This will be a big week for House/Senate negotiators as they try to work out issues in
SB 8, the special session's most wide-ranging education bill. SB 8 gives districts the right to furlough teachers instead of laying them off, relaxes limits on class sizes, puts aside seniority when considering layoffs, reduces minimum pay schedules and changes the process by which teachers are let go.
Let's deal today with the furlough and minimum pay part, which teacher organizations oppose. I guess they feel like they can't give an inch. But I don't get that.
If you're a teacher and you know your district is heading into a financial crunch, and you know that layoffs are likely because personnel costs consume most school budgets, wouldn't you prefer the furlough option?
