't wait to hit the road in pursuit of new adventures. While there are many retirement lifestyle choices to make, one thing is common among ESPs: everyone wants financial security.

Becoming aware of Social Security benefits, increasing your knowledge about pension plans, and deciding how much income you will need during retirement are steps you can take today to help you assess what your financial situation may be like during your Golden Years.

Retirement Security

Most ESPs pay into Social Security as well as their own retirement system. In most cases, the employee and employer make contributions of a certain percentage of the employee's salary toward an ESP's retirement.

In Illinois where I work, ESPs are members of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). It is owned and controlled by those who contribute to it. ESP retirement systems in other states may vary according to their state laws concerning public employees.

In Illinois, for example, ESPs pay 4.5 percent to the IMRF while the employer's contribution will vary based upon the financial profits of IMRF. In 2006, the employer's contribution was 9.2 percent. This year, it dropped to 8.6 percent.

Know Your 401

In some states, ESPs may be part of a 401(k) retirement plan. This is an area of concern. A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) states that "current retirement savings law, passed in 1974, does not explicitly require 401(k) plan sponsors to disclose comprehensive information on fees; yet even small fees can significantly affect savings over the course of a career."
 
The GAO gave an example of a 45-year-old worker who leaves $20,000 in a 401(k) account until retirement. If the average net return is 6.5 percent -- a 7 percent investment return minus a .05 percent charge for fees -- the account will grow to $70,500 at retirement. But if the fee is 1.5 percent, the person will have only $58,400 upon retirement.

Teacher retirement plans are different than those for ESPs. In many states, teachers do not pay into Social Security and rely entirely upon their own Teacher Retirement System (TRS). In Illinois and about a dozen other states, teachers are exempt from Social Security and subject to offsets.

In most cases, the employee and employer make equal contributions toward the retirement plan totaling about 9.4 percent. But there are also contributions toward retirement health care, which vary according to the employee's age and service years.

Some teacher Associations in the nation have bargained to get the employer to make 100 percent of the contribution. In Illinois and some other states, teachers have been given an early retirement option by the state.

Who's in Control?

Illinois lawmakers recognized that some school districts could save a considerable amount of money by replacing teachers at the top of the pay scale with new teachers starting at the bottom of the scale. So, the state gave teachers who were 55-years-old and above the opportunity to buy their additional years of service and retire early. ESPs were not given this option since their lower salaries and pay scale isn't as costly.

This may sound as though teachers have a better retirement plan than ESPs, but the beauty of it is only skin deep. TRS is owned and run by the state. ESP retirement systems are not, so we have more control over the funds. Our Association bookkeeper says she has to call the state office when she has a question. Local folks have no authority regarding TRS.  

TRS funds are low in several states, including Illinois. Since the system is controlled by the state, state officials can access the funds if necessary. Several years ago, the state found it necessary to borrow from TRA to the tune of $3.5 billion.

After more than two years, the state still has not begun paying back what it borrowed from TRS. Consequently, some teachers ended up holding retirement checks that they could not cash because the money wasn't there. That made me much happier to be an ESP.

Impressions of Retirement 

In a poll of American workers, Svea Herbst-Bayliss of Reuters Limited found that an ESP's retirement may be brighter than most. Consider this:

• 43 percent of Americans say they will have to re-enter work force almost as soon as they retire from it
• 8 percent say they hope they die before they get old and don't believe they could survive on retirement
• 25 percent say that they have saved nothing for retirement
• 41 percent anticipate medical expense to be their biggest challenge
• 61 percent of those polled said they would use an unexpected windfall of $1 million to invest for retirement
• 86 percent said they would strongly urge the next generation to start saving for retirement as soon as possible

ESP Member Excerpts

Saving for retirement isn't easy when you are just getting by with what you are bringing home. As my friend, John Brazee a custodian and warehouse manager from Jackson, Tennessee puts it: "I have fellow ESPs who basically work for so little that they usually have very little left over for any saving. They may have another source of income, such as a second job, a working spouse, welfare, food stamps, or something else. Therefore, any extra money is scarce. But I believe that with proper money management training, most ESPs could find $5 a month to save."

My friend Katie French is a former school bus driver and ESP council member from Effingham, Illinois. Her retirement is everything she had hoped for. She had fought many a battle with her school administrators over various labor and contract issues. Today, Katie's main battle involves changing the diaper of a reluctant great-grandchild. Since retiring, Katie and her husband have not seen much difference in their lives, financially speaking. Their Social Security, and her IMRF, incomes bring in close to what they were making while in the work force.

Sometimes we might be confronted with having to take an early retirement due to health problems. Such was the case of another friend of mine who also served on the Illinois ESP Council.

Bill Fowler of East Peoria had diabetes and was forced to take an early retirement. However, even after a knee replacement, Bill still remains an active part of the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and NEA. You might not ever see Bill making a presentation at an ESP conference, but you can be very sure that he is there working behind the scenes setting rooms up for presenters and running errands.

Bill suffered a reduction in income by taking an early retirement, but when his IMRF disability income is added to his Social Security disability income he makes ends meet. Not only does this suit Bill's retirement lifestyle at the moment, but also those of us who depend on his experience and expertise at helping to manage ESP conferences.  

More Dave's columns.

(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.

Negotiate Your Members Toward a Prosperous Future

By Dave Arnold

A few years ago, my local Association of education support professionals (ESP) was going through a rough contract negotiation. The money just wasn't there that year, so the school board wasn't budging on anything.

Then lightening struck. We all shifted our strategy and started looking at long-term benefits that wouldn't cost the school district anything at the moment.

Look Ahead
 
Part of that particular negotiation included the ability of each ESP to cash in on their unused sick days upon retirement or self-termination of employment. Where I work in Illinois, an ESP can accumulate a maximum of 240 sick days. When added to holiday and vacation time for a fulltime employee, an ESP of our local could retire a year early.

This is different than our teacher retirement provisions. In Illinois, a teacher's retirement is paid 100 percent by the school district. Although some school districts don't provide this, so employees and employers share the cost with equal contributions.

Teachers are allowed a maximum of 200 accumulated sick days since they do not work 12 months. By law, a teacher's accumulated sick days can be transferred from one district to another if they change jobs. The law doesn't allow ESPs this luxury.

Being denied this and other long-term gains make may be one of the reasons our members hunger more for short-term benefits. Those of us on the negotiations team back then knew that most people focused on the work, and the household bills, at hand.

We eventually convinced members that we should capitalize on the payout benefit. Turned out to be a good move.

Worth the Grief

Our school board hadn't fully realized the impact of that item until it was locked in. When one of my fellow ESPs decided to retire soon after the agreement was signed, the school board woke up, then had to pay up. My co-worker was able to retire a year early at full pay. The school board didn't like it.

We felt we'd done a good job of negotiating and knew that the next negotiation would be tougher. We were right.

The next session was a knockdown drag-out. The school board wanted to remove the payout on accumulated sick days. After much negotiating, proposing, and counter-proposing, we came to the following agreement:

• Payout on unused sick days up to retirement, or self-termination, at $30.00 per day up to a maximum of 240 days.
• If an employee reaches the maximum of unused sick days during the course of their employment, they will be paid $30.00 per day for each unused sick day over the maximum of 240 days at the end of each school year.
• A bonus of $100 per year for each year of employment upon retirement.

Municipal Systems

In addition to Association and school benefits, ESPs might also co