March 2005 Table of Contents Cover Story Growing Pains Features You Spend Whaaaatt?! Catching Their Backs Spring Cleaning Departments Spotlight ESP Money Bulletin Board People Last Bell Editor's Note President's Viewpoint Up Front Leading the Way State Report Debate Resources Books by NEA Members Reader Services Weigh in on Debate Topics Change your address Write a letter View past issues Check out our bonus edition

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No Time for Distractions

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's agenda for 2005 includes merit pay for teachers, the repeal of minimum school funding guarantees passed by voters in 1988, and a defined-contribution retirement plan for new hires—shifting investment risk to them and ending guaranteed benefits.

That's hardly a cure for the Golden State Blues. A recent RAND Corporation report concludes that California's schools are underfunded, its class sizes too large, and its teacher salaries too low—32nd in the nation when adjusted for inflation.

Worse yet, the governor's plan adds more education mandates "without any commitment to stable and adequate funding," says California Teachers Association President Barbara E. Kerr. "This is a deliberate attempt to distract attention from the real problems that confront California's public schools."

The Ruling: More Money 

Kansas In January, the state Supreme Court ruled that the legislature violated the state constitution by failing to "make suitable provisions for finance" of public education. Kansas NEA, which supported the plaintiffs in this case—36 students and two districts—is now calling on Kansas lawmakers to "buckle down to do the hard work necessary to maintain and improve our schools."

New People, New Policies

Illinois Using legislation supported by the Illinois Education Association-NEA, Governor Rod Blagojevich replaced seven state school board members with people committed to streamlining rules and regulations that hamper the work of teachers and districts. Within four weeks of its formation, the new board eliminated a 15-month backlog of teacher certificate applications in the Chicago district.

Don't Bludgeon, Bargain!

Missouri The state Appeals Court has confirmed Missouri NEA's (MNEA) view that public employee unions have enforceable rights under state law and negotiated agreements. On four of five counts, the appellate court overturned a lower court decision favoring the Independence school district's unilateral decision to discard long-established negotiated agreements with MNEA teacher and ESP locals—and replace them with a "collaborative team" policy.

In blunt terms, the court expressed "serious reservations" as to whether this top-down approach met the district's legal obligation to "negotiate with the exclusive bargaining representative of each appropriate employee unit."

Steer Clear of This Place

Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania State Education Association advises NEA members not to seek employment in the Somerset Area School District, citing its "anti-union environment." The Somerset Area Education Association (SAEA) has been bargaining since January 2000, and teachers have not had a pay raise since July 2000. SAEA has filed eight unfair labor practice charges and 39 grievances, costing nearly $19,000.

For more, go to "In It for the Long Haul'. SAEA President Mary Critchfield may be reached at mmcritch@yahoo.com.

Report Calls for More Pay

Texas State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has released an online report warning that "low pay for Texas teachers is driving all too many of our best educators from the profession." Strayhorn is calling for an immediate $3,000 teacher raise; a "competitive, automatic pay increase" every two years; a state-funded mentoring program; and bonuses to teachers whose "low performing schools improve."

"Taken as a package, the proposal provides a basis for addressing the real problems of Texas schools," says  Texas State Teachers Association President Donna Haschke—who notes that Texas teacher pay is more than $6,000 below the national average.

Ten Years to Win a Contract

Tennessee After 10 hard years of bargaining, the Union County Education Association (UCEA) has finally reached a new contract with the school board. Over the years, three different school board teams have tried to gut the current contract and destroy this local, but they could not wear the teachers down.

UCEA's winning tactics: legal action against the school board, defeat of several anti-Association board members, and a determined local bargaining team. And the ultimate lever: UCEA membership increased during the long ordeal.

Solidarity, Plain and Simple

Iowa This winter, both the Burlington Education Association (BEA) and the Southeastern Community College Higher Education Association supported members of United Auto Workers Local 807 locked out in a contract dispute with CNH, a multinational builder of agricultural and construction equipment.

"The community needs to support [CNH] workers," BEA leaders wrote to their local paper. "They help pay the salaries we make and their children are our students....Think about the amount of  business generated by a person making a decent amount of money as opposed to minimum wage."