Letters 6/9/11

Jun 09, 20110

Teachers seek support

The teachers of Colfax are asking for community support on a contract issue that has been hanging over us for about a year now.

The debate is over a proposed change in the reduction in force policy by the superintendent and school board collectively referred hereafter as the district.

The district has proposed more open language that allows for interpretation and subjectivity when it comes to reducing certified staff.

Their rationale is it will be better for students.

The teachers, who already do what is our very best for students on a daily basis, see the proposal as an attack on one of the foundational pieces of our contract.

The proposed change would allow RIF (reduction in force) to occur categorically or by departments and could put experienced teachers at risk of losing their job.

As it now stands RIF occurs by years of experience in the state. The language is clear, teachers know where they stand, it is a fair way to reduce staff and it excludes the ambiguity inherent in the district’s proposal. It is reasonable to assume the administration who initially agreed to this part of the contract perceived it, in part, as a safeguard for the district to eliminate any accusations of favoritism or manipulation when it comes to reducing staff. The district’s present proposal opens the door for both.

We teach and coach in this community because we like it here. There are many districts that can offer teachers and coaches better pay and nicer perks, but we choose Colfax for quality of daily life. We have fantastic students and great support from the community. Colfax is an attractive place to be an educator but eroding our contract makes it less attractive.

There have been so many negatives surrounding this issue and the negotiation of it in general. It has created oppression, division, and negative attitudes among teaching staffs of both buildings. All of these are counterproductive and go against our nature as educators.

Teachers are motivators who promote positive behavior in our youth. We would much rather be discussing students or collaborating about teaching strategies than making signs, worrying about our job status, or planning our next move in negotiations. We are asking for community support on this issue.

Call superintendent Michael Morgan and your school board members Brian Becker, Rob Smith, Debbie Pearson, Laura Johnson, and Kathy Wride and ask them to take the RIF issue off the table and allow teachers to concentrate their efforts on the art of teaching.

Sincerely,

Colfax Teachers

Justin Ikehara

Wendy Hickman

Sharon Hall

Shala Vorderbrueggen

Evanna Morgan

Peggy Kehne

Phil Hergert

Susan Doering

Jim Heidelberger

Art Powers