Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 13, 1995 TAG: 9505150032
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
But now, members of that same group are asking the county School Board to put that priority on hold and use its limited budget to increase teacher salaries instead.
"The ... board is to be commended for trying to implement some of the recommendations of Focus 2006," wrote Jim Johnson, president of the Blacksburg High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association in a resolution to the School Board. Johnson also served as chairman on the Focus 2006 group. But "we are concerned that initiatives were advanced at the expense of appropriate teacher raises."
The School Board passed a $47.3 million budget last week that would pay for many Focus 2006 priorities including 16 new teachers, three technology personnel, two gifted resource teachers, a Saturday art program and nearly $150,000 in vocational, science and math equipment. But the budget also reduced a proposed 4 percent raise for teachers to 1.2 percent.
The board was forced to fund a smaller budget after the Board of Supervisors cut its request by $1.89 million. Teachers had accepted a compromise 2 percent increase proposed by Superintendent Herman Bartlett. But they were not satisfied when the School Board reduced the increase to 1.2 percent.
The resolution, passed Wednesday by the Blacksburg High PTSA executive board, asks the School Board to take $750,000 from the Focus 2006 priorities and put the money toward a 3.4 percent salary increase.
According to Danial Morris, the school system's director of finance, here's how much more a teacher would receive on an average each month, based on a $30,240 salary, in all four scenarios:
1.2 percent: $36
2 percent: $61
3.4 percent: $103
4 percent: $121
Sandra Varner, former president of the Blacksburg High PTSA, said the resolution was passed as a way to show teachers they have parents' support.
"Class size does benefit teachers, but when you get right down to it, you have to compensate fairly the employees you already have," Varner said. "If you look at in a rational way, yes, we'd like to reduce class sizes, but you can't do it at the expense of teacher salaries."
Board Chairman Roy Vickers said he was surprised at the PTSA's move and thinks "we're way too early to start throwing stones when we need to work together and try to cooperate."
"We are attempting to achieve a 4 percent raise," Vickers said. The School Board plans to ask the Board of Supervisors for supplemental funds - $951,000 - to make up the salary difference. But the supervisors have already said that that will be close to impossible.
Students at Blacksburg High School are as interested in this issue as the teachers and parents.
"Basically the feeling that's going around is that teachers are sort of undercompensated for the job they do," said senior Mark Hobeika. "I have a sister that's a freshman, and I'm afraid some of the good [advanced placement] teachers will be gone when she gets to be a junior because the teachers will leave for better schools."
"You can have all the initiatives and new equipment you want, but if you don't have quality people teaching you to use it the right way, it's useless," said senior Dennis Price, "It's like playing baseball without a bat."
by CNB