The presidents of the teachers unions in West Virginia praised Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin for some of his education reform ideas introduced Wednesday night during Tomblin’s State of the State Address but both say there’s one key piece missing.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee and West Virginia American Federation of Teachers President Judy Hale say there cannot be true reform unless there’s money for teacher pay raises.
“Many people don’t want to hear it, but we have to address that if we want to attract teachers into the profession,” Lee said.
The union presidents maintain more qualified teachers are needed in West Virginia and that will only come if teachers are paid more. AFT-WV President Hale says the teachers currently rank near the bottom in the U.S. in pay.
“The governor said that a good teacher is the most important to academic achievement but we can’t get that in West Virginia because we’re 48th in the country and our pay is not competitive,” Hale said.
Hale and Lee said they like many things the governor talked about including increasing four-year-old education and backing the career technical program into middle school.
But Hale says you can’t get too excited or too disappointed over what you hear in the State of the State Address.
“I’ve been around a long time and there are some red flags in there but it’s not what you start with but what you end up with in the end of the session. So I’m looking forwarded to working on it,” Hale said.
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Comments
Edwin Blehschmidt
Bull There is a lot of people in WV that are on the low end of the scale. When the children of WV are getting a decent education then we will talk about money!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 14, 2013 at 7:59 am | Report comment
Jim
There they go AGAIN! Probably the most ridiculous statement of recent memory by Mr. Lee and Ms. Hales is: ..." there cannot be true reform unless there’s money for teacher pay raises." Statements like this are a slap in the face to WV Taxpayers. For years, if not decades, legislators have been granting pay raises and enhanced benefits to teachers, always with the promise from their unions that teacher pay raises are the key to education reform. It is past time to STOP pandering to the teacher's unions, but I understand it's to get their votes. Here's an example of our failed education system from yesterday. During a purchase at Lowe's yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing an old college professor of mine, a PhD. When I asked if he had retired, he replied that he has retired as a college professor, but to keep from getting bored and keeping his skills sharp, he was substitute teaching. He related the following: recently, at our local high school he was substituting and as he began with the day's assignment, he called on a student to read the caption under an illustrative photo from the text book. I do not recall what the assistant in the room title was, but she nuged him and said "don't call on him, he cannot read." The retired professor was taken aback and inquired, you mean this student is in high school and he can't read? How did he make it to high school and what will become of him? The assistant replied, "he has been passed every year to the next higher grade and next year he will be a senior and allowed to graduate. That's how the system works." Folks, this is a true story from yesterday and based on measurable indicators of our education system, it's probably the tip of the iceberg! And Ms. Hale & Mr. Lee have the unmitigated gall to say (again) that, ..."there cannot be true reform unless there’s money for teacher pay raises". With this statement Ms. Hales and Mr. Lee expect to be taken seriously?
February 14, 2013 at 9:00 am | Report comment
Alex
I concur as I served as a JROTC instructor in a Kanawha County high school and the 'make up' grade process with the after-school computer learning was a shock to me.
Kids move on to the next grade, take a computer course after school that requires them to 'pass' an exit exam and credit make-up complete. To the tune that kids can ride through without being able to read.
February 14, 2013 at 9:37 am | Report comment
Peasant
Teachers want payraises EVERY year as does everyone else, but the overall test achievements scores in WV continue to be among the lowest in the nation. Teachers say pay raises will attract more qualified teachers which i do not disagree with, however what about the teachers we currently have who obviously are not doing a good enough job??? Is it fair to give them raises for doing a poor job???
I would suggest going to a merrit raise system, where the teachers who deserve raises get them!!!! I say when teachers start showing results, then we should discuss raises.
February 14, 2013 at 9:04 am | Report comment
WV Citizen
The state government workers average pay is $25,000 annually. The turnover is frequent. Since the cost of living is still going up, food, taxes, insurance,utilities and gasoline how about giving the state employees a raise!! They haven't receive one for 3 years. At least a cola adjustment annually would help. Help us Senators and House representatives. We are ranked dead last in compensation.
