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IamA teacher currently on strike in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District in Sonoma County, California AMA!
Hey folks. I've been teaching in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District since 2017. We've consistently been one of the lowest paid districts in the county for as long as I've been teaching. This year, we authorized a strike and went through the process of mediation and fact finding. The neutral arbitrator who wrote our fact finding report recommended that we receive a 6% ongoing salary increase retroactive to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, 5% ongoing for 2022-2023, and an ongoing cost of living adjustment for 2023-2024 (estimated roughly 3.61%). The district's bargaining team failed to offer what the fact finder recommended and our strike began last Thursday. The district and union have sat down with a mediator from the state over the last two days with no success. About 90% of students are being kept home in solidarity and we had a great response from the community speaking out in our favor at the school board meeting last night. We know the facts are on our side and we will stick it out and win. AMA.
Fact Finding Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19132odf4reo8ZPZXw0bRElLHefBNCsQp/view?usp=sharing
Proof: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KIyolnaKTEoUfZ5yQ_hDFK0BXQpFaq8n/view?usp=sharing
yumOJ14 karma
We've absolutely brought that up. What's equally frustrating is this golden parachute situation where superintendents get run out of town by their communities and then immediately receive offers to take over and destroy other districts. We saw it with unionbusting Dr. Robert Haley (who went to the San Dieguito School District and resigned after less than three years) and I'm almost certain we'll see it with our current super, Dr. Mayra Perez and CBO, John Bartholome.
stanman719 karma
about 90% of students are being kept home in solidarity
What would they be doing otherwise? Attending school without adult supervision? What are the other 10% doing?
yumOJ20 karma
The 10% attending school are mostly being grouped together in gyms/libraries and supervised by administration and scabs. At my school, our students have organized walkouts to stand with their teachers. You can read more about this here: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/technology-middle-school-students-walk-out-of-class-to-support-striking-tea/
Davidmoose7 karma
Hi yumOJ! Moose here (we go way back). Glad to see you are fighting the good fight. Many industries' wages do not reflect increases high enough to match standard of living and inflation increases. Do you think the school district you are striking for is relatively unique in California right now, or are there other school districts at the local or state level undergoing the same struggles?
yumOJ10 karma
What's up Moose? It's quite common for teachers to be undervalued. The Sacramento City Teacher's Association and their labor partners in SEIU (Service Employees International Union) have recently authorized a strike and Minneapolis schools are currently closed due to a strike. Our local chapter of SEIU has also been with us on the lines during this strike and I can't express how much we appreciate it. What is unique about our district is the fact that the district failed to provide enough information to justify their case for lower raises during fact finding (despite the deadline for submitting financial data being extended) and then decided to just pretend the arbitrator's report doesn't exist during further negotiations. The vast majority of districts that go to arbitration offer the recommended increases and the dispute comes to an end.
If you're interested in reading the report yourself, you can find it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19132odf4reo8ZPZXw0bRElLHefBNCsQp/view?usp=sharing
call_shawn-10 karma
Six and 5% salary increases? If your community is willing to pay that I guess it's okay but that seems awful high considering what the average taxpayer gets for raises.
yumOJ34 karma
We aren't asking for a tax increase. We're asking for the district to reallocate its existing funds so that we can retain and attract quality teachers. Administrators in our district make more than the state average while we sit well below and try to survive in an expensive region. I've spent the last several years watching good teachers leave for greener pastures and it's time for that to end.
Further, the lack of raises for the average taxpayer speaks to the average taxpayer's need to unionize and fight for better conditions and wages, not to our need to sit back and continue to accept terrible salaries.
siroco14-27 karma
I would lover to get those kind of increases and get a couple of months off in the summer. I guess I should change careers and be a teacher.
speshuledteacher18 karma
Teachers don’t get paid in summer, similar to being laid off but no unemployment. some have the option to have their pay reduced each month so they can get a portion of their other checks During summer, I guess that’s a perk in some districts if you have a hard time budgeting. We are contracted for a specific number of days and that’s it. You can work a 2nd job (or for most where we live, a 3rd job in summer) to make ends meet.
yumOJ25 karma
Consistency in the schools is critical. Paying well below comparable districts in the region means that our district has a difficult time attracting and retaining quality teachers. Obviously this affects the quality and continuity of education our students receive.
Yes. It is for the kids.
NFThoes-14 karma
Why did you go into teaching knowing how much of a mess it is and how bad the salary is? Edit: Keep the downvotes coming.
yumOJ19 karma
Because education is the only hope we have of making the future less terrible. Fighting for improved teacher wages is fighting for prioritizing the students.
haplo_and_dogs-19 karma
When a public labor union goes on strike, what do you suggest tax payers do? Pay up or else?
"The neutral arbitrator " Between who? One set of government employees, and another set of government employees.
Why are taxpayers not at the bargaining table.
yumOJ16 karma
We aren't asking for a tax increase. We're asking for the district to reallocate its existing funds so that we can retain and attract quality teachers. Administrators in our district make more than the state average while we sit well below and try to survive in an expensive region. I've spent the last several years watching good teachers leave for greener pastures and it's time for that to end.
Arbitration took place between the union's bargaining team and the folks the elected school board hired to run the district. The taxpayers are making their voices heard by speaking out publicly at school board meetings, standing with the teachers on the picket line, and keeping their kids home. If you're interested in hearing what our community has to say about this issue, you can check out public comments from the board meeting yesterday:
rowej18220 karma
I got my credential, spent a few years subbing then got a job in the private sector after deciding I no longer want to pursue teaching.
One thing that’s always boggled my mind is why there are so many goddamn administrators making six-figure salaries. Do we really need taxpayers paying for all those administrative pencil pushers?
How come administrative reduction never gets brought up as a solution?
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