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York Teachers Call for Pay Raises

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Teachers in York County advocated for pay raises during a public hearing on the 2012 budget Monday.

The York County School Board offered citizens their first opportunity to sound off on what to cut and what to keep in next year’s budget. Three speakers advocated for raises for teachers, who haven’t had pay increases in three years.

In December, Gov. Bob McDonnell proposed the state allow localities to ask their employees to contribute to their own retirement accounts, provided they receive 3 percent raises. On Jan. 10, York County Schools Chief Financial Officer Dennis Jarrett told the school board the administration would not recommend requiring school employees contribute to their own retirement funds.

Carol Bauer, president of the York Education Association, said her organization supports that decision. But on her lapel, she wore a sticker that said “3%” that signified a statewide initiative to get a 3 percent pay increase for teachers.

Elementary teacher Kim Voska also advocated for raises, noting that next year, the division’s school day will get longer and teachers will teach an extra 10 minutes every day. She said that while she appreciates the division’s VRS contribution, she wishes she could tell grocery stores, oil, and the power and gas companies to lower their rates since she didn’t get a raise. She added that many of the division’s employees who are single parents struggle to pay their bills.

Voska said the average salary for a teacher in Virginia is more than $57,800, but estimated she will not reach that average pay during her career. In addition, she estimated teachers still spend more than $250 on class supplies, and hours working outside of the school day.

“A quality education comes at a price,” she said. “Can we afford it?”

The York County School Division is facing a projected net reduction of $947,077 in state funding, along with increased expenditures of $821,308. While Superintendent Eric Williams’ budget is still in the developing stages, he has already told the board he will suggest cuts of 15 staff positions, materials, supplies, textbooks and workbooks. He is also suggesting generating revenue by increasing tuition for preschool students $150 per semester. Read more about his early proposed changes here.

Comments  

 
0 #22 Guest 2011-02-15 16:48
Dear Friend, You really don't know the duty day of a teacher. I think that we should get the log out of our own eye before we try to get the speck out of our teachers eye. You must walk in ones shoes before attempting to know the challenges of their duties. A high school teacher has the responsibility for approximately 95 students to teach. A teacher does not have to work 12 months out of the year like the rest of the work force. The six weeks during the summer is their vacation (which they only receive ,if they are luck, 9 weeks of that. Now lets take a look at the teacher verses the individual in the regular work force.

The teacher goes into their classroom at 7:30 AM, prepares for the first class of the day. Let say that the first period of the day is the planning period. S/he is already behind the power curve if they have not planned prior to that morning. There is hardly a day goes by when a teacher goes into the classroom that they are not hit with something out of the ordinary. That is at the beginning of the school day. Then at the end of the school day there are meetings, some scheduled, some not. Meeting with parent and students, administrators, and so forth.

Know lets get into the subject matter. Take the average class size is approximately 25 students. Some having no desire to be there, causing problems that takes the teacher's focus and purpose away from the students that want to learn. Teaching is a profession that takes a tremendous sacrifice and commitment to the profession. Having to take care of those types of problems before continuing with the class, having to write up problem students and forward them to the principle for action, having to prepare a separate lesson plan for those that have to be sent to "In School Suspension", grading essay papers for a total of the 95 students that are assigned to the class. A teacher have to put in many hours of weekend time in order to be prepare for the next weeks schedule.

At the end of the school day call parents to inform the not only of the troubled students but the student that has preformed well throughout the day, annotate grade in the computer and prepare for the next day's class.

