Salary, dismissal provisions of bill raise teachers unions' ire

State and local teachers unions are mobilizing against proposed legislation (Senate Bill 6) that would base a teacher's salary, in part, on student performance, rather than on the educators' years of service and make it easier to fire a teacher.

Last week, state Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, who is also the newly elected head of the state Republican Party, filed the bill that would base half of a teacher's salary on student performance while extending to five years the period during which a new teacher can be fired at the end of each school year without cause.

Highlands County Teachers Union President Steve Picklesimer said, "over the next couple of weeks I hope to be in contact with our local legislators to voice my concerns and will be encouraging teachers throughout our county to do the same. Not only are we going to have to deal with this issue but also many more."

According to the Florida Education Association (state teachers union), Senate Bill 6 has 38 sections that would do everything from crippling the idea of community control of public schools, to no longer considering a teacher's experience or advanced degrees in salaries, to requiring more standardized tests on our schools.

The bill threatens to push experienced teachers out of the classroom and place students in classrooms with teachers of little experience, the FEA states.

The bill, which is on the Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee's agenda today, calls for teachers to be issued probationary contracts for up to five years; then an annual contract every year after that ... eliminating due process (the required procedures a school must follow to dismiss a teacher).

Picklesimer said, the old belief that it is the purpose of the evil teacher union to keep all those lousy teachers in jobs till the day they die is just not true.

"I am trying to help a teacher now that is in a process referred to as N.E.A.T. (notice, explanation, assistance and time) and will be terminated if the teacher does not show the necessary improvement as determined by the immediate supervisor," he said.

The FEA noted the comments of Tom Lentz, a National Board Certified English teacher in Polk County, on what political leaders should do.

"If you want to thank teachers here are some things you can put a number on: more planning time so that we plan the lessons your students deserve; fewer students so we can give them the individualized attention they need; and pay us for our experience, education and skills we bring to the classroom every day." Lentz said. "Don't punish us with Senate Bill 6."

Picklesimer believes the federal Race to the Top funding has similar intent in the memorandum of understanding sent out by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) that the Highlands County School Board unanimously agreed to sign and to be a part of.

"Prospects for the overall education budget are looking bleak and our health insurance costs are going through the roof," Picklesimer said. "All things considered, it is a hard job to be a teacher in today's economy and especially when it seems we are a target for the Legislature, DOE and public opinion (which at times seems to be that we do very little for our pay)."