February 14, 2013 at 9:05 am | Report comment
j
More like 7 years...............
February 14, 2013 at 1:00 pm | Report comment
TBone Porterhouse
You just KNEW it had to all about the teacher raises. The gall of these unions. The GREED of these two teachers unions is beyond contempt.
February 14, 2013 at 9:15 am | Report comment
C.Hoffman
Same old story. Same old song and dance. Failed government policies for generations. But this time we have reforms that will work. Get government out of education.
February 14, 2013 at 9:25 am | Report comment
Jeremiah
The unions and many teachers do not want to hear it, but any teacher pay raise needs to be based two specific items, merit based first and foremost and then location.
If the students in a class, school, or county are not doing well on tests or with attendance then raises should not be offered in that county until the scores, dropout rate, attendance is improved. After that they should consider some location based pay raise for those who live in the eastern panhandle and other places that have much higher cost of living.
I am from southern WVa but have worked all over the state. There is no way that you should expect someone in Jefferson County to survive on the same amount of money that someone in Wyoming County or McDowell County is. The cost of living in those two locations is very different. Also the job is very different if you look at the student per teacher ratio etc.
February 14, 2013 at 9:46 am | Report comment
DWM
Spot on!
I would be all for additional money to teachers as long as it went to merit increases, to hirer teachers in math and science specialties in difficult areas, and if school boards in high cost of living areas had flexibility for cost of living increases.
February 14, 2013 at 1:48 pm | Report comment
ed cromley
Where is the line of teachers to get jobs in WV. As in any job, the position needs to be attractive to have a lot of interest. Let's make teaching jobs in WV attractive and then the discussion on hiring practices will be relevant.
February 14, 2013 at 11:02 am | Report comment
James
Most of the rank and file state employees could tolerate no raises if the house, senate, and othe elected offices didn't continue to give their employees pay raises while telling the rest of state workers sorry about you luck. Then there are the favored employees who have new positons posted for them to give pay raises but continue to do the same job as always.
Of course if the state employees conitnue to affiliate with the trade unions who continue to trade them off for increases in the state prevailing wage, they get what they deserve.
February 14, 2013 at 11:30 am | Report comment
gary keiffer
First teachers deserve what they get. Most teachers are very good except for a small percentage. How do you get rid of the bad teachers thats the question? Teachers fear if you do away with unions, Principals will hire their relatives and friends. Thats sure possible in the day and time. If you try to get rid of a bad teacher he gets a union lawyer. Some kids cant read you bet but teachers are told to get them threw. Some kids cant learn and other kids dont care.The kid has to be pushed threw because whos going to hire a kid without a diploma. What would help would be if parents helped at home and cut some of the games, cellphones and T.V. away from kids. Parents need to be in contact with their kids teachers. One big thing that would help grades if a kid fails the West test he goes to summer school. Kids would try harder because most dont want to give up their summer. This already works well in Virginia and grades and West test have greatly improved.
February 14, 2013 at 11:38 am | Report comment
David
I have news for Mr. Lee and Ms. Hale.
There have been raises annually for the past several years and the students continue to lag behind all the others in this country.
Your way does not work. Get your ignorant rear ends out of the way and let the children get the reforms THEY deserve.
February 14, 2013 at 2:10 pm | Report comment
j
Thank you David......someone that will finally stand up and tell it like it is......... While it may not be much........the last several years, they have gotten a 1.5% pay raise each year. The rest of the state employees have gotten nothing except a rate increase in their insurance, inflation (everyone has), and definately not all summer and snow days off....
If the teachers want a raise........show us measured improvement from within the classroom and then, maybe then I personally be able to stand up for you and support better pay..........until then..........you (teachers) can go pound sand
February 14, 2013 at 4:16 pm | Report comment
Serious
I have put 3 kids thru college..on in the middle 90'sand 2 in the 2008-08,10, era.
