SPEAKOUT: DPS pay offer remarkably flawed
By Michelle Gardner
Published June 15, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
I am a Denver Public Schools' gifted-and-talented specialist teacher and proud member and representative of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. I have worked in Denver Public Schools my entire teaching career - eight years. I hold a master's degree in special education with a gifted-and-talented emphasis and I am dedicated to this profession.
I consider teaching a lifelong career and plan to retire with DPS if it proves to be financially feasible. I now feel that this modest desire is threatened.
I believe in this district and I enjoy serving the students of Denver Public Schools but I wonder if my salary will even keep up with basic inflation.
Lately there has been much focus in the media on DPS and DCTA and the "grand and generous" salary proposal that the district is offering teachers.
DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet recently wrote a lengthy letter to all DPS teachers stating how salaries would increase by an average of $9,000. At first glance, this proposal seemed nothing short of remarkable. However, I have come to the conclusion that it is nothing short of remarkably flawed.
The major flaw in this proposal is that DPS is offering bonuses in place of salary-building raises. Bonuses seem like fabulous incentives in the short term, offsetting rising costs of gasoline and food. But in the long term, dedicated teaching professionals suffer the consequences of making less over time and therefore retiring with less. On average, over a 30-year period, a teacher would make $16,000 less with the new DPS proposal and would retire with $12,000 less. While some teachers may be fortunate enough to earn $9,000 bonuses, up to 25 percent of DPS teachers would not qualify for any bonuses.
Another remarkably flawed portion of the DPS salary proposal is the fact that base salaries would be frozen after 13 years. Not allowing for salary building after this time, and forcing employees to depend on bonuses, is simply and remarkably unfair.
As a group, teachers are not greedy. Choosing a career in teaching requires sacrifice in many aspects of life, but teachers should not be required to sacrifice their well-earned salary and retirement for "quick fixes" in response to district budgetary concerns. Teachers deserve respect and compensation for the tireless determination they show in their chosen career.
Michelle Gardner is a resident of Denver.
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June 15, 2008
6:38 a.m.
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galty writes:
One of the writer's gifted and talented students might observe that money now is worth more than money later (cost of money, interest rates, etc) so that the simple comparison presented is probably not valid.
Another of the writer's students might do her homework and find out that salaries and pensions at DPS are rising much faster than the rate at which revenues are coming in. If the DPS Board were to continue these past flawed practices, salaries would crowd out lots of other important things like smaller class size, small schools, music programs, books etc etc.
All the money is being spent that can be; surely the unions can one day give the rest of the budget a little relief to allow more teachers to be hired, and not just exclusively focus on the pay of existing members.
June 15, 2008
8:16 a.m.
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cableboy764 writes:
I worked for DPS for several years. The school district is the most mismanaged organization that I have ever work with in my career. Nepitism is a problem as well, as good employees are turned away in favor of someones Brother or Sister or Aunt or Uncle. Teachers and programs are the first to be cut in a budget crisis and the last to recieve compensation for outstanding work. I feel for all the teachers that are looking for a fair shake. Good luck, your going to need it.
June 15, 2008
1:17 p.m.
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pk writes:
Finally, not just an educated person, but a person who's educated in education, speaking out. Just a couple of more facts to those who doubt the validity of Ms. Gardner's points...pay labeled BONUS is taxed at a higher rate than normal pay, and teachers' retirement is based on the average of the teacher's 3 highest salary years. Replacing salary building pay with bonuses is yet another way for DPS to look good, but in the end, screw the ones who mean the most to the children DPS serves. Good job Denver teachers, and continue to fight the good fight. Our children need you.
June 15, 2008
1:30 p.m.
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unvarnishedtruth writes:
I appreciate Ms. Gardner’s commentary on the concerns shared by many regarding the DPS salary proposal. I can also appreciate the reader’s confusion as to just what the administration is actually offering to teachers.
Media sound bites, bereft of substance, do little to clarify.
What is essential yet frequently overlooked, however, is the significance of the DPS administration’s long-range scheme: to dismantle public education in favor of schools managed by private industry. Don’t be fooled by DPS grandstanding on Charter schools: that is just one phase of the scheme designed by those who would go to great lengths to undermine public oversight. Allowed to continue down this destructive path, they surely will arrive at a plan that the public unwittingly agrees to “for the good of the children”.
So, when you think that your main concern is whether or not you side with DPS or DCTA on the details of their contract negotiations, understand the hidden agenda on the part of the DPS administration and beware: their plan will not come without exponentially greater cost to our children and our communities.
June 15, 2008
10:15 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
I'm humbled tonite by the insight and wisdom of my fellow posters.
