School began in Manhattan Beach this week with some unsettling news for students - teachers will not write letters of recommendation for college, they will not advise or host any clubs at the middle or high school, they will avoid arriving at school significantly early or staying late, and classrooms will be closed during snack and lunch.
Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association leaders had a point to make, and they made it.
The union's action plan for teachers, announced Tuesday night just hours before school started, comes nearly two months after an impasse was declared in contract negotiations, where a central focus was a salary increase for teachers.
The union argues that teachers, who have helped the district become the third highest performing in the state, have waited since 2007 for a salary increase, while the superintendent and deputy superintendent receive annual raises and cost-of-living adjustments.
"Here we are third in the state for public schools, and they don't want to pay us for a world-class education," said MBUTA President Karl Kurz. "I know California is hurting, but our district is not."
Kurz argued that if the district has enough money to fund an extensive iPad program, wireless technology and salary increases for administrators, it has enough to pay more to teachers, most of whom can't afford to live in the city.
The union proposed a three-year, 10 percent salary increase or a one-year agreement
with a 9 percent increase.District officials have maintained that the district's budget cannot sustain a permanent salary increase in today's economic climate and offered a 3 percent one-time increase for this school year as its "last, best and final offer."
If both tax initiatives on the November statewide ballot fail, the school district will lose $2.8 million in state revenue annually, said Deputy Superintendent Rick Bagley, the district's chief negotiator. Although the district is beginning the school year with $16.3million in reserves, the district is projecting to end the school year with $7.5 million in the rainy day fund, which will decrease if hit with midyear cuts, he said.
"If someone shows us we have an ongoing revenue stream that allows us to pay teachers a 10 percent increase, I'm all for it. But I don't see it," Bagley said.
The school district and union begin mediation on Sept. 6. Until then, it remains to be seen if all teachers will abide by the union's tactics.
The superintendent and school board president both said it was unfortunate that students would be negatively affected by the dispute.
"The clubs and the closing of (classroom) doors, all of that kind of stuff, frankly is a loss for the teachers. That's usually the stuff they enjoy doing," said school board President Ellen Rosenberg. "They certainly have the right to do that, but these are recommendations from the union negotiating team. Not every teacher may agree to that. ... I hope teachers will act in the best interest of our students."
For parents, worry abounds that their students, especially seniors at Mira Costa High School, could be devastated by the union's actions.
"This is the most student-hostile manifesto I have ever seen," said Judith Bloom, the mother of a Mira Costa senior. "I always thought teaching was a profession, and that teachers were professionals not factory-line workers on an hourly wage. How can a professional teacher claim that advising a club or writing a reasonable number of letters of recommendation is not part of his or her job? What's next? Is grading homework in a timely manner no longer part of the job?"
Mira Costa senior Michael Whinfrey, one of two student representatives on the school board, said he supports a salary increase for teachers but believes it is "in bad taste for the union to use students as leverage for their demands."
When mediation begins, the third-party mediator will attempt to bring both sides to a compromise. If the mediation is unsuccessful, a "fact-finding" panel of experts would be appointed to analyze the district's budget and give recommendations to the school board. The board can accept or reject the panel's findings.
"I remain optimistic that a mediator can bring our two sides together, help us discuss these issues and come to an agreement soon," said Superintendent Mike Matthews.
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