Almost one-third of the teachers at Central Elementary School will pack up their classrooms for the last time at the end of this month and more than 10 percent of teachers at Tracy High School will become part-time employees or say goodbye to their students for the last time this school year.
The district cut $12.9 million from its budget in March, which included dismantling the magnet arts classes at Poet Christian Academy, slicing the athletics budget by 25 percent and cutting jobs in and out of the classroom. There are about 762 teachers in the district.
Of the 101 teachers on the final layoff list and several others that face hour reductions, two pleaded with the school board Tuesday night to help teachers fight for furlough days to save jobs.
“I don’t want to be known as a number,” third grade teacher Laurie Axford said. “I’m tired of being silent.”
Axford, who is on the layoff list, teaches at Villalovoz Elementary School. Three teachers at Villalovoz, including Axford, will lose their jobs at the end of the school year, which is about 10 percent of the teachers.
Axford said furloughs are the answer to saving jobs in the district, and questioned why Tracy is different than other districts in the region where teachers have agreed to furlough days to reduce the number of layoffs during this state budget crisis.
Teachers at Manteca Unified School District in Manteca and Lincoln Unified School District in Stockton reached agreements with the districts for furlough days to save fellow teachers jobs.
She said one of the main problems is the lack of communication between members and the union and urged union leaders to allow members to vote on the issue of furlough days.
“I have lost faith that they really care,” Axford said about the union representatives. “We, the members, are entitled to a vote, and that’s why I’m here. Let the members vote.”
West Walker, North School eighth grade teacher, said the petition to allow teachers to vote on the issue of furlough days has more than 200 signatures and eight schools in full support of the petition. Activists need 311 signatures to force a vote.
Walker suggested that the union and district “find some common ground” to help save jobs in the district. He is also on the final layoff list.
In a five-minute statement to the school board, Walker said in March, union president Steve Sievers told the school board that a survey of teachers found that 60 percent of the union members are in favor of furloughs. Walker also pointed out that Sievers told the press earlier this month that the survey numbers were skewed because some teachers chose to abstain from the survey.
Sievers spoke briefly at the meeting Tuesday night, but did not address the remarks by Axford or Walker about the survey or right to vote on the issue of furlough days.
“Nobody likes to see anybody lose their position,” Sievers said.
School board president Bill Swenson said the district is working with the teachers union to save jobs with furlough days, but both parties have been unable to reach an agreement.
Contact reporter Jaclyn Hirsch at 830-4269 or jhirsch@tracypress.com.
Some facts below are incorrect: TEA Union would not accept the offers of furloughs given it by TUSD District. TEA disclosed that 24 jobs were not enough for the whole. Yet, that is all TEA would offer. 6 days would save 64 jobs (Combo CSR). Did we EVER draw the line in the sand for THAT number? No: why? Because, as disclosed it is all about preserving the salary.
Really? Reading how the far majority of districts in CA were about "preserving jobs", even 14 token positions was not enough for TEA. 3 Day furlough would have still given teachers their raise.
These 14 alone are teachers who have worked for 5 years at TUSD. Some laid-off are the current TUSD Teacher of the Year, Teachers of the Term, and a County Educator of the Year. Sad. We have teachers packing up and moving all over the district: learning new "shared" visions at new sites. New personalities: will they be a "fit"? Teachers are non-reelected for no reason, simply not a "fit". Yet, new tenured teachers are expected to "fit"?
Title 1 (low performing) schools have worked hard to find the personnel who are willing to put in that extra effort: now being uprooted. This could all have been prevented. But now, the "best contract in the county" gets its raise, while others decided to save jobs. What is that saying?
What is the positive: Teachers know clearly how their union is ran. Next year will be about changes. Next year when more are being cut (a school closure is 6 years in the Senority List) more will join the ranks of fighting for fairness and compassion. The district is off the hook: they publically said they would save jobs (just like all districts all around the state), but the fight is with the union individuals who refuse to let its own members decide on furlough offers.
VOTE NO on Tentative Agreement this Thursday.
"My public school colleagues do it all: they go to college at mostly their expense for five years in the toughest state to earn a credential, they student teach, often at no pay, then hopefully secure a position of trust. Elementary school teachers must thoroughly master at least eight academic areas and my beloved colleagues in special education two to four more."
I am with you 100%...you need to direct your comments at Mr. Walker, TUSDTeacher, Belkin, Parentof3, etc...
