City Finds Giving Teachers Extra Cash Is Not Easy
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Giving money away has never been this hard!
Mayor Michael Udine of Parkland suggested Wednesday that $25,000 in city money be set side to pay bonuses to “dedicated teachers at Douglas High School for their extra time helping our students.”
Not so fast, he was told.
Michael Udine
Before he brought his idea to the city commission, a vigorous debate erupted on a Parkland schools Internet page.
While clearly many residents liked the idea, a number who wrote comments had misgivings.
On parent asked, what about teachers in the rest of Parkland’s schools? Another Northwest Broward resident warned that any bonus would exasperate the gaps between wealthy and poor neighborhood schools.
A skeptic said the Broward Teachers Union would never allow the teachers to be paid bonuses at one school over another.
“City of Parkland gave millions for stadium lights, computers capital improvements the list goes on and on. Why cant we try and help the teachers, if we can?” Udine wrote.
“Payroll is different than capital improvements! When our computer specialist was removed years ago, PTA wanted to fund it. Big no from the county (School system). Anyone who works in a school is a county employee and paid as a county employee,” a parent answered.
Later at Wednesday night’s meting, School Board member Abbe Freedman thanked Udine and recommended that Parkland should work through the school system’s non-profit charity — the Broward Education Foundation.
Like so much in government, a final commission decision was put off to a later date.
“I will await to hear back from my City attorney and see what he advises as my intent is to see that the teachers get the money in their pockets with as little red tape as possible,” Udine said.
September 22nd, 2016 at 8:25 am
The city could provide funds for teacher projects via innovative grants. Only teachers who teach in a Parkland school or teachers who live in Parkland but teach outside the city of Parkland could apply.
September 22nd, 2016 at 9:28 am
Avoid Broward Education Foundation. It is unrated by charitynavagator.org and spends less than half of its income on grants (2.6 mil income, 1.2 grants.) The SBBC lays off administrative and other costs on the foundation.
September 22nd, 2016 at 11:55 am
A great idea from a great public servant and mayor.
September 22nd, 2016 at 1:45 pm
How dare Mike Udine think outside the box to try to help out teachers who are severely underpaid.. He’s got a lot of nerve for trying to reward teachers who go above and beyond..
Reading that people actually object to this just made my soul throw up in its little soul mouth..
September 22nd, 2016 at 2:21 pm
How Dare He hits the nail on the head. The problem with schools is that the School Establishment which includes unions, administrators, the legislature, never think outside the box. It is always the same way of doing things which DON’T WORK.
September 22nd, 2016 at 2:35 pm
This is precisely what’s wrong with public education today. They are a hot mess. How utterly stupid.
September 22nd, 2016 at 2:42 pm
It is unlikely that either the Teachers Union or the Skool Bored will be on board for this. The union won’t because they don’t want some teachers getting rewarded when others are not. The Skool Bored because they want teachers to be beholden to them and them only.
September 22nd, 2016 at 3:52 pm
Love the idea, but dangerous approach. Needs to be done at the county level, not the city level. Many cities will not have the money, they do not have the same wealth as Parkland, but this will get a good conversation going.
There would be a real increase between have and have not schools. It should start a good dialog where the question is can our local governments increase funding to schools to attract good quality teachers and fairly compensate them. I hope County Commissioner Udine works on this issue.
September 22nd, 2016 at 4:48 pm
As a union supporter and former teacher, I thought what the mayor proposed during his personal comments at the meeting last night was admirable. I understand why he made the call not to have the commission vote on the issue to have the city attorney look into the matter further. Hopefully the city attorney will find a way for our great city to provide some direct support for the teachers working at these schools. Mayor Udine and the entire Commission have always been supportive of our teachers and schools. I only wish the District would be the same.
September 22nd, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Violates the teachers collective bargaining agreement.
Give to one give to all!
September 22nd, 2016 at 6:11 pm
GREAT idea…very American, we value money… since there will be a SERIOUS teacher shortage very very soon, people should start thinking of how to reward them, respect them, keep them.
September 22nd, 2016 at 6:26 pm
As good spirited as the proposal may be, it’s not good policy to allow a wealthy community to influence the portion of a larger system that serves only the wealthy community. Parkland could certainly contribute the money to reward teachers throughout the whole school system.
September 23rd, 2016 at 6:51 pm
Not a bad idea at all. Classroom teachers do a whole lot of work for very little compensation.
In Parkland, Westglades parents see our dedicated classroom teachers going above and beyond; at full speed to educate our kids. In the presence of parents and students, entitled department heads and a few of their chosen subordinates, regularly sit around and discuss weekend plans and what to order for lunch. My time limited parent-teacher conference was abruptly interrupted by a department chair who needed to immediately discuss which food platter my daughter’s teacher would be bringing to a holiday party weeks away.
It appears that some of these long term task masters are without enough tasks for an honest day’s work.
The budget cuts never seem to affect this particular population of paper pushing slackers.
The culture of our public schools needs to change. Morale is obviously low. Good teachers are leaving Broward. Our classroom teachers, and other line staff, need to know that they are respected and appreciated.
September 25th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
How about Parkland create their own school board and kick out the county school board? That way they can run schools (and pay teachers) any way they want.
FROM BUDDY:
One School Boards for each county is established by the Florida Constitution. Thus, this non-lawyer believes changing the geographic boundaries of School Boards would require a Constitutional Amendment.
Here is Article IX, Section 4 of the Constitution:
“SECTION 4. School districts; school boards.—
(a) Each county shall constitute a school district; provided, two or more contiguous counties, upon vote of the electors of each county pursuant to law, may be combined into one school district. In each school district there shall be a school board composed of five or more members chosen by vote of the electors in a nonpartisan election for appropriately staggered terms of four years, as provided by law.”
September 26th, 2016 at 8:06 am
BEF is a scam. Ask the 150+ homeless students of Broward County Public Schools.
September 26th, 2016 at 11:15 am
Beware dealing with BCPS. I feel for the Teachers but their Union should be the one to fight for them. Beware the Broward Education Foundation.
Its a shame when responsible and caring leaders want to do something good, and find themselves faced with BCPS. Parkland should know better from the last time they tried to work with the District LOL.
This only happened 5 years ago:
The evidence we have been presented concerning the malfeasance, misfeasance and
nonfeasance of the Broward County School Board (Board) and of the senior management of the Broward County School District, (District) and of the gross mismanagement and apparent ineptitude of so many individuals at so many levels is so overwhelming that we cannot imagine any level of incompetence that would explain what we have seen. Therefore we are reluctantly compelled to conclude that at least some of this behavior can best be explained by corruption of our officials by contractors, vendors and their lobbyists.”
September 29th, 2016 at 11:29 am
I support Mayor Udine’s intention to pay teachers for work they do with NO compensation. Why paying teachers has become so controversial is a question to ask those in the top !% of American wealth who have been funneling most of America’s money their way. Please explain how that keeps happening and teachers can not be paid for their work on a professional level or their extra work aka “overtime” in most professions. Mr. Michael Udine… stick to your guns. Pay those teachers. BTU will not mind at all… in fact i hope every mayor in every Broward city follows suit in the hopes of exposing what the state has done and what Broward has been unable to yet resolve in a fair way for our workers. I also hope that NO board member would consider blocking your genuine act of courage an d honor.
September 29th, 2016 at 4:55 pm
23 years of classroom teaching, all with good evaluations=$50,700
🙁
October 1st, 2016 at 4:10 pm
#18 Bob, within all those 23 years, NEVER A SINGLE IMPROVEMENT?
What a CRIME!!!