At the School Board’s public meetings, David Mielke, the Teachers Union president, has referred numerous times to the fact that its teacher/membership has not had a raise since 2007.
Spring Cleaning
As I was cleaning out our garage last weekend, I happened to come across an old copy of the 2007-08 First Interim report. I set it aside and saved it.
Apple Core, Baltimore
Later as I started to compare the District’s latest 2012-13 First Interim report with the re-discovered 2007-08 First Interim, it was clear that even though the union rep’s statement about teachers not receiving a raise since 2007 is factually correct, it did not begin to tell the whole story.
Apples to Apples
Using the Object Codes 1000-1999 as a guide, I compared the two reports of our District’s past and current spending on unrestricted certificated salaries. The reports showed the District had spent $20.74M on these salaries in 2007-08 and $26.54M in 2012-13.
Sounds Impossible
So in the same five-year period that the union says its teachers did not receive a raise, their District salaries increased almost 28 percent.
Throwing Down Negotiating Gauntlet
The union wants to sway the public in believing that by going without a raise for the past five years, its membership now deserves it and that the teachers are being mistreated by the district. So unfairly that at the last meeting, Mr. Mielke made a public statement that sounded more like a challenge than a bargaining proposal. He firmly stated that, this time around, the Teachers Union would not leave the negotiating table without a raise.
What Type of Appreciation?
With such brash public statements being proclaimed by its leadership, it is beginning to look more like the union no longer is concerned with gaining an appreciation of its members but is only concerned with gaining an appreciation of its members’ paychecks, just as they start to retire.
All Is Not as It Seems
The next time you hear a union leader piously chant its mantra that the teachers have not had a raise since 2007, just remember, there is a lot more to their fiscal tale of woe than what they are leading you to believe.
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