There are nights that a teacher have extra duties that cannot be accomplished during the school day. With that my FRIEND you indicate that "They get a planning or grading period to do all of their work is dont tell me how much work they take home, if thats the case then they are just unorganized or lazy." My FRIEND, it is my estimation that you have not had any experience with a teacher since your high schools some twenty or thirty years ago. I would like to invite you to meet with a teacher in this modern day school system.
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0 #21 Guest 2011-01-26 14:31
Do ANY of you people actually have children in the York County School System? I think not, from your totally inaccurate comments. First of all, if you look at the school calendar teachers DO NOT have three months off. Classes end on Jun. 18 (and then teachers are required to come in a few extra days to finish up grading, turn in books, "undecorate" the classroom - oh and by the way all of those posters, charts, etc are personal property they bought at expensive teacher supply stores). By Virginia state law classes resume the Tuesday after Labor Day, but teachers officially come back to work a week before that for meetings,open houses, etc. Unofficially, teachers start preparing before that, not to mention many of them take classes in the summer to remain on top of new developments in the profession and keep their licenses current. So at the very least teachers work 10 months a year. Secondly, York County's school are nationally recognized for excellence. The graduation rate is in the high nineties, and a very large percentage of graduates are accepted into the finest universities in the country. The high schools AP and IB classes do an excellent job of preparing students for college. So what is this dribble about failing schools????? Finally, 57K is the AVERAGE salary, which means that statistic includes the many teachers who have worked for the system for over 20 years. The starting salary is around 37K. Oh and by the way, elementary school teachers don't get planning periods. Middle school and high school teachers have a load of about 90 students and in less than an hour a day they are supposed to call/e-mail parents of students who are struggling or causing discipline problems;grade assignments and enter grades into the computer system; and plan innovative creative lessons that will keep 20 -30 young people at a time - some of whom have no interest in being in that classroom - totally motivated to learn. Most teachers stay after school for additional tutoring too. You're right "SANTA", they sure are lazy!!! It is a miracle any of these dedicated professionals do what they do and three years without a raise is a long time to keep expecting them to shut up and color.
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0 #20 Guest 2011-01-26 14:17
hi all.
interesting blog..

my sister-in-law has retired after 30 years as a school teacher. she worked overtime her last couple of years to jack up her highest yearly incomme. based on her highest (one) yearly income she receives 60 percent of her working-income. she receives free health insurance.

our daughter is a registered nurse. she works 12 months a year, pays for her own health insurance. now, who has the most responsibility --- the teacher or the nurse. i guess one could argue that point until dooms day. i have my own opinion. my point is -- a nurse works 12 months and like a teacher, works additional hours and has to continue her education. a nurse has to pay for her health insurance. a nurse does not have a guaranteed pension. in summary, when comparing both careers with similar responsibilitie s why should not a teacher contribute at least something close to a nurse??? just my opinion....
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-2 #19 Guest 2011-01-26 12:11
This is absurd! Everybody out here is hurting. Not just teachers! Teachers need to pull in their belts just like everybody else. I haven't had a raise in 3 years!! Suck it up, teacher. Eat your apple and shut up!
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0 #18 Guest 2011-01-26 09:08
Fred - Of course teachers know they aren't going into a highly lucrative profession. With that said, as with any other job, a certain level of advancement (i.e. salary increases), isn't out of the question.

Also -- to clarify my "trolling" comment in regards to SANTA -- I just don't believe that anyone who can say the following statement could actually believe what they're saying -- "Give me a break they don't even teach for 8 hrs a day. They get a planning or grading period to do all of their work in so dont tell me how much work they take home, if thats the case then they are just unorganized or lazy."

Really?
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-1 #17 Guest 2011-01-26 07:56
Dear Fred: You are right but you better be careful telling the truth the other people may not like it.
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-2 #16 Guest 2011-01-26 06:11
teachers know going in to the job what it pays. they go to college to be teachers. they know this from the start, why complain about pay? You know going into the job what it pays. Plus they dont work a whole year like the rest of us do.
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+3 #15 Guest 2011-01-25 16:58
Okay, now I'm convinced that SANTA is just trolling.
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+8 #14 Guest 2011-01-25 16:05
Friend is exactly right. There are no teachers unions anywhere in Virginia. It's illegal. The folks running their mouths about union jobs are grossly misinformed about how Virginia government employees work.
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-11 #13 Guest 2011-01-25 15:43
Dear Friend you can call it a union or an association it does not matter. They both expect the world and when we don't or won't give it to them then they whine and cry about how hard they work. Give me a break they don't even teach for 8 hrs a day. They get a planning or grading period to do all of their work in so dont tell me how much work they take home, if thats the case then they are just unorganized or lazy.
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