Saturday, April 26, 2008
Do/Should Huntley Teachers Teach Character Education?
There's been quite a debate on character education.
Should parents inculcate values or should teachers?
I thought of that controversy when I realized that teachers made a big deal about being able to make an extra $10,000 a year just five minutes away.
Here is what appears on page one of the Huntley Education Association's proposal:
When I looked at the list of teacher contracts (click to enlarge) that were submitted to the Huntley School District 158's board of education, there was a glaring omission:Was that because Woodstock's union is not associated with the Illinois Education Association? (I remember being lobbied by Woodstock High School teacher Jim Birch on behalf of the Illinois Federation of Teachers before he started teaching at McHenry College. I assume it still is.)
So, what do Woodstock teachers get paid?
They are about five minutes from Huntley, straight up Route 47.
Here's what I found:
This bachelor's Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and make about $10,000 less in salary!
In fact, the Woodstock teacher has to wait until year 17 to make only $45,607.
What about a Huntley teacher who has a master's degree?
This year, a Huntley teacher's salary (with 17 years of experience) is:
What about a really educated, really experienced Huntley teacher having a master's degree, plus 45 credits beyond a master's degree, and 21 years of experience?
This year that Huntley teacher's (with 21 years of experience) salary is:
The Woodstock teacher's (with 17 years of experience) salary is:
So should Huntley District 158 parents be concerned about
Even if you include the Woodstock school district's Teacher Retirement System (TRS) benefits (that Huntley Teachers want, along with over a 10% regular pay hike) given to Woodstock teachers, it's a gross misrepresentation for the Huntley teachers to say their elementary grade teachers can go five minutes away and make $10,000 more money.
The union proposal is obviously designed to create a false impression with residents. The union wants Huntley taxpayers to think that Huntley District 158 is not competitive on salaries and their teachers haven't received increases in summer school stipends for years. (See page 38.)
Oh, really.
Where's the evidence of that claim?
And comparing Huntley grade school salaries to Crystal Lake High School District 155 might not be fair either.
Teachers say they wanted to be treated with "professional respect." It's easy to find. The Huntley union puts it in the second line of its proposal.
Professionals I have dealt with tell the truth.
= = = = =
Click to enlarge the page of school district union contracts entered into the District 158 negotiating record. Cars in the District 158 administration building parking lot are mainly from teachers at an early negotiating session. The photo is of union leaders as of last May.
Should parents inculcate values or should teachers?
I thought of that controversy when I realized that teachers made a big deal about being able to make an extra $10,000 a year just five minutes away.
Here is what appears on page one of the Huntley Education Association's proposal:
"We want to be treated like our peers in the surrounding consolidated districts.
“We want to make sure that our great teachers don't leave our district because they can get paid $10,000 more five minutes away."
When I looked at the list of teacher contracts (click to enlarge) that were submitted to the Huntley School District 158's board of education, there was a glaring omission:Woodstock Unit District 200
So, what do Woodstock teachers get paid?
They are about five minutes from Huntley, straight up Route 47.
Here's what I found:
I looked at a teacher with 13 or 17 years of experience with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and the highest education on the Huntley chart, which is master's, plus 45 credits. This master's, plus 45 credits, is the equivalent of 2 masters' degrees, plus an additional 13 credits. Overkill for kindergarten, first and second grade teachers, if you ask me.This year a Huntley teacher's (with 13 years of experience) salary is:
$52,416 with a bachelor's degreeThe Woodstock teacher's (with 13 years of experience)salary is:
$42,466 with a bachelor's degreeWait a minute!
This bachelor's Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and make about $10,000 less in salary!
In fact, the Woodstock teacher has to wait until year 17 to make only $45,607.
What about a Huntley teacher who has a master's degree?
This year, a Huntley teacher's salary (with 17 years of experience) is:
$65,106 with a master's degreeThe Woodstock teacher's (with 17 years of experience) is:
$55,194 with a master's degreeThis Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and get a $10,000 lower salary!
What about a really educated, really experienced Huntley teacher having a master's degree, plus 45 credits beyond a master's degree, and 21 years of experience?
This year that Huntley teacher's (with 21 years of experience) salary is:
$80,869 with a master's degree, plus 45 additional grad school credits
The Woodstock teacher's (with 17 years of experience) salary is:$68,102 with a master's degree plus 45 additional grad school creditsThis most educated, most experienced Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and get a $12,000 lower salary!
So should Huntley District 158 parents be concerned about
a) the Huntley teachers' analytical skills?Or is there one standard of "truthfulness" for students in the classroom and another one for teachers outside the classroom when they are seeking big pay raises?
b) Huntley teachers' imparting values to their children about whatever you can get away with?
c) all of the above?
Even if you include the Woodstock school district's Teacher Retirement System (TRS) benefits (that Huntley Teachers want, along with over a 10% regular pay hike) given to Woodstock teachers, it's a gross misrepresentation for the Huntley teachers to say their elementary grade teachers can go five minutes away and make $10,000 more money.
The union proposal is obviously designed to create a false impression with residents. The union wants Huntley taxpayers to think that Huntley District 158 is not competitive on salaries and their teachers haven't received increases in summer school stipends for years. (See page 38.)Oh, really.
Where's the evidence of that claim?
And comparing Huntley grade school salaries to Crystal Lake High School District 155 might not be fair either.
Teachers say they wanted to be treated with "professional respect." It's easy to find. The Huntley union puts it in the second line of its proposal.
Professionals I have dealt with tell the truth.
= = = = =
Click to enlarge the page of school district union contracts entered into the District 158 negotiating record. Cars in the District 158 administration building parking lot are mainly from teachers at an early negotiating session. The photo is of union leaders as of last May.
Labels: HEA, Huntley Education Association, Huntley School District 158, Jim Birch, McHenry County College, Woodstock Unit School District 200
Comments:
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Right on Cal! Former State Sen. Steve Rauchenberger once said (as he was campaigning for governor) that our public education system is seeming set up for the benefit of those working within it, rather than for the students it supposedly serves.
Until our legislators develop the backbone to reject the education lobby and teacher's union's political contributions, meaningful change will never occur.
Higher teacher pay and benefits
(and the higher taxes to pay for it), out of step with the majority who are struggling to make ends meet in a tough economy), and continued mediocre results are all we can expect.
You want meaningful change? Give the citizenry true school choice (the $ follows the student). Whether it be public, private, parochial or home school, free market competition will drive out those who can't produce.
Until our legislators develop the backbone to reject the education lobby and teacher's union's political contributions, meaningful change will never occur.
Higher teacher pay and benefits
(and the higher taxes to pay for it), out of step with the majority who are struggling to make ends meet in a tough economy), and continued mediocre results are all we can expect.
You want meaningful change? Give the citizenry true school choice (the $ follows the student). Whether it be public, private, parochial or home school, free market competition will drive out those who can't produce.
And what of the school district 300? What salaries do they make? I believe that was what the Huntley teachers were speaking of when they mentioned 10 miles away. With Huntley growing the way it is, I would think the parents of the 8200 students would want to secure their children's future and fight the ridiculous school board and their denial of the raises that many Huntley teachers and staff deserve. If you want to play reporter, please put more than one comparison in your report.
And also by posting the salaries of the teachers in Huntley compared to Woodstock, I would think the Woodstock teachers now have a legitmate beef to go on strike themselves when the time to renew their contracts comes up.
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