They are the ones on here that have said the Union has failed them...and I am pretty sure by their words about me that conservative is not the label they prefer!
Thank you Spikeidaho for your dedication to teaching...you seem to understand just how hard it has been for teachers to get where they are and how sad it would be for them to lose ground now. God Bless!
Unions ban together to achieve higher wages, salaries, better working conditions, safer working environments and to get our elected officials into office. Often they stand up for students' rights and student health and welfare. We had to start coming together shortly after WWI because the working conditions and pay were miserable. Proof of that is everywhere, and trust me, the "good old days" sure weren't that good for a teacher paid in SCRIPT and LIVING IN THE SPARE ROOM for pity's sake.
My public school colleagues do it all: they go to college at mostly their expense for five years in the toughest state to earn a credential, they student teach, often at no pay, then hopefully secure a position of trust. Elementary school teachers must thoroughly master at least eight academic areas and my beloved colleagues in special education two to four more.
They are often specialists in reading, blind and deaf education, GATE teaching (as I was), coaching, curriculum, testing and quizzing procedures, drama directing, state standards, cross age tutoring, cheerleading advising, drill team coaching, and much more. On top of that many serve our country in uniform.
Oh, but Good Conservatives, there's more! Many, like myself, helped produce your student publications, selling concessions, taking kids to far away cities just to see them do evil things and betraying our trust. Still we do this, abandoning our families, friends, loved ones at church, synagogue, temple and mosque. Often our marriages suffer due to our over dedication. Often many of our single teachers never marry BECAUSE THEY WORK TOO HARD.
We ask more of our teachers than most of you know of, yet many of you continually complain about their fair, elected representation. I urge you to back off.
Teachers are dragging their heels about this time of year, but I want you to not hang your heads. Not now. Not ever. Never. In the face of adversity I urge unity, unity, unity.
I may work in the private sector, but I support public education full tilt. God bless America, and God bless America's unions.
COnservative: You still did not understand the math as explained over and over below by TracyTeacher: the survey was official for the purpose of bargaining and one does not count those who decide not to respond. "Now assuming every member were to vote on a contract that included furlough days it would take 382 members to vote yes. That means that out of the 189 people who didn't take the survey only 35 would have to agree to furloughs to pass."
You do not understand math, are you saying you want our future kids with a similar lack of statistical reasoning?!?!
---STEP INCREASES are a 3.5% RAISE IN SALARY. TUSD Website verified this.
3 DAY Furlough (1.7% cut):14 JOBS;
5 DAYS (2.8% CUT): 24-31 JOBS;
6 DAYS:(3.3% CUT) 61 JOBS.
CURRENT TENTATIVE AGREEMENT: 0 JOBS!
You could save ALL JOBS, enjoy 6 days with your family, and still have a .2% increase in salary.
The average teacher will see a $50 a month salary increase, plus 5 days off.
Quality time spent with families.
That's what is missing in this country.
Why can't we get back to basics. Like teaching these important principles and morals at school.
Seems like Unions came along and rendered Principles useless.
It is an issue where teachers and families are getting the short end of the stick.
While the unions aren't willing to give up an inch for these families.
I think it would be refreshing to see the Unions taking a pay cut.
I'm not holding my breath.
Also, please be aware that the survey was not conclusive...no matter what Mr. Walker says. And no it is not the same as a vote. If it was then the Union would have acted on the survey. It was just a survey. At no time was there a guarantee of a vote. Not all the members returned the survey so no one can say what that true wishes of the "majority" are. Everyone is simply calling their preference the "majority". Did you sit down with your checkbook yet? Have you called your Congressman (and no Belkin I don't think they care ever since the liberals voted out Mr. Pombo)?
Good luck to you all...It is obvious why our state is where it is at. More and more liberals wanting to follow the flawed path of spreading the wealth...this is actually the first Union I have seen that has not jumped on board with that idea, it's refreshing!
Goodnight and goodbye....
So, essentially this debate boils down to one central issue.
What gives the unions the right to speak for families and parents and teachers?
I personally have wondered if the unions are only in it for the cut of the teacher's salary (union dues)?
Why doesn't TUSD start by cutting the millions the unions are raking in?
Even in a depressed economy the Unions are not taking a cut.
So. Why is it the unions are eager to cut teachers and save themselves?
There are two types of fish.
One is a predator/predatoree.
The other is a suckerfish.
