Orange County teachers strike continues into second day [Updated]

What was supposed to be a one-day teachers strike in Capistrano Unified School District continued for a second day Friday morning after negotiations with the district over pay and benefits failed to be resolved Thursday.

“We will be on strike until we have a settlement,” said Vicki Soderberg, president of Capistrano Unified Education Assn., which represents 2,200 teachers. “I am hopeful, but until then the issues are not resolved and the strike is still going on.”

Representatives from both sides are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. to try to reach an agreement. Teachers and district representatives sat down to discuss negotiations Thursday afternoon, but a resolution was not reached after several hours, Soderberg said.

Teachers are protesting the school board’s decision to cut off negotiations and impose 10% pay cuts to help close a $34-million budget gap. The union, which represents 2,200 teachers, wants the district to make the pay cuts temporary and to restore salaries, unpaid work days and other benefits if “unforeseen funds” are received.

[Updated at 12:58 p.m.: More teachers joined the strike Friday morning compared with the first day, according to district spokeswoman Julie Hatchel.

About 200 classroom teachers -- 11% of the teachers -- crossed picket lines to get to their classrooms, down from 12% Thursday. Nearly 600 substitute teachers were hired to supervise classrooms.

Attendance in the 51,000-pupil district was down substantially on Friday. High school attendance was 10%, down from 23% on Thursday; middle school attendance was 27%, down from 39%; and elementary school attendance was 45%, down from 48%.]

-- My-Thuan Tran

Photo: A school bus approaches a group of striking teachers outside Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo on the second day of the teachers' strike. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Steven]

The process of firing a teacher is pathetic. They should be judged on their performance and not tenure. Their pensions are also killing this state. One solution. Home school the kids or send them to charter schools. Lets see these greedy teachers in the unemployment office. Will teach for food should be their new slogan.

[Lucky Dog]

Why should teachers take a pay cut? Have the salaries of police, fire, and other services been cut by 10%?

[George]

Teachers are living in the past - back in the days when school districts were funded locally.

Now that school districts are funded from Sacramento, all protesting teachers need to get into their cars and take their battle to Sacramento where it belongs.

[Steve]

Lucky Dog The school board took a 10.1% cut last year....

[Larry W]

If you worked during the summer like everyone else, you would make more than $50k, which is reasonable for the number of days that you have off per year.

[Reality Check]

The costs of converting the entire economy to a "green" economy to combat "climate change." The costs of bailing out the financial system. The costs of taking over the health care system. The costs of this recession. The mind reels at how much more in new taxes it will take to cover all of these expenses. Not to mention the upcoming Social Security "fix" that must be implemented before that system goes bankrupt.

And now a six figure salary for a Capistrano Unified teacher is not enough and we must pay more. I say that if what we can pay is not enough for these teachers, then they are welcome to go elsewhere. There are many, many well qualified replacements just waiting to step into their shoes. It is time that we taxpaying citizens force those who depend upon our taxes for their salaries, benefits and pensions to get realistic. We simply have reached the limit on what we can afford to pay these public employees.

[Larry W]

Lucky Dog,

No, police and fire have not taken a 10% cut, but everyone else has that's why you should.

[Sam Baisden]

I started my career over 25 years ago as a teacher and taught Math for 5 years. I loved the job however the pay was simply too low.
I am now a professional in a completely different industry but have always had great respect for teachers.
We should and must take good care of our teachers as they are the backbone of our way of life.
Therefore, I completely support the Orange County teachers that are currently on stike.

[mike02]

"Why should teachers take a pay cut? Have the salaries of police, fire, and other services been cut by 10%? " -Luckydog

Because they are state funded and education takes the biggest part of the state budget. Police are funded locally and school districts are a whole separate entity from the cities they are in.

Not saying its right or wrong good or bad. Cutting police wouldn't help teachers as they are paid from different budgets and revenue sources.

[exit2enter]

Agree completely with ScootysDad and mike02. Why strike at the school? The students don't have a say in whether the 10% cut is in or out... Shouldn't they strike at the school board building where negotiations are going on? Also, 500k is NOT a starter home in California... 500k is the about the MEDIUM (half of homes priced higher, half priced lower, not average price) price for a home in California. You don't have to attempt to live on the beaches of Newport of Laguna to be a teacher. The only reason why Charter schools in California (whose teachers also meet California credentials) get paid less than these striking teachers is because of one word. Unions.