Just about every word you all said gets my strong emphasis and support.
June 15, 2008
10:29 p.m.
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WelcomebackKotter writes:
Ms. Gardner presents the clear truth on this matter. DPS is more than willing to sell out its experienced teachers to other districts who pay more. They are in favor of procuring a younger, less experienced core of teachers who cost less and will probably leave DPS in the long run as is the current trend.
Citizens of Denver, do not allow your school district to endanger the success of your students by allowing Mr. Bennet to short change his most valuable teachers. E-mail him and the board of education today and let them know you support a fair and eqitable settlement for all Denver teachers.
June 16, 2008
12:14 a.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
DPS saves an enormous amount of pension money by being creepy to workers that it can encourage to leave late in their careers. Many of the workers with the most time in can't afford to leave because they receive neither PERA nor Social Security. That's why DPS feels comfortable leaving these people without -- if not actually boosting them toward the door.
June 16, 2008
2:56 p.m.
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rlg5243 writes:
Ms Gardner let's paint the whole picture here. As a teacher you are only required to work a specified amount of time (usually around 173 days per school year) protected by not only the union contract but also the property right guaranteed every non-probationary teacher by law. If we were to do the math of say the average teacher salary of $43,000.00 with out benefits, per yearly contract divided by the number of union contract days of 173 your day rate is calculated at $248.55 per day divided by 8 hours per day would be $31.06 per hour. You will get no sympathy from me for the amount of pay teachers receive until each and every teacher guarantees that each and every student will be proficient in every subject area at the end of every contract year? As you may be worried about inflation I would suggest you worry about whether or not the students moving thru the DPS system can read and write at a level in which they will become successful citizens. I am tired of the broken record of how hard teachers work – it is your job – you chose it!
June 16, 2008
3:35 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
Sounds like a reasonable argument, can anyone confirm or dispute the accuracy of that hourly computation?
June 16, 2008
8:19 p.m.
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unvarnishedtruth writes:
rig5243 is attempting to compare apples with tricycles. Teachers do not work an 8 hour day...they come in early, stay late, do lesson plans and other work-related tasks in the evening and on the weekend. So suggesting that they earn some dollar amount based on a white-collar work schedule is ludicrous. As for the matter of getting every child proficient in every subject: I certainly don't disagree that this is a fundamental objective. However, the suggestion that teacher's "chose" this profession and therefore should meekly accept whatever the administration offers and be ever-so-grateful--be it class size, duties outside of the teaching role in the classroom, teaching prep time, salary, etc. simply points out that that rig5243, along with many others in the community, has very little comprehension of the experience of the public school teacher.
June 17, 2008
1:55 p.m.
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WelcomebackKotter writes:
You are being very polite, but rig is obviously posturing anyways, respond to my comments rig, you cannot because I am right. The real issue is not about how much teachers should be paid, but that Denver needs to compete with the surrounding districts for quality and experienced teachers, which does not currently seem to interest them.
They are offering bonuses to young teachers but this will not make them stay in the long run, and let's not forget the incredible veteran teachers that should be rewarded and retained. The DPS/PERA merger will succeed and Denver's best will no longer be trapped here.
June 17, 2008
4:57 p.m.
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rlg5243 writes:
unvarnishedtruth & WelcomebackKotter - obviously you are both teachers - I am a board of education member at one of the 178 school districts in this state who truly understands how hard COMPETENT teachers and ALL other staff members in our school work. Teachers by far work the LEAST AMOUNT OF DAYS THAN ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES in a school year. Yes you have to grade papers and attend committee meetings and plan your day. YOU ALSO GET A PLANNING PERIOD TO ACCOMPLISH PAPER GRADING AND PLANNING! YOU RECIEVE STIPENDS (extra pay) FOR EXTRA DUTY! As for committee meetings or staff meetings that is usually a condition of employment as with the corporate world.
You should be grateful that the parents and taxpayers of your district have given you the privilege of teaching the most precious resource of their community and in turn for this gift you are very well paid. What other industry works 173 +- days a year gets plenty of vacation time and has legally protected property right? Having a hard time coming up with another industry? There isn't one!
Education today needs young teachers who are passionate about kids and teaching, not UNIONIZED disgruntled teachers who have lost their passion.
By the way my district does not have collective bargaining and has accomplished more in the last three years towards building a true team approach towards getting what we all want - BETTER EDUCATED STUDENTS WHO ARE BETTER EDUCATED CITIZENS!
June 17, 2008
5:02 p.m.
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rlg5243 writes:
One more thing - so when is education about the kids? Or is it always about teachers and money?
June 17, 2008
5:34 p.m.
