Modern School: Impoverishing Teachers in Ohio

Modern School: Impoverishing Teachers in Ohio

Impoverishing Teachers in Ohio

by Michael Dunn

While charter schools in Ohio outsource their teaching responsibilities to low wage immigrants, traditional schools in Ohio are forcing teachers to accept impoverishing salary and benefits cuts, or face an end to collective bargaining.

In Huber Heights on Thursday, the school board approved 2-year contracts with teachers and classified staff members that freeze wages and require members to pay more for their health insurance. The Dayton Daily News reports that they currently pay 10%. Under the new agreements, the cost will go up to 13% next year, and 15% the following year. The new contract avoids the new collective bargaining rules of SB 5, since it was fast tracked in before the July 1 deadline. Similar sellout contracts were negotiated by teachers unions in Centerville, Vandalia, Lebanon and other districts.

Average teacher salaries in Huber Heights are already extremely low, averaging only $48,600 to $53,100 per year, according to the Teacher Salary Info website. However, beginning teachers only earn $27,000-$33,000. A wage freeze is a de facto wage cut since the cost of