July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
A compromise deserving of our gratitude (07/10/06)
Editorial
Rhetoric is easy. Action can take courage.
That’s why the contract agreement reached this month by the Jay School Corporation and the Jay Classroom Teachers Association is so impressive.
Everyone knows it’s easy to say good things about the value of education. But we also know that taking real action — given the fiscal constraints facing all school systems — requires courage.
Both teachers and board members have been concerned about elementary class sizes and the use of blended classes, those which combine third and fourth grade, for example.
No one likes them. Parents have been concerned. Teachers have been concerned. And board members — while they agreed with those concerned — have been struggling to find a way to deal with the problem within the financial limits.
The new contract takes the issue on directly. Teachers agreed to having no pay increase next year in exchange for the hiring of additional elementary staff to end the blended classes.
It’s not a permanent solution. There’s no guarantee that the newly-hired teachers will be on staff in the 2007-2008 school year, when a two-percent pay hike is scheduled.
But it’s a start, an honest attempt to address the problem.
The idea, as we understand it, came from the board. But JCTA leaders bought into the concept quickly. The only real debate was over how many additional teachers the school corporation could afford to hire.
The result was an agreement where the teachers literally “put their money where their mouth is,” backing the concerns they have voiced with some sacrifice.
The accord is also striking because of the degree of solidarity shown with the JCTA itself. It’s no secret that it can be hard to find consensus among elementary, middle school, and high school teachers.
Blended classes have been a problem essentially at the elementary level. It took vision for high school and middle school teachers to buy into the fundamental premise in the contract.
Everyone involved in bringing the deal to the table and shepherding it through the approval process deserves a round of applause. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
That’s why the contract agreement reached this month by the Jay School Corporation and the Jay Classroom Teachers Association is so impressive.
Everyone knows it’s easy to say good things about the value of education. But we also know that taking real action — given the fiscal constraints facing all school systems — requires courage.
Both teachers and board members have been concerned about elementary class sizes and the use of blended classes, those which combine third and fourth grade, for example.
No one likes them. Parents have been concerned. Teachers have been concerned. And board members — while they agreed with those concerned — have been struggling to find a way to deal with the problem within the financial limits.
The new contract takes the issue on directly. Teachers agreed to having no pay increase next year in exchange for the hiring of additional elementary staff to end the blended classes.
It’s not a permanent solution. There’s no guarantee that the newly-hired teachers will be on staff in the 2007-2008 school year, when a two-percent pay hike is scheduled.
But it’s a start, an honest attempt to address the problem.
The idea, as we understand it, came from the board. But JCTA leaders bought into the concept quickly. The only real debate was over how many additional teachers the school corporation could afford to hire.
The result was an agreement where the teachers literally “put their money where their mouth is,” backing the concerns they have voiced with some sacrifice.
The accord is also striking because of the degree of solidarity shown with the JCTA itself. It’s no secret that it can be hard to find consensus among elementary, middle school, and high school teachers.
Blended classes have been a problem essentially at the elementary level. It took vision for high school and middle school teachers to buy into the fundamental premise in the contract.
Everyone involved in bringing the deal to the table and shepherding it through the approval process deserves a round of applause. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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