Windham SIFT Committee

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Pay Teachers More

While we talk about layoffs and evaluations, we should have a discussion about pay...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/opinion/13kristof.html?_r=1

ConnCAN's view on last-in, first out layoffs

March 19, 2011

CONTACT:
Jessica Bloom, Communications & Mobilization Manager
jessica.bloom@conncan.org
Office: (203) 772-4017, ext. 19
Mobile: (781) 799-9289

ConnCAN makes the case for ending last-in, first-out layoffs this year

No excuse for not taking action this year

NEW HAVEN -- A new publication by ConnCAN addresses questions that some have raised about the possibility of ending “last-in, first-out” layoffs this year. The text is available here .

Some of the perspectives addressed include:

Teachers have worked hard to attain seniority, and we should be preserving the effort and commitment of those who have been there the longest.
A more senior teacher will always be a better teacher.
Right now, seniority is the only objective information we have to distinguish among teachers, so we have to keep using it, at least for now.
Districts will do anything to save money, so changing the layoff policy will result in the arbitrary dismissal of highly paid veteran teachers.

“The issue of ending seniority-based layoffs is a complicated one, to be sure,” said Alex Johnston, ConnCAN’s CEO. “We wanted to take the time to answer some of the questions folks have raised about how it would work, and have an honest conversation about what it would mean to find a solution this year. The closer you look at this, the clearer it becomes that there really is a workable solution for ending last-in, first-out layoffs this year.”

The Connecticut General Assembly’s Education Committee has not proposed a bill that would address seniority-based layoffs for this year, despite the fact that unprecedented numbers of teacher layoffs are anticipated due to district budget cuts.

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The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) is an advocacy organization building a movement of concerned Connecticut citizens working to create fundamental change in our education system. To learn more, visit: www.conncan.org.