Editorial: Concessions could save young teachers
California is reeling from the worst drop in state revenue since the 1930s.
Statewide, unemployment stands at 12.5 percent. In the Sacramento area, it's 12.8 percent. People have seen their homes lose value and many with jobs worry about losing them.
School districts, like other areas of the public sector, are feeling the pinch of declining tax revenues.
There is no sugarcoating this harsh reality.
Yet the Sacramento City Unified teachers union, alone among large school districts in our region, is acting as if business as usual should reign. The leadership believes that the union should not sit down and negotiate with the district until the summer of 2011, when the current teacher contract expires.
In taking this stance, the Sacramento teachers union seems to be following the advice in a January 2009 memo from the negotiations committee of the California Teachers Association: "Maintaining salary and benefits at current levels is a priority; keeping the status quo is a constructive victory" and "Do not agree to re-open a closed contract. If the contract remains closed, the district cannot impose cutbacks. It is OK to just say no!"
Every person in this community should know just exactly what this "protect the status quo, just say no" stance means: It means throwing young teachers under the bus. It means increasing class sizes for kids. It means cutting back on art and music programs, books, labs, computers, academic
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/30/2642331/concessions-could-save-young-teachers.html#ixzz0jf0biE6p