What's not being said
I'm sorry that MNPS BOE member Karen Johnson (District 6-Antioch) failed to finish the job by ensuring parents knew the whole story when she posted the following to her blog. (Of course, no other BOE member even publicly commented so she's ahead of them for what that's worth.)
Tentative Contract Approved with MNEA
Great news! MNEA and the Board’s bargaining team have tentatively agreed to changes to the 2008-2009 contract. Highlights of the agreement include (1) a provision to double the current stipend for National Board Certified teachers to $4,000, (2) recognition for all creditable service on the teacher salary scale starting July1, 2008, (3) more inclusive anti-discrimination language, and (4) agreement on the state-mandated differentiated pay plan. The School Board plans to ratify the agreement at our regularly scheduled June 10 meeting.
Tentative Agreement
From the Tentative Agreement as posted by BOE member Karen Johnson:
"Article III, Section I, Non-DiscriminationLike it or not this is a HOT topic across the nation, this is a big change to this agreement and any attempt to keep this under wraps to prevent trouble and slip this past legitimately concerned citizens is just wrong. Show a backbone and let parents and taxpayers know just what's going on. Let's vet this in the full light of day 'for the children's' sake.
[New language is noted in bold.]
There shall be no discrimination in the filling of positions, administrative or classroom or extracurricular because of race, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, color, age and/or disability. Nor shall an applicant for a position be discriminated against because of grade level taught where that experience is not requisite to the desired qualifications."
According to the City Paper you have until Tuesday, June 10 to communicate back and forth with the BOE about this important change in the agreement with MNEA. Take a moment to
email all the BOE members with this link. Here's the MNPS BOE page where you can obtain phone numbers and mailing addresses.
2 comments:
More than that, I'll vote to approve the contract and encourage others to do so. I approve of every item on the list of changes.
This contract is good for the students in MNPS; in many ways it lets MNPS attract and hire from a larger pool of applicants- and thus more quality teachers.
a provision to double the current stipend for National Board Certified teachers to $4,000,
This is good for attracting more out-of-state educators, and encourages local teachers to go through a very rigorous program to better their teaching as well as their marketability.
recognition for all creditable service on the teacher salary scale starting July1, 2008,
This is great for attracting experienced teachers from out-of-county. As is, if a 15-year teacher in Williamson County wants to transfer to Metro, they only get 10 years of creditable service, and likely a pay cut to transfer. This credits their experience from other systems or accredited private schools. The differentiated pay plan would be much less effective if the "bonus" for going to hard-to-teach schools would simply replace some of the lost salary for those coming from outside of Davidson. A $4000 bonus doesn't mean much if you also take a $4000 pay cut to enter Metro.
There shall be no discrimination in the filling of positions, administrative or classroom or extracurricular because of race, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, color, age and/or disability.
It's about time. Yes, many systems across the nation have been improving their antidiscrimination policies.
I can tell you some of the very best teachers in this system are gays and lesbians. If the cultural conservatives would have their way, and these individuals had not been hired by MNPS, students would be deprived of some of the most effective and professional educators this community has.
Thanks for the link to email.
OMG, what would we do if homosexuals, transgendered people, and non-believers taught our students about diversity, acceptance, and tolerance? The horror.
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