[Larry W]

If it were about the children and not about you, it would make no sense to discourage students from attending class by harassing them as they enter campus.

[tom1201]

We need to fire teachers who walk off the job. They want you to think this is about YOUR kids education, but its all about THEIR unsustainable raises and pensions. Their lobbiests are brilliant, and took advantage of the idiots in the state legislature who sold taxpayers down the river. This is not the end of the confrontation, it is the beginning. I hope Capistrano holds its ground, and more cities join the fight. This cannot continue. Teachers, save your money or invest in a 401k like the rest of us! Makes me ill, the way they play the public...

[moeman]

Not directed at only teachers but to most public workers--fireman, cops, .gov workers...

I think that public workers need to smell the coffee and realise that their retirement payments are way over scale compared to the public sector.

Pay people the correct amount during their working years and they can save like the rest of us. The drag of having public workers retirement payments too high for an ever increasing time frame (due to longer lifespans and the gaming of the system) is the root of economic problems for the entire state.

[Gary Baldi]

The M.Ed degree is a joke!!! Take a couple classes, talk about your feelings, write a paper regurgitating the same old Vygotsky this and "zone of proximal development" that and, BOOM!, Master's degree.
"Many California teachers have PhD degrees." Really? You are putting that out there? I have never in my entire life (all of which has been spent in southern California) met a public school teacher with a PhD.

[dk01]

I like how many of you suggest we (teachers) should be fortunate to have a job. We create our fortune! Its isn't our fault the Govt. has screwed up. Those of you complaining have no idea what it is to be a teacher and what it takes to be in a classroom. I make 96k and I WANT MORE! I deserve more! YOur fortunate your kids have the teachers they have because not everyone can do this job. The turnover is really high. 4 years ago two teachers walked out because they could not hack it. They went and taught at a charter/private school because it is only 25 a class. I handle 42 AP kids a class for 6 classes. I have to multi-task every minute. Read their work and deal with letters of rec. so they can go to a good university. YOU do that everyday. Your job is joke. Without US where would you be?

[cshargeit]

i like what C H said. this is all about numbers. a third grade student would understand that 65 k is more salary than 80 to 90% of the public is paid, no matter what they do. and the argument about a living wage comes into play. the price of a home is so over bloated- again a third grade person would understand this. so i want all the third graders to protest the cost of living.

[elad69]

Having been a teacher for over 35 years and now retired, it is sad to see how little some people think of the work that we do. We spend 8 hours a day M-F then go home and work another 2-3 hours getting ready for the next day. How many week ends and evenings I have spent at school activities when non-teachers just have to clock out at 5 pm and enjoy their week ends. Even if many don't value the work that we do, how many of you as parents would we willing to even hire someone to "babysit" your children while you work? I have a Master's Degree which cost a lot of money and many hours away from my own family while others got to stay home and watch tv or play golf etc. to earn the salary I earned. Why not go after other "professionals" such as firemen who only are on call 4 days a week and then often moonlight at other jobs? Or how about the policeman who gets paid overtime to sit in the courthouse and wait to testify? I was responsible for approx. 200 teenagers (5x40 to a class) attending my classes each day. I just attended my granddaughter's back to school night where learning American values, being excited about learning itself, and promoting a child's self-worth were self-evident. Please stop scapegoating society's problems on the classroom teachers.

[kuruc]

attention teachers! health care is the next best profession.

[daniel]

Lets get a few things correct. If you've been following this story, the teachers want the pay cut to be temporary. That means they do not have to negotiate to get back what is already theirs... That seems reasonable. If the district is THAT short of money, it seems that this is a minor point, but an important one. LAUSD teachers took a 10% cut back in 1992, it took them years to get it back.

Second, the teachers are asking that any funding that is found be used to replace the lost pay. Again, it seems reasonable. If the district is saying that this was a last resort, then replacing the pay should be the highest priority.

Now, in my opinion, the biggest problem we have in public education is that everyone THINKS they know something about it. Most people think that Since they spent 13 years in a classroom, they Know what needs to be done. Simple fact, Ya Don't know jack! I would like to see ANY of those commentators that say that teachers are over paid for only working 9 months a year get 40 different 14 year old kids walking in the same direction, much less get them to turn in homework. Compared to the level of education needed to become a teacher and to stay a teacher, the pay is comparatively low. Please don't talk to me about the Wonderful Pension we get. We pay for that. It comes out of our own pay checks. The fact of the matter is that we are going to have to pay more, in fact, I want them to start taking more. The sooner they begin to collect more from us, the less they are going to have to take.

