An Open Letter to the Members of the Volusia County School Board
In your first 100 days, you’re facing a tough situation regarding contract negotiations with our teachers. You have come under fire for what the previous Board did when they brought in a private company to clean our schools…..great intentions, but seriously poor results. You “forced out” the existing school superintendent, dealt with public outcry on school testing, messed up a plan for a stadium plan which made sense and have left the public in a quandary wondering what is going on, and you are way behind in budget preparation. Where is the leadership? Where is your direction? I really am trying to find one positive thing you have done since you were sworn in.
Government is supposed to solve problems, not create new ones. Each one of you campaigned on a platform of being leaders, making tough decisions, finding resolution to issues at hand and improving the quality of life for our children in our schools. Since schools give out grades quarterly your grade is overdue. I think everyone will concur, you get a “D-“and the only reason it’s not an “F” is that the teachers are still doing their jobs and our schools are still running, but then this is not a result of your leadership but more to teachers doing their jobs.
The late Congressman Bill Chappell is my go to guy when I talk about government responsibility. He got things done. There was no waiting, no putting off till tomorrow; he tackled those problems head on. And along the way, he rolled up his sleeves and he personally went into the trenches to make things happen. He took some hits, but he got the job done.
What you have done is pass the buck. We didn’t elect the current administration, the labor negotiator nor the host of others who have been tasked with these issues……we elected you. But what everyone is seeing is that the people I just listed are doing all the talking, all the negotiating, all the back and forth….while you remain silent as onlookers. You just stand on the sidelines cheering it on.
There comes a time when real leaders step up to the plate and say “the hell with the policy and procedures, to hell with the budget, it’s time to do the right thing. Don’t you think it’s about time you put those pompoms down and put on some pads and get into the game? So you’ll get hit, you’ll even fumble the ball or drop a pass or two, but at least you would be in the game and trying. Are you afraid of making a mistake? Afraid of the backlash for doing the wrong thing? Well, those are concerns you should be feeling, but we can’t wait any longer while you find your courage and determination.
No one in baseball bats a 1000, but 350 is a pretty good average. You need to start now, and the impasse with the teacher’s contract is the first place you need to start. Here is an easy solution to a difficult situation.
1. Leave the benefits in place, don’t be messing with who pays what on the insurance and definitely put some everyday citizens on that insurance committee and work on getting the taxpayers a better deal. Local communities provide the same insurance benefits to their employees for far less.
2. You’re on the right track in creating a better package for new teachers. Volusia County is going to see many vacancies come 2015-16 school year and you better have a good package. If I had my way the starting pay would be over $40,000 a year and I’ll gladly show you where the money can come from to do it.
3. Make sure anyone under 40K is brought up over that in a five pronged approach.
a. Immediately raise the compensation for those under 40K proportionately to their status and tenure, and the same for those over 40K.
b. Set a four year plan to raise all salaries, after the 40K adjustment, to include a 1% raise in year one, an additional 2% raise in year two, 1% in year three and another 2% in year four.
c. Begin cutting back “physical expenses” at each school by the same percentages over the same amount of time.
d. Provide for a brand new contract process with all vendors which streamlines cost overruns, ensures competitive bidding and eliminates abuse through aggressive fraud prosecution. I really don’t think that private jet flight and dinner in Orlando was to let us know we were going to get a rock bottom deal.
e. Re-evaluate where you place key personnel and certified teachers replacing them with individuals who can accomplish the same tasks with quality results for less money.
In 2014, I worked my rear end off going up against some serious political opposition to get the passage of the ½ cent sales tax for our schools. I was not alone. Neither are you. But I didn’t let the possibility of failure or political compromise get in my way of doing the right thing for our kids. There are political consequences in everything you will do in this job, but you knew that going into it.
It’s easy to hide behind the same ole argument, “we don’t have the money, where are we going to get the money, and we can’t compete with other counties.” Seriously put out some cheese and crackers with that whine. The money is there, the time is right, and if you have to go to the public for help on this. I believe you are witnessing a public that wants this done, so if increases have to be made to do it, which I don’t believe has too, then so be it.
My approach may be radical, incomprehensible and maybe might not even work…..but I put on the pads and I’m not afraid of taking the hits for expressing an idea….what about you?
David Lee Davis
Rocking Education with Teacher's Brain 