1) What I understand is that you personally want to have that raise next year. Don't you support the rights of the "people" to decide if THEY want a raise, or support their rigfht to decide if they would be willing to keep their pay the same this year to help others? Why do you keep saying it is a pay cut, you all have an automatic raise right? And those who don't (due to be the most senior) could easily bargain your interests to have what equates to a freeze, same as everyone else.
--Or just take a freeze, and work the days. But EVERYONE has the right to decide by themselves after talking to their families.
What gives YOU the exclusive right to speak for the whole? As explained below, a survey should not be ignored, it is the same as a vote. How can ANYONE rationalize to ignore the survey, and ignore the basic individual rights every american deserves.
2)I thought this issue is about VOTING: You feel your way, while the majoirty feels the other. Just because you disagree with the majority, how can you disagree with the right to a secret ballot.
Attacking me. or other parents is appalling.. or anyone who supports a democracy. The issue is a temporary fix... please respect each individuals right to decide for themeselves what is best!
14-31, or even 63 classrooms matter to this community. This IS a big deal! Losing jobs by "tenured" teachers, who's fighting for them anyway? Wow! Join this "family" and watch your back! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
I believe in karma....mark my words. One person is basically the only one I have seen stick up for a union: a conservative no less! Supports the union bosses!?! Tracy keeps making the wacky news of the nation!
teach: I will be helping pack a classroom. My wife's, since she has no idea where or what she will be teaching this next year! I do plan on volunteering..I will be helping out as much as I can with my kids class and my wife's class...as I have been doing for years.
I am not on here as just another outside observer. The decisions being made will directly affect my family. We have dicussed the options and have decided what is best for us. I expect everyone is doing the same. I have supported my wife in her teaching position for a long time. I have become friends with her co-workers who are losing their jobs. I am sorry they are being laidoff.
As for my plan - Parents that have the time to volunteer need to step up. 32:1 is a bad number...I know, but we can help by being in the classroom as much as the teachers can stand us. Be ready to help on any projects. Be ready to ask the teacher if there is something you can take home to help him/her prep. If you have a background in arts, music, drama, look into starting an afterschool club...most of those programs are gone now. Be ready to be a part of your child's education...that is my plan!
And last but not least pray for out teachers that remain and pray for the ones losing their jobs...now is the time for prayer in schools if I've ever seen one!!!!
CONSERVATIVE AND PROUD (whoever you are) is challenging all parents to move on and help in anyway you can!
GREAT NEWS!! SO, CONSERVATIVE AND PROUD, I AM EXPECTING YOU TO WALK THE WALK AS YOU TALK THE TALK!
What's your plan Stan???
How bout you go do some volunteer time? They are going to need you with 32:1.
Hey, I need help in packing up my classroom as I say good bye to the kids at the school? Interested??
If you can spout your retoric then so can I:
TECHERS - BE SMART. VOTE YES ON THE BEST CONTRACT YOU ARE GOING TO GET OFFERED! FURLOUGHS ARE A LOSING BATTLE.
Mr. Walker you have pushed and pushed for furloughs but to no avail. If the members were behind you they WOULD be voting. They WOULD have signed your petition. THEY DIDN'T!! Time to move on.
PARENTS OF STUDENTS: there are now 661 teachers that need to finish out this school year and get ready for next year. They have a lot of work to do, let's move on as parents and get ready to help in anyway we can.
-Conservative & Proud
Next, there has been numeorus and constant false attacks. Members are confused. TEA Pres said he was working for furloughs, people believed him (we have a recent statement saying he was not, plus this contract closure proves it). They believed him when he said the district countered his 3 furlough days for 61 jobs, with 5 for 24 (use math as explained below- all accurate), and that was not enough. Did he ever tell his members that it was fair according to what money savings was being offered- and if you want 61 jobs you need to take 6 days?
Or when he said not enough supported furloughs because some abstained from taking the survey? Or how about to cut off all communications from one side, yet he gets to make numerous false claims.
The petition is not a vote for furloughs, it is to VOTE (pro or con), do you know how many still don't get it?
They read his emails, but we are not allowed to email responses to help our members understand the truth.
Members now know the truth: bargaining was not in good faith: next it will be something that may matter even more to them: health insurance maybe? Raise of dues? Union bosses should NOT get to do what they want! Open dialougue and discussion should alwasy be favored. Everyone's opinions are important and should be respected.
Have a voice- VOTE NO on the contract. Sign a petiton so we can REVALIDATE the survey results and tell our union once again to let us vote on furloughs, pro or con.