[Vision2020] Idaho House advances key teacher pay bill

[Donovan Arnold]

Rep. Ringo and other Democrats vote to reduce teacher pay? Huh? What am I missing? Why would Democrats vote for a bill that would keep teachers pay low? I would never vote against a bill that gives any teacher a higher salary. This is shameful. 
 
I understand that experienced teachers should make more than newer ones in most cases, but it sounds like the Democrats want to punish the newly hired teachers because the more experienced ones were also being mistreated.
 
Why not get the biggest salaries you can get for any teacher you can instead of fighting to cut them down to the lowest denominator? It is easier next session to get legislation for higher wages for experienced teachers later on if less experienced teachers make more then they do. 
 
In the medical/health field, demand exceeds merit pay. Which means most newly hired staff make more than staff that has been there for a while. A new nurse often makes more than a nurse next to her that has been at the hospital for six to ten years. There is also a pay ceilings, that is you can only make so much for what you do. Pay injustices exist everywhere. But it is most unjust not to be giving teachers in Idaho the best you can give them.
 
Donovan Arnold

From: Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com>
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <Vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 7:15 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Idaho House advances key teacher pay bill


Courtesy of KHQ at:
http://www.khq.com/story/17288041/idaho-house-advances-key-teacher-pay-bill 


----------------------------------

Idaho House advances key teacher pay bill
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Representatives voted to reverse scheduled cuts to teacher salaries that had been part of last year's "Students Come First" education overhaul.

Thursday's vote was 59-9, with only Democrats opposing the package that's a critical part of lawmakers' plan to adjourn by Thursday evening or Friday.

Last year, legislators cut $35 million over five years from teacher salaries, redirecting cash to education reforms including merit pay and new technology.

Rep. Bob Nonini of Coeur d'Alene told lawmakers that reversing those planned cuts keeps a promise to bolster salaries once tax revenue recovered and money was available.

The measure now goes to the Senate.

Democratic Rep. Shirley Ringo argued against the bill, saying its provision that boosts beginning teacher salaries more than for experienced teachers sends the wrong message to older educators.
----------------------------------
 

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown


=======================================================
List services made available by First Step Internet,
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
              http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20120330/71548e0c/attachment.html>