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PI writes:
rlg5243
I had no idea that they had a school board in the city of Moron.
Did you get elected by screaming at people, slapping teachers and kicking puppies?
Whatever A** backwards rural place you come from has no similarities to Urban districts, so stay there with your lousy opinions and keep hideing behind your flag and your gun. Face it, you have no political future, you are not saavy or tactful, and you still live with your parents on the farm. Now go outside and feed the pigs like your momma told you to do this mornin.
June 17, 2008
9:48 p.m.
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unvarnishedtruth writes:
I know that the best thing to do is let rig5243's thread die a natural death, and I will do my part to see to this following this post. I do wish to clarify that I am not employed by the school district in any capacity. I appreciate the commitment on the part of the teachers in the district, and I have grave concerns when the students are not shown the respect and support that they deserve from the administration when teachers are not adequately supported in their efforts to provide quality education for these children--and yes that includes a fair and equitable resolution on salary issues.
June 18, 2008
6:32 a.m.
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rlg5243 writes:
pl - Hit a nerve did I? Interesting how once you cut thru the crap your attack has become personal. You assume I come from a rural district or the back woods as I do not. You assume that I must scream and be tack less towards teachers and employees and that I even care that I would be re-elected which I do not. It is not about the adults but the kids. It's time to refocus your energy and get the job done. Good teachers are being paid fairly and equitably and are being treated with respect. It is time to either step up and do your job as educators or get out. The kids deserve only the most passionate and caring teachers that will stop at nothing to see that they receive that education. Time to put up or shut up!
June 18, 2008
8:46 a.m.
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pachavez writes:
The 99.9% of the teachers I work with in DPS "put up" 100% of the time, 50-60 hours every week. I would challenge your best and brightest in your significantly less socially and economically impacted (suburban) district to work in and report back to you that DPS teachers in these impacted school, which is almost all of them, do in fact have a very difficult job. We LOVE our students more than you could imagine and deserve compensation that should be at the top of the metro area. Since 2000 we have had the DPS administration stall and hold over settlement of our contracts, as they set the budget in June/July. That is not bargaining in good faith and is disrespectful of DPS teachers. So until you investigate fully the DCTA 's version, and not just the slanted version you hear from the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post editors, perhaps you should just "SHUT UP!
June 18, 2008
9 a.m.
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PI writes:
rlg423
No nerves were touched during the reading of your last entry. I actually have no nerves, I am a computer program that scours the web for people with un-informed, mornic, dim-witted, know-it-all blogging tactics. You were a direct hit. I assume your parents are going to get real angry with you if you don't get off of that fancy computer box of yours and get to your chores, the Hogs need a bathin. If you care so much about kids than you should join a big brother program, but the entire argument that teachers don't care about kids has to be one of the main reasons my program tracked you down and exposed your ridiculousness.
June 18, 2008
12:49 p.m.
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WelcomebackKotter writes:
rig, you still didn't respond to my issue, competitive salaries with other districts. Any reason Denver teachers shouldn't be treated equally with their peers? Does it have to do with the ethnicity of the students we teach?
June 18, 2008
1:24 p.m.
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rlg5243 writes:
WelcomebackKotter - I will ponder your most recent post. One could only hope that ethnicity is not at the center but I really couldn't say. The Colorado School Finance Act could be the root - as it is not equitable to every school district in this state. Could school performance be the root? One thing for sure is that most school districts in this state are failing! Either we all work on re-invention of our education system or our students will continue failing and Colorado will continue with the so called "Colorado Paradox", highly educated people live here but we are not producing them.
June 18, 2008
10:46 p.m.
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jimmye writes:
Whatever the argument is against teachers being over paid to the ratio of hours they work seems nonsensical. The end result of all of this is that we need good teachers. Period. We need them to be present, happy with their jobs and paid well. Not, just with temporary fixes to their salaries, but a long term plan that insures that they will stay in the system and help Denver and surrounding cities grow and flourish with the proper education everyone deserves. Teachers produce unselfish acts each day by putting themselves in positions of sacrifice to help children. Being judgmental doesn't help. We need to regard teachers in this country with much more respect and revelry then they currently are receiving. I don't believe teachers are greedy either. Aren't there a lot of other professions that they could have chosen if they were? Teachers aren't greedy at all. They are the few, that get up every day and make a difference in children's lives. How many people can say that? Can you say that if you're sitting behind a desk right now and not in front of a classroom? Can you say that if you're sitting at home watching television and not grading papers on a Sunday night. Everyone needs to take a deep look into themselves and realize that teachers, the ones that get up every day, stand up, teach kids to learn, to think for themselves, to dream, and to help others...that should be rewarded. In every way possible.