Calls for Pay Freezes for Teachers Ignored

Teachers in North Penn School District applaud after rejecting pay freez

Charles Thompson of the Patriot-News yesterday highlights the alarming number of teachers and union leaders that flat out rejected Governor Corbett's calls for pay freezes across the state. If you remember correctly, Pennsylvania was facing a 4 billion dollar budget shortfall heading into this fiscal year.

As a result the Governor proposed sweeping education cuts and urged teachers and their union leadership to accept pay freezes for the 2011-2012 school year to relieve pressure on state and local budgets during these tough economic times. Governor Corbett is obviously disappointed with the numbers.

“I’m encouraged by the ones who did do it, but I would have liked to have seen more of them do it,” Corbett said.

“You see a lot of teachers that were laid off in districts that refused to take a wage freeze, and the parents and citizens, the taxpayers in those districts should ask why. They want to blame all the people being laid off on the fact that the [overall] budget was cut ... but they could have participated and helped get through this year and chose not to.” Read More

Surprisingly, teachers in only 83 of the 500 Pennsylvania School Districts accepted pay freezes. An alarming rate considering the decline in our economy and private sector wages since 2008. The teachers and their union leaders who chose not to accept the pay freezes contributed heavily to layoffs of valuable support staff and increases in property taxes. It is a shame that an overwhelming number of teachers chose to think of themselves over the quality of education being delivered to our children.