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Teachers fight state-imposed cuts

Photo by Diane Bukowski
24.JUL.05
By Diane Bukowski
The Michigan Citizen

DETROIT – “We hate to be out here, but we’re human beings, we have children. In most cases, we come out of our own pockets to buy things for our classrooms. We’re very serious. If we have to have a work stoppage, we will.”

Cooley High School teacher Sammie Edwards typified the determination shown by 2,000 teachers and other Detroit Public School (DPS) workers, children and supporters who swamped the Fisher Building headquarters of the Detroit Board of Education Aug. 3.

Edwards said the board is demanding that the DPS workers take an 11.4 percent pay cut on top of the 2400 lay-offs they have already experienced this year, and is not willing to budge. The cuts would affect 10,000 employees.

“That would take us back to 1999 wages, and make us the lowest paid district of 85 in the tri-county area,” said Edwards. She said the board is also demanding that the teachers take on additional duties outside of the classroom that could be performed by other workers.

In a release, Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) President Janna Garrison said, “We’ve asked for nothing, and they’re saying that’s too much. We meet almost daily and they don’t ever seem to be prepared. There’s no sense of urgency on their part to get things wrapped up before school starts.”

District officials have said they would save $63 million in payroll costs from the pay cuts, which they have been demanding since January. The district imposed an 11.4 percent wage rate cut for the 2004-2005 school year after negotiations reached an impasse last month, but agreed that DFT members would not lose the actual pay until the 2005-2006 contract year.

The DFT confrontation with the board represents the first serious struggle against the five-year state-mandated deficit elimination plan imposed by the lame duck state-imposed “reform” board in February. In addition to 110 school closings and continued lay-offs, that plan includes ongoing wage and health care cuts for DPS workers.

Many workers said that mismanagement and privatization by the reform board had led to the $200 million deficits the district has faced for the last two years.

Lakia Wilson, a counselor at Spain Middle School, said, “If we’re supposed to be managed by the state, how were millions of dollars squandered? We’re not asking for anything. Everyone just wants to keep their job.”

Laid-off teacher LaTrelle Pierce added, “They hold us accountable for the children’s performance on the MEAP tests. They need to be held accountable for the money they wasted.”

Cass Technical High School teacher Steve Conn noted, “We will not be made to pay for what the state imposed. The state needs to provide money to re-open the closed schools and provide books and supplies. The state owes us hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Conn cautioned against a mail-in vote on the contract, which has been proposed by Garrison, and called instead for a membership vote at Cobo Hall the first day of school.

The DFT has announced that it will hold another mass rally outside the school board meeting at Spain Middle School on Beaubien, Wed. Aug. 17 at 4 p.m.

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