From noon today until tomorrow at 3 pm, Miami-Dade County Public School teachers will be occupying the United Teachers of Dade building. They are protesting the contract which we all will be voting on tomorrow.
1. Many teachers realized that this contract will end in 2015 and even a beginning teacher who would be starting at $40,000 won’t be able to live on that. Trust me! I am on step 11 which is $42,000 and I still have to take on extra work to pay the bills.
2. Teachers realized that the cost of health insurance from the present contract to the proposed contract will increase costs so significantly that we will actually be losing money by voting yes to the contract.
3. Teachers in the middle of the pay scale will get an average of an extra $1.24 per day raise. This is no lie! Miami-Dade County Public School system led by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho think that veteran teachers like myself will accept these crumbs because they think we have no where else to go.
4. If you’re a beginning teacher, get wise. There will no longer be tenure which means that you will be stuck on step one forever. Can you live on $40,000 per year for the rest of your life? If so, share your secret with the rest of us.
5. MDCPS is slowly replacing teachers with virtual classes. Technology is a great supplement but not substitute for quality education. This article is about technology enhancing not replacing quality education. http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/11/12/why-allow-ed-tech-access-we-owe-it-to-our-students/print/
6. The teacher at the top of the scale aren’t too happy about their increase either since it won’t affect their retirement.
7. Did I forget to mention that MDCPS has enough to give the teachers the FOUR years of broken contract promises? Did I forget to mention that we also have to put in 3% for our own pension?
8. Remember! Vote and record your answer with your camera because UTD has had several issues with their voting system. It appears it only happens when the vote doesn’t go their way.
If you are a teacher in Miami, Florida tell me what else I left out?
Remember, if we want to be taken seriously we must be united.
This contract is not a fair salary increase distribution.
You can go join the Occupy Movement right now. Make your voice heard. UTD leaders earn 6 figure incomes. Do you think they really have what’s in your best interest?