tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289345346387194350.post2039359490424745519..comments2023-06-24T10:52:34.846-04:00Comments on EducateHilliard.com: Endorsement Interview – Hilliard Education AssociationPaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05960574627644930183noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289345346387194350.post-45582774733909247772007-10-15T18:35:00.000-04:002007-10-15T18:35:00.000-04:00Anon:Thanks for the correction. You are right.And ...Anon:<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the correction. You are right.<BR/><BR/>And you're justified to object about my "complex, intertwined, and confusing" comment. My apologies. As contracts go, I've seen much worse.<BR/><BR/>If you are a teacher, please understand that my beef is not with you or your collegues. I don't personally have any objection to what you get paid, or the generosity of the benefit package.<BR/><BR/>My objection is to the lack of transparency on the part of the leadership, particularly as it pertains to fiscal matters.<BR/><BR/>I would argue that my position best supports the teachers, because I know that if we don't start working hard, right now, to get our community on board with what happening with the funding of our school district, it's the teachers who are going to take the brunt of the fallout. When nearly 90% of the operating budget goes to pay salaries and benefits, the failure of a levy will certainly mean layoffs.<BR/><BR/>That will injure our district and our community in ways we can't even contemplate yet, not the least of which is the damage to the relationship between the teachers and the community.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05960574627644930183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289345346387194350.post-25281351338409945082007-10-15T17:38:00.000-04:002007-10-15T17:38:00.000-04:00Paul - I believe that you are wrong about the $40 ...Paul - I believe that you are wrong about the $40 conversion of sick leave days. If you were to read the contract you would see that the $40 conversion is for personal leave. Teachers get 3 personal leave days per year. It appears to be very clear and precisely written(quote from contract): <BR/>At the end of the school year, the bargaining unit member may present a voucher to the Treasurer's office requesting a cash benefit for any unused personal leave day(s).<BR/><BR/>I hope the above quote isn't too "complex",or "intertwined," or "confusing"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289345346387194350.post-66537919300234157752007-10-12T16:42:00.000-04:002007-10-12T16:42:00.000-04:00Joe:I think people of two minds when they think ab...Joe:<BR/><BR/>I think people of two minds when they think about the teachers' union. On the one hand, parents tend to become very attached and supportive of the individual teachers who have their kids in class. I can certainly name several teachers who I know and think well of.<BR/><BR/>Then there is teachers' union. It exists primarily to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement with the school board. When I look at the agreement, I see a complex, intertwined, confusing document that serves to camouflage some pretty generous benefits.<BR/><BR/>For example, teachers can earn up to 15 sick days per year (1.25 sick days/yr for each year of service). Right off the bat, that sounds like a lot compared to most workers (I had 5/yr for example). But at the end of the year, the teacher can cash in unused sick days at the rate of $40 per day. It's an easy way to add around $500 to every teacher's annual pay without actually putting it in the pay scale. It will be interesting to see if this is a number that gets changed in the new contract. An increase here is just like a raise, but almost no one would pick that up from the press releases.<BR/><BR/>The challenge in local politics is getting candidates to run, and voters to care. I'm in the race because it's my civil duty I have the ability to contribute, and I'm trying to lift voter interest by describing the magnitude of the fiscal crisis just around the corner.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05960574627644930183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4289345346387194350.post-50441415405358709162007-10-12T14:14:00.000-04:002007-10-12T14:14:00.000-04:00The non-endorsement of the teacher's union certain...The non-endorsement of the teacher's union certainly gives your candidacy more credibility and legitmacy in the eyes of most voters since I think most people have an unfavorable view of teacher's unions.<BR/><BR/>But whether that helps translate to a win for you remains questionable given the resources of the union & the SD. Politics at this extremely local level interests me since I'd like to try to figure out <I>why</I> Hilliard has been saddled with such poor leadership on the school board.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com