My daughter who went to college in 1994..went thru with flying colors..she was to the end of the good ole teachers in High School..then they were good teachers and had good values. MY 2 wo have statted in 2006 and 2009..were both made to take remedial english and math upon entering college. Folks I see the problem every day as I am in the school system..seems most teachers do not care and do only what they have to to get by. And the Central office is loaded down with Administrators.there is an Administrator for Maintenance, one for Transportation, 2 for Personell, 3 in he Supt.office. 2 in Foodservice. Seems like the state needs to take alook at all the top heavy personell we have..I remember when our county has a Super and an Asst..and they ran the whole system and our kids were taught something..Nuff said..
February 14, 2013 at 4:59 pm | Report comment
JimP
I am a teacher and while a pay raise would be nice, I would settle for overtime like all the other state workers get. I usually spend 10-20 hours a week doing work for school that I do not get reimbursed for, but parents and students demand and expect. Come on folks, most workers expect and receive pay for all the work they do outside of their normal work day. I also understand that our State is hurting, but when it was doing well all State workers deserved an increase in pay, just not educators. It does seem the Senators, Delegates, their staffs, and other members of our glorious government got significant pay raises in the past few years. By the way, I have to work three part time jobs to make ends meet for my family.
I am also going to make a revelation to you, until a student and their parent(s) make education a priority, nothing I do will make them do any better on a state mandated test. Students could care less what they make on the WESTEST. At my school lots of students who score very high on the ACT, are scoring in the below mastery level on the WESTEST. They just don’t take the single test that we are held responsible for serious. Students complete the WESTEST in minutes, make pictures and designs of their answer sheets, or I have heard them tell their friends (afterwards) making sure they don’t choose the correct answer. By the way, if you can’t read well, the test is nearly impossible.
Do changes need to be made? Yes there is, and being able to read on grade level and vocational options is a great place to start.
By the way, I work snow days since I feel if I am getting paid then I should work. I don’t have a problem with that or a balanced schedule.
February 14, 2013 at 6:01 pm | Report comment
Terri
Amen Jim!
I come in early, work late, and for most of my career, have never taken a planning period or a duty free lunch. For the record, teachers are not paid for snow days or the summer break...we are paid on a 200 day contract and I don't know about every teacher in the state, but I work hard every one of those contract days. From my experience, most of the teachers I know work hard everyday for the good of their students. We hear about the negative and focus on the negative, and rarely give notice to all the good things that go on in schools.
I'm not sure why some people feel teachers are responsible for attendance. Parents are responsible for making sure their students are in school and ready to learn. Too often, students come to school in clothes that don't fit making them uncomfortable and unable to concentrate or so tired they can't keep their eyes open. Is that a teacher's fault? I don't think so. I have no control over how a student is sent to me, and should not be held solely accountable for the outcome if they aren't prepared when they come to school.
Students and parents have no respect for teachers or administrators. They take no responsibility for their own actions and want to blame anyone else for situations they have brought on themselves.
Do I think that incompetent teachers should be eliminated from the school system. Absolutely. They give hard working, dedicated, caring teachers a bad name and ammunition for those of you who want to gripe about teacher pay raises, which, by the way, usually just cover whatever the current raise in insurance premiums are.
May 7, 2013 at 1:12 pm | Report comment
Robert
All you hear about is raises, raises, raises, yet we see no increase in test scores? They receive raises almost yearly, yet we are still almost last in the country in education scores!!!
February 14, 2013 at 7:01 pm | Report comment
docbegone
Teachers unions have had decades to help improve our educational system, but never get past teacher pay raises. They are driven by greed.
It is time for the Legislature to ignore the unions and make real improvements in education.
February 15, 2013 at 7:49 am | Report comment
Joe
I am deeply offended by this notion of basing education reform on paying teachers more. You know what the other big issue that the state government has been delaoing with also? How to reduce prison overcrowding and recidivism. Not once have I heard about giving correctional staff a raise (even though they work in not the greatest of environments and the pay is close to the subsistance level. In fact, only Mississippi pays their correctional officers less than WV does.
February 15, 2013 at 8:33 am | Report comment