Oakland Teachers Not the Source of District's Woes

http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinionseditorials/ci_2814921

Article Last Updated: 6/21/2005 06:37 AM


Teachers not source of district woes


Inside Bay Area

IT is time to deal with the real facts surrounding the
teachers' contract dispute with the state
administrator in Oakland.

Despite what was had been reported, the Oakland
Education Association and its 3,500-unit members
(teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians,
psychologists, speech therapists and substitutes) are
not the cause of the district's financial problems.

Two years ago, we collectively sacrificed $13 million
for the OUSD's bottom line.

Now our members, who conceded 4 percent in salary in
2003, receive salaries that are totally uncompetitive
with surrounding school districts in Alameda and
Contra Costa counties.

Teachers and support professionals are leaving Oakland
in droves. At Frick Middle School, for example, most
of the science and special education departments are
leaving the school. I mention Frick because it
is one of the major success stories in our beleaguered
middle schools and the school where I began teaching
as a substitute in 1977.

The OEA and all of school labor have always been
sensitive to the academic and social needs of our
urban students. That is why we have vehemently opposed
cuts to our early childhood, adult education,
counseling and enrichment programs.

We reluctantly allowed the state to cut our elementary
music, art, science, PE and computer classes by one
hour per week in the previous contract.

Now we are drawing the line for our students' right to
a quality public education. We can also no longer
tolerate elimination of foreign language, vocational
education, drivers education and other electives
that are essential to our young people's future,
whether in college or the competitive job market.

In 1996, the OEA voted to strike for lower class size
and inspired none other than Jack O'Connell himself to
author the K-3 Class Size Reduction Act for the whole
state. In 2005, the OEA is defending what the
community demanded a decade ago ‹ quality learning
conditions with dedicated career educators.

There is money to settle a fair contract for school
employees. Unfortunately, it appears that the state's
appointee is seeking to provoke a bitter showdown with
all of our 6,000 employees and thousands
of community allies.

But there is another solution:

1. Restore the pay cuts over a two-year period.

2. Maintain uncapped health care coverage for our
employees and dependents.

3. Keep electives and enrichment classes in K-12 while
providing the
necessary early childhood, adult ed, special ed,
English language and
counseling support our program improvement schools
deserve to meet the
mandates of the misnamed "No Child Left Behind."

The OEA stands ready to settle a fair contract. The
facts will show that
there is money to stabilize this district through a
combination of state
cost-of-living adjustment, categorical funds, local
parcel tax and the
line of credit, which SB 39 extended to us at a
favorable 1.7 percent
interest rate.

Ben Visnick is the president of the Oakland Education Association.