Craney
calls impact of QEO and revenue controls 'disgraceful'
School district revenue controls and the Qualified Economic Offer must
be repealed if Wisconsin is going to continue to provide great schools,
WEAC President Terry Craney told delegates to the 2000 WEAC Representative
Assembly.
"This year, revenue caps and the QEO are negatively affecting the heart
of our public schools," Craney said in an address at the annual meeting
of WEAC's main policy-making body. The RA met over the weekend (May 5-7,
2000) in Middleton.
"More and more districts, because of revenue caps, are being forced to
lay off teachers and support staff. At a time when the rest of the nation
is investing in education and is concerned about teacher shortages, WEAC
members are receiving layoff notices," he said.
"This is happening across the state. From our largest local in Milwaukee
to our smaller locals in northern Wisconsin, districts are finding it
necessary to cut programs and reduce staff.
"It is disgraceful that districts can no longer afford to keep the educators
that make Wisconsin public schools, great schools.
"The QEO must go! Revenue caps must be repealed. We must win this fight
because, in Wisconsin, every kid deserves a great school," Craney said.
On other topics, Craney said:
- New teacher licensing rules in Wisconsin give teachers greater control
over their profession. "There is still much misunderstanding about the
new licensure system. But let me be straightforward - these changes
do not make you a supervisor and do not compromise your integrity as
a union member. Instead, these changes are one way for us to take responsibility,
to gain respect, to take control of our profession, so that we have
high quality, great teachers in our classrooms, because every kid deserves
one."
- Teacher salaries are not keeping up with those of other professionals.
"In Wisconsin, there is approximately a $10,000 gap between teacher
salaries and salaries of other college graduates. Nationwide between
1994 and 1998, the average salary of nonteachers with a master's degree
rose more than $17,000 after adjusting for inflation. The average salary
increase for teachers with a master's degree during that same time and
adjusting for inflation? Take a guess. Less than $200."
- The Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) law and revenue caps are causing
teacher salaries to fall further behind. "Obviously, teachers are not
benefiting from our booming economy even though teachers, by providing
a highly skilled workforce, are responsible for this prosperity. ...
The QEO is wrong. I call on Wisconsin legislators to repeal the QEO
and insist that teachers be paid salaries that are worthy of the work
that we do."
- Educators must be willing to explore alternative compensation methods.
"We must be open to new ways to increase and supplement our members'
salaries. Let me be very clear, we are not talking about merit pay and
these new methods must NOT be based on student test scores. But let
me be equally clear. We must be part of the discussion, because if we
are not, politicians, to paraphrase Molly Ivins, will mess this up.
Great schools need teachers and support staff with good salaries."
WEAC Executive Director Michael Butera encouraged members and leaders
to recognize their common goals and work together for members, children
and public education.
"We each have our individual roles ... but it is our commitment to each
other that creates our solidarity," Butera said. "We must pledge to each
other greater and greater solidarity" because that is our best chance
to accomplish our goals, he said.
Butera encouraged leaders to focus on four elements while emphasizing
"hope and possibilities." Those elements are: organizing, the use of electronic
media to spread our message, effective political action, and student achievement.
In other action, the 830 RA delegates:
- Unanimously elected Margaret Guertler secretary-treasurer, Bob Gustafson
NEA director, and Sally Heideman alternate NEA director. Each was unopposed.
- Approved the Long-Range Legislative Objectives,
as presented by the WEAC Legislative Committee.
- Approved a new WEAC resolution stating that "every child has the right
to attend a great public school." It continues: "To assure that opportunity,
the members of the Council must solicit parent and community involvement
to enhance public support for and maintain the quality of Wisconsin's
public schools." (The complete set of WEAC Resolutions can be found in
the All About WEAC area of OnWEAC.)
- Adopted a resolution stating WEAC will not consider the affiliation
of the Hortonville local or its potential membership until all of the
original strike-breakers are no longer employed by the Hortonville School
District. This resolution has been approved every year at the Representative
Assembly since the 1970s, following a bitter teachers' strike during
which the school board fired all 84 Hortonville teachers and hired replacement
staff. The strike has never been settled.
- Passed an annual budget with full-time dues of $242, including $17
for political action. That reflects a $5 increase is base dues and a
$5 increase in PAC dues. The budget includes funding for continuation
of the Great Schools
initiative.
Posted May 6, 2000; Last updated May 10, 2000
