First of all, I hope my neighbors and colleagues — as well as your readers — will forgive my tardiness in responding to Jim Jaffe’s letter to the editor (SMDP, April 25, page 4). I was trapped on Catalina Island with 58 fifth graders for several days and unable to access the Internet.
Jim laments the apathy of some citizens and voters in holding their elected officials accountable for their actions. Well Mr. Jaffe, you’ve got no one to blame but yourself on that one. You yourself have been so diligent, so tirelessly and remarkably alert to the actions of the SMMUSD Board of Education for at least three decades that I am aware of, many folks simply shrug their shoulders and sigh, “Jim’ll take care of it” or “Jaffe’s got our back.”
It is an effect that I have seen coast to coast in this middle-aged democracy of ours. Too many citizens worn down by the everyday wear and tear of making a living and ends meet, depending upon the occasional rare individual who seems to get up every morning determined to preserved the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of all his or her neighbors.
I’d just like to say publicly, “Thank you, Jim Jaffe.” My second point references Jim’s point about the expansion of administrative pay. Now I’m all for administrators making every penny they can — Lord knows they earn it. Besides many are former colleagues, and I’m all for anyone and everyone in public education including secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, grounds keepers, etc., making enough money to be able to live in the community they serve so well. However, I am vice president of the Santa Monica- Malibu Classroom Teachers’ Association (SMMCTA), and must confess a special interest to the needs of teachers.
To wit: From 2001 through 2005, state Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) from the state of California ran at a little better than 18 percent. Our teachers in Santa Monica received only 13 percent of that increase. Therefore, on New Year’s Eve last, they were effectively working for 5 percent less than they had on Sept. 1, 2001. You may have noticed that gasoline, goods, rent — a great many things have increased dramatically over that time period.
This is made all the more troubling by the fact that the school board is sitting on top of a budget reserve of well over $10 million. The state-mandated reserve is $3.4 million. Why are they refusing to reward their other employees — besides the administrators — who also deserve better compensation?
On top of which, many of my colleagues, myself included, got hit with a $500-plus increase in the cost of maintaining our family’s health benefits — paying to maintain benefits is also a “new” concept this year for SMMCTA. That pretty much negated much of the midyear increase we did receive, effectively only 1.6 percent of a 4.23 COLA for the year. Long-term substitute teachers lost their right to gain medical benefits for their families for reasons that have never been explained to me.
When the city and board go to the voters asking them to approve a bond measure for the district, they never fail to laud our excellent staffs and the need to hire and retain the best available teachers. But when it’s time to ante up, teachers are left 5 percent short of where they were five years ago.
This bait and switch tactic needs to end. The board doesn’t need a $10 million cushion.
My thanks for your time and patience in these and all related matters.
Marc J. Sanschagrin Vice President Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers’
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2006. Read the original PDF.