Now, Firing teachers. All teachers are given a 2 year probationary period. They can be fired for ANY reason. I know a teacher who was great. Her classes scored above average on the all important test scores, yet she was fired because she was, "Too Nice!" When she asked for more of an explanation, the principal told her that he was not required to give one.

Teachers fought for Seniority rights and independent review of firings because too many teachers were fired for no good reason, Too many Prime Assignments went to the Principal's pet, and rather to the teacher best qualified, and so on. If the administration did their jobs, Bad teachers would not make it through their probationary period. If you really observe a teacher, you will know if they will make it or if they won't. In my probationary period, I was observed twice for a grand total of 15 minutes. My future was decided based on how I did in those 15 minutes. If I were incompetent, you should blame the principal who allowed me to survive that probationary period.

[Sparky]

I curious about those commentators who seem to think we teachers only work 9 months out of the year and have unions that are only active for "8 months" (Gary Baldi). I've been a teacher for 15 years and have never heard of this. I work hard and am thankful for my paycheck (which only comes 10 times a year). I don't complain and I do enjoy my two UNPAID months off work. I just wish people had correct information because the notion that we are paid to sit around for three months each summer is absolutely laughable. And to "sdm", I'm curious, how could we expect someone who is unemployed to support our lifestyle? Are you kidding me? D you really think enough taxes are taken from a chintzy unemployment check to support education in California? Surely you jest. Prove it!

[suburban mommy]

People can't pay their mortgages, how are they going to pay increased property taxes of Prop 13 were repealed? How many more houses would be foreclosed upon for failure to pay taxes?? And if a majority of citizens don't want something passed, it shouldn't be passed! Because at that point, there's no point in voting. And please, will someone define "working/middle class." Not everyone who lives in a nice house or earns a nice paycheck is a Wall street bigwig. Most people work their butts off to have those amenities. And who do you think is already paying all the dang taxes anyway??????
Separately, I'm sure unions have a place in some industries, but educated teachers? These are the last people that need representation. And when a board and a teachers union have been at negotiations for over a year with no results, shame on both sides....that just shows you how pointless it all is. Everyone's out for their own agenda, on both sides.

[Sarah Stivers]

I have a solution... teach to the contract. This means no more spelling bees, clubs, letters of recommendations, after school help, recess duties, IEP's at lunch, etc.

Come in, teach from the text book and save the extra money you spend on learning manipulatives (we all know they do not come from the school). Teachers buy these... and why? They care.

So, let's all stop caring and just do a "job". Hey, take 10% off, we leave at 3pm and we can have another part0time job. No day to set up before school or a day to fill out report cards (the crazy board already took that away). I remember going in JULY to help a few of my teachers set up. This IS a year round job!

Back to the contract...No grading at home or weekends in the classroom. OK by me. They'll need a 2nd job to live in this county anyhow. A failing economy? I foresee a failing generation of youth unless we have educated and CARING teachers.

Until we value our teachers, how do we expect them to value us!!!

[Eve]

Gary Baldi-You didn't get out much in Southern Cal did you? We have over 10 teachers with PhDs at my high school and most others have Masters. Soon it'll be a requirement and for you to assume that teachers only get Masters in Education...well you know what they say about ASSUMING....Good teachers are worth every penny. You sound like a bitter, jealous man. A teacher must have given you an F that you deserved.

[Diana Glass]

My kids are in the Capistrano school district. My oldest is at Aliso Niguel High School, pictured in the video. The teachers' median salary is over $76,000. They get great medical and pension benefits and lifetime tenure.

The teachers want to increase class sizes, thereby laying off newer teachers, and shorten the school year rather than take a pay cut. They also want the contract to expire in June 2011 rather than June 2012 so that they can try to renegotiate it in a year. And they are making a big effort and putting a lot of money in trying to recall the school board in November, so they can have union people on board. And they demand that if the district gets any money in the next year, it go to the teachers rather than being spread out to programs that have been decimated, such as the Gifted and Talented program, arts, music, maintenance, etc.

My kids have had some great teachers, as well as some teachers who surf the net all period while the kids do worksheets, show up late almost every day, say things in front of the high school class like "There are too many Mexicans in this school" and "You're such an Asian." One of my kid's elementary school teachers screamed at the class frequently. Lifetime tenure must be nice.

[sell]

Get yourself a new babysitter!