Teachers' voices heard

COEUR d'ALENE - Derek Kohles, president of the local teachers union, called the convergence of dozens of Coeur d'Alene public school employees on Monday's school board meeting "a peaceful, professional action."

Throngs of teachers and other school district workers waited for the doors to the Midtown Center to open for the 5 p.m. meeting, many holding signs that read: "Don't reduce take home pay, again," "CDA teachers want a contract," "Your cuts hurt our community," and "Your benefit cuts hurt my family."

When the meeting began, the large crowd filled the meeting room and flowed into the hallway.

"The CEA team has taken a firm position that no district employee should take a take-home pay cut at a time when the district's allocation from the state includes money for raises, steps and lanes, and discretionary funds to help pay for insurance increases," Kohles said during the section of the board meeting regularly dedicated to hearing from the teachers union representative. "The board team has seemed to doubt that the CEA team is honoring our education colleagues with this position."

Kohles said this is why they asked district employees - union members and non-members - to attend Monday's board meeting and share their own reactions to what they have seen and experienced at the district and in their professional and personal lives over the past six years.

"We hope that by presenting our stories, the board will appreciate what the education staff of 271 value as we enter into mediation," Kohles said.

Teachers returned to their classrooms last week without a contract. Negotiations became deadlocked in August, and they are now heading toward mediation.

The board's final offer calls for district employees to share the burden of a $500,000 insurance premium increase. Their proposal, which was rejected by the teachers union, would result in less money in some teachers' paychecks and increased out-of-pocket health care costs for all district employees through higher co-payments and co-insurance responsibility.

The teachers are calling for no change in the insurance benefits package or cost of premiums. They were asking for a 1 percent raise, but the teachers adjusted their final offer to seek a 0.9 percent increase to the salary base.

Before hearing from several teachers who spoke on behalf of their fellow educators and the support staff members they work with in the schools, board chair Christa Hazel read a statement.

"I want to reassure you that we do understand there are real-world ramifications to both the CEA's and the district's current offers for salary and benefits, ones that have financial impacts for the district and for our employees," Hazel said.

She said the trustees welcome the district employees' comments.

"Your voices have been heard throughout the negotiations process as the Coeur d'Alene Education Association has advocated for you," Hazel said.

Teacher Mary Ruch told the board she was speaking on behalf of friends who are classified staff members, not teachers. She said they are afraid to speak out for themselves because they are fearful of losing their jobs.

"Many of them are working for the health benefits for their families, and they are so afraid they will have to leave if we go to this new insurance plan," Ruch said.

Longtime high school art teacher Terri Leonard said educators like herself, who have decades of experience and a track record of leading students to success, are "rewarded" through this proposal with pay cuts.

"I just ask for transparency in the budget, please," Leonard said.

Lake City High School science teacher Jamie Esler who was named Idaho Teacher of the Year last year, implored the board members to demand that lawmakers uphold the section of the Idaho Constitution that requires the Legislature to "establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools."

"You represent the whole community...all of us. I call on you tonight to deliver a message of distress from the front lines," Esler said. "...We cannot allow lack of proper action in Boise to continue to divide us. We are a community. We must motivate them to do what is right and what is required."

After the last employee spoke, Superintendent Matt Handelman said he values the teachers greatly, and he understands this is difficult for them.

Trustee Tom Hamilton said he "appreciated the civility" of the comments, and that he appreciated hearing from the speakers. He said he recognized educators in the audience who have made contributions to his own children's lives.

"These are hard conversations. These are hard times for us all," Hamilton said. "Saying it now might not be enough, but it's on my heart right now. I do appreciate what you invest in my kids personally."