On March 10 I attended the Gilroy Unified School District
Emergency School Board meeting. I want to address the position many
of the teachers, myself included, have taken in regard to the
furlough days rather than pay cuts.
Dear Editor,
On March 10 I attended the Gilroy Unified School District Emergency School Board meeting. I want to address the position many of the teachers, myself included, have taken in regard to the furlough days rather than pay cuts. After agreeing to accept the additional five furlough days the teachers requested, instead of across-the-board pay cuts of up to six percent, several Board members expressed concern that teachers did not understand the ramifications of furloughs versus a straight pay cut, which would supposedly prevent class-size increase and layoffs.
We do understand.
Let me first say, WE DO NOT “WANT” INCREASED CLASS SIZES! Nor do we want a pay cut or furlough days or layoffs! As was stated by the Board, there is nothing good on that list. Here’s the thing: this budget crisis is a statewide, PUBLIC crisis. Public schools and programs are a public responsibility. This issue will (hopefully) go before the voters and they will decide. But in essence what they are saying when they suggest we take the across-the-board pay cut is, “If the public votes no, then the teachers should pay out of pocket to keep class size down.”
It continues to perplex me why this attitude exists in our society. We do not expect any other professionals to foot the bill when the public vote does not go our way. When we vote on taxes for funding new highways, for example, and they don’t pass, we don’t then ask the highway workers to pay for the new roads in the form of a pay cut. It doesn’t even occur to us to do so!
I agree with the statements the Board made. Large classes are not good for kids. Fewer days are not good for kids. But teachers, NO ONE, should have to work for free to offset a tremendous financial problem that belongs to EVERYONE. I work too hard and give too much of myself to this job to do it for any less than I already do.
I do have a responsibility to do my part to keep class size down. My responsibility is as a registered voter. I have the unpleasant duty of voting this June to extend three taxes for five years, which I will do, assuming we get this on the ballot. And if it passes, when I go to pay my unbelievably high vehicle registration (when the DMV is not having a furlough day), I can put a silver lining on it and know I did my part for schools as a registered voter. And if it doesn’t pass, I will not feel for one minute like I should cover the deficit out of my own pocket any more than any other person will, simply because I chose to be a teacher.
To my dismay, even after accepting the furlough days, there was still some discussion of an across-the-board pay cut in addition to the eight total days we are giving up. This budget cannot be balanced on our backs!
I hope that California voters will see what an important vote this is and do the right thing for public education. Our schools are depending on you.
Kristen Fuller, Gilroy
