Cary Teacher: 'I Would Lose My House'

With the passing of Illinois Senate Bill 7, Cary School District 26 spoke publicly about the negotiation process between the Cary Education Association and the district at the community engagement committee meeting on Monday night.

The bill requires that any unsuccessful mediation be followed with publication of both parties’ last best offers, which lets the public understand what the unsolvable issues are and the positions taken by each side. 

Jason Larry, vice-president of the board of education wants the community to understand both sides and possibly "get more clarity" on any questions community members may have.

In the last three years, district 26 has made $9.9 million in reductions, which included closing two schools, reduced/eliminated fine arts programs, reduced staff, district salary freezes and supply reductions. 

"For the past nine budget years, eight of those years, we were deficit spending in the district," Larry said.

The past fiscal year, the district balanced the budget and have a surplus of more than $8,000 going into fiscal year 2012.

Chris Spoerl, president of the board of education presented an overview of the proposals from the district and the teachers' union.

"A lot of it really boils down to, what's affordable," Spoerl said.

There are 53 retirees in the district and will get six percent raises in the last four years of their employment based on the prior contract.

Under the board's proposal, remaining teachers will average a 7.5 percent decrease.

Under the CEA's proposal, remaining teachers will freeze their pay.

Cary teacher, Kim Curran isn't apart of the retirement pipeline, said if the teachers' union accepted the district proposal, she'll have over a 20 percent pay cut.

"I would lose my house," Curran said. "My house would be foreclosed on because I would not be able to meet my financial obligations."

Robin Melka, who's been teaching in Cary for 30 years said, “I really have a hard time the way that you’re presenting the increase.”

She added, "There are a lot of people that are not getting an increase, I mean, I’ve worked for 30 years, why wouldn’t I take a 6 percent [raise] and it’s been like that since I’ve been in the district."

Under the 2008-2011 contract, retirement benefits included 6 percent raises for the last four years before retirement but the board has proposed to eliminate the pay increases all together for the proposed 2011-2013 contract years. 

"I really resent how this is being presented to the public because again, it’s make us look like we’re horrible people, and we’re not," Melka said.

The district has lost $3 million in state funding between fiscal year 2007-08 and fiscal year 2011-12, along with the elimination of federal funds and continued unemployment cost, are some of the main driving factors for fiscal year 2012 reductions.

According to district's projections, the current teachers' union package will deplete the projected fund balance by fiscal year 2012-13, which would lead the district to deficit spend in fiscal year 2013-14 and fiscal year 2014-15.                                                                                                           

                                Comparison of Proposals              

2008-2011 contract

BOE 2011-2013 Proposed

CEA 2011-2013 Proposed

7 hours

15 mins

7 hours

30 mins.

7 hours

15 mins.

5 hours

15 mins.

Yr 1: Avg 1.7 decrease

Yr 2: Avg 2.6% increase

Yr 1: Avg 2.6% increase

Yr 2: Avg 2.5% increase

Yr 3: Avg 3.7% increase

Single: 100%

Family: 20-50% board paid

Yr 1: $7,000 fixed

Yr 2: $3,000 fixed

Single: 85% Yr 1-2,

Yr 3 100%

Family: 20-50% board paid

Up to 12 days per year

Eliminate

2 years

BOE 2011-2013 Proposed

CEA 2011-2013 Proposed

Student instructional time for 2010-2011 school year only. 5 hours and 45 minutes was the duration for a school day in prior school years.

(Information from the table and descriptions provided by Cary School District 26)