Education highlights town hall meeting

COEUR d'ALENE - Two Winton Elementary teachers, Kristin Montgomery and Kim Lutes, had come to the Coeur d'Alene Library on Saturday morning to hear what their state legislators had to say.

Like many educators in North Idaho and around the state, the local teachers aren't in favor of public schools chief Tom Luna's plan for education reform.

"Might get some questions answered, as far as (the legislators') reasoning," said Montgomery, who teaches third grade. "A lot of it is just us losing our rights - the choices we have as educators."

Lutes was also looking for answers.

"More than anything," she said, "I feel like the public hasn't been listened to, and I really want to know why."

They were certainly not alone. A passionate crowd of roughly 250 people - predominately teachers, administrators and students - packed the library's community room, filling every available seat and standing against the walls.

Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, and Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, attended the town hall meeting, hosted by the Panhandle Coalition and the City of Coeur d'Alene Legislative Committee.

The legislators touched on several issues, but education was the primary subject matter on Saturday.

Bills 1108 and 1110 have passed the House and Senate and will likely be signed by Gov. Butch Otter early this week, Goedde said. Bill 1108 limits collective bargaining power for teachers' unions; 1110 establishes a pay-for-performance system.

Senate bill 1109, the third and final prong of Luna's plan, is still under consideration. Goedde said he has seen three re-writes of the bill, which deals with technology in classrooms.

The legislation no longer contains anything about laying teachers off or increasing class sizes, Goedde said. The online course requirement is gone, too, and teachers will receive laptop computers first, followed by students.

"I think we can put together something that will work," Hammond said. "We're not there yet. And it will be awhile before we get there. And you folks will be a part of that."

A long line of citizens posed questions and gave statements. Some speakers became emotional, angrily raising their voices. A few offered monologues instead of queries. Many remained calm, but were visibly upset.

The four legislators were accused of union-busting, taking away the rights of educators, and shirking their duties as representatives of the people of Idaho. At times their qualifications were questioned.

"Why are you not representing us?" one man cried.

Several educators focused on the pay-for-performance system. They were concerned about intra-school competition among teachers vying for pay raises, and said that some students are more difficult to reach than others, which could affect how teachers and schools are evaluated.

Hammond defended the merit pay system.

"I served as a school principal. And yes, I very much loved the kids," he said. "The point is, I saw folks out there that worked hard, and they were getting paid the least. And I thought, that's unfair. And I still think it's unfair."

The legislators said it all comes down to money - and Idaho doesn't have any left. Education comprises 50 percent of the entire state budget, they added, but the system is broken and spending a great deal of money.

Speakers countered by saying Superintendent Luna, while campaigning last fall, lauded Idaho's school system and its teachers, then immediately changed his tune once he was elected.

Goedde addressed technology in schools, including online classes.

"There's no question in my mind that technology enhances the classroom," he said, and Idaho is moving forward in that regard.

"This is not an indictment of teachers," Hammond said, but rather an indictment of a system. "The (decision) had nothing to do with the budget, for me. It had everything to do with how we can get education well-respected in this country."

Henderson said he was offended by some of the insulting remarks he heard at the town hall.

"We come here to be constructive. We come here to build," he said.

Shari Symons and Heather Wood, kindergarten teachers at Frederick Post in Post Falls, said education reform is an emotional issue.

"It's not just what we do," Wood said. "It's who we are. I think as a group, we probably could have helped a lot with the budget. Senators Hammond and Henderson, I really appreciated their comments at the end. I just wish that (educators) as a group would have had more impact."

Most of the town hall meeting was broadcast live on local cable channel 19.