Teachers union offers
'common sense' solutions
The local branch of the state's teachers' union Wednesday offered "common sense solutions" to problems in the public school system here as the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners prepared to "retreat" to a Baldwin County camp.
"On the eve of the school board's taxpayer funded retreat to Camp Beckwith, MCEA (Mobile County Education Association) would like to submit some common sense solutions to the real problems facing our public schools in Mobile County," said MCEA representative Wade Perry. "We believe the problems are serious, but the solutions are attainable - if the board will listen, acknowledge the problems, and take common sense steps to fix them.
Perry submitted a document which he said addresses three very real problems currently facing our school system:
- Teacher exodus from Mobile County;
- Public's lack of trust in the School Board
"I hope that each of you who are interested will also take a moment to look over what our association believes to be a reasonable starting point in bringing a little common sense back into what has been going on at Barton Academy," Perry said.
According to Perry, most taxpayers, teachers and parents would support the MCEA proposed goals and the necessary reforms.
"We can only hope there are at least three board members willing to come together, break with the recent past, change direction, and do something - anything that will begin to rebuild the taxpayers' and employees' trust in the school board and stop the bleeding with regard to the large numbers of teachers leaving Mobile County," he said.
MCEA planned to provide each board member with a copy of its proposal for examination at the retreat.
The MCEA proposes as follows:
Common Sense Solutions to Improve Our Schools
Problem #1 – Overcrowded Classrooms
Far too many students and teachers struggle in classes with 40 and 50 children. Numbers like this are well beyond the limits recommended by SACS and the State of Alabama, and the problem is particularly acute at the middle school level. Teachers and parents know that learning and discipline suffer under those conditions, and the board needs to address the problem head on.
Solution: Reduce Class Sizes. Start with core course classes at the middle school level.
A starting point could be putting middle and upper level administrators back into the classroom – Mobile County has numerous personnel with teaching certificates who are not in the classroom everyday teaching children to read, write, and count. It is worth noting that many of these folks are making thousands more than the teachers struggling in these over crowded classrooms.
Problem #2 – Teacher Exodus
Mobile County has more than 100 teaching vacancies and is losing teachers everyday as a result of poor working conditions, low pay, excessive paperwork and a school board and administration that is unresponsive at best, and often vindictive towards employees.
Solution: Increase teacher compensation and explore and implement reforms necessary to keep the teachers we have by making MCPSS a better place to work.
The rules of the free market are not suspended when it comes to teacher compensation in Mobile County. Scarce resources come at a premium price. Additional compensation has to be a part of the solution for teacher retention and recruitment. The compensation could be monetary or it could come in the form additional personal leave days for teachers to stick with the system. Most likely a combination of the two could be feasible and effective start in retaining our teachers. Remember, offering stipends to recruits only does nothing to keep your experienced and loyal teachers – in fact, its insulting.
Compensation aside, thousands of teachers have responded to recent surveys and cited the need for a massive reduction of the wasteful, unnecessary, and duplicative paper work. Teachers also point to a badly needed change in the arrogant, condescending, and unresponsive attitudes from certain Barton administrators who should be held specifically accountable for failed policies and requirements which have resulted directly in teachers leaving the school system in record numbers
.
MCEA also suggests giving teachers meaningful input into decisions being made by the school system, rather than the current approach of “do this or else!” In short, the board needs to compensate and treat teachers like the professionals they are.
Problem #3 – Public’s Lack of Confidence in the Mobile County School Board
The citizens of Mobile County do not trust the school board and don’t think they are good stewards of our tax dollars.
Solution: Reduce Expenses, Increase Transparency, and Start Listening to Public Input
MCEA suggests the following reforms be considered and implemented as soon as possible:
- Board members hold themselves to the same per diem travel expense limits that apply to teachers attending conferences, professional development, or other school business.
- All board members’ travel expenses and receipts be reported publicly at the school board meeting immediately following such travel by school board members, along with a brief explanation of how the school system benefited from each trip.
- If you buy it, bid it: The board school board should require competitive bids for any and all products and services purchased by the school system. This should include professional services and other items even if a bid is not required by the state bid law regarding competitive bids. If it is necessary not to purchase from the low bidder, the decision should be made public and include an explanation as to why it was necessary to go with a higher bid.
- Reduce legal expenses by at least 20 percent. The board should ask Jim Atchison to reduce his rate and work smarter, not longer. The school system’s legal expenses have increased exponentially since hiring the Atchison firm. MCEA believes the increases to be disproportionate to those in other school systems and there is little evidence pointing to increasing returns as a result of Atchison’s higher billings. The board should also consider hiring a salaried, in house attorney to handle many basic legal duties currently delegated to Atchison at premium prices.
"We represent the school system and not the union," said Derek Atchison. "We feel it's inappropriate to comment on news releases from the union."
- The board must demonstrate that it is thoughtfully and thoroughly considering public opinion and input when making important decisions which affect our schools, our children, and our community here in Mobile County.
- Follow the “Sunshine Law” regarding public meetings and when in doubt, err on the side of openness and transparency. All discussions regarding any superintendent (past, current, or future) should be public. The community deserves to know where the board stands, and all of the reasons why that stand or decision is right for our school system.
- Develop a plan for meaningful public input from the community regarding its feelings about and priorities for a new superintendent.
