Revulsion
– that’s the gut feeling after reading such a story: The Gilroy
Unified School District is spending $1.81 million annually on
workers’ compensation insurance. That’s the equivalent of 40
teachers. Forty teachers.
Revulsion – that’s the gut feeling after reading such a story: The Gilroy Unified School District is spending $1.81 million annually on workers’ compensation insurance. That’s the equivalent of 40 teachers. Forty teachers.
The revulsion doesn’t stop there: GUSD’s workers’
compensation claims are 30 percent above the average rate of schools in the Santa Clara County Schools’ Insurance Group. Thirty percent.
“It’s a system that’s out of control right now,” Superintendent Edwin Diaz told reporter Lori Stuenkel.
Out of control is not something that ought to be associated with the precious education dollars we have available for our classrooms.
The whole scenario is criminal in a descriptive sense and could also be true literally.
Thus, our first suggestion differs from one given to the board to consider hiring a safety manager. GUSD doesn’t need another staff administrator. The Board should immediately direct the administration to hire a competent, licensed private investigative firm to look into the abnormal number of claims. If there is fraud – if employees are stealing education dollars from our classrooms and students – it should be exposed and vigorously prosecuted.
Superintendent Diaz would do well to make this point a part of his back-to-school address to the staff and have it accompanied by a memo that clearly states the district’s intent to investigate claims. This approach is not merely punitive, it is prudent. Working in a school district is not a high-risk safety endeavor, so the number of claims merits healthy suspicion.
Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Steve Brinkman had done a significant community service by bringing this issue to the board and to the public. Clearly, his ideas on raising the bar with regards to safety awareness and training are also important tools in the efforts to reduce costs.
Brinkman believes GUSD can change the culture with a concerted effort within a year’s time. That’s encouraging – and GUSD absolutely has to get it done.
Having so many claims is a drain on morale as well as the district’s pocketbook. Emphasize workplace safety, investigate workers’ comp claims and get those education dollars working toward challenging our children.
