I hope teachers hear what the UEA says up on the hill - especially younger teachers. The UEA doesn't want the teacher salary increases, they want the money to just go to the district and the district to decide what to do with it. What do you think of that? This is the representation you are getting for that money they withhold from your paycheck.

I agree, I am in favor of the legislature directing monies especially to teacher salaries. History shows that increases in the WPU, rarely mean increases in teacher salaries. I also beleive that the majority of teachers are not aware of the extent of the adversarial relationship that exists between the UEA and the legislature.I consisder the UEA a roadblock to the much needed changes in Utah education. That is why I have chosen to affliate with the Utah Council of Educators, that encourages professionalism in education and a colleagial relationship with Utah lawmakers.

I am a teacher in the first years of my career and I don't believe SLP is a teacher. You can't be "collegial" if that means not disagreeing with ideologues who think software eliminates the need for smaller class sizes. UCTE is funded nationally by All Children Matter, the Waltons' (Wal-Mart billionaires) organization that funds voucher camopaigns across the country. UCTE is their attempt to divide and conquer teachers' organizations that actually fight for public education. It is "unprofessional" to claim publically elected school boards should have their roles usurped by the state legislature.

The WPU not getting to teachers is a lie. District admin. is less than 1/2 of 1% of Alpine District's budget. Teacher salary and benefits is by leaps and bounds the highest expenditure along with the capital costs of building new schools.

Shilling for privatization and UCTE on these boards is preaching to the choir, but it won't convince real teachers who know the truth behind the anti-public ed. lies.

As a science teacher I quit UEA long ago.

I was proven correct last year when UEA fought the raise for science/math teachers. They opposed it again this year. Luckily it got through.

All the UEA does is create an adversarial relationship with the people that control the money. What purpose does that serve?

I love the fact that the legislature has been giving the money directly to the teachers and not the WPU.

Our State Legislators love to shout about "local control" with the feds. But that only seems to work if control is consolidated at the state level. They always take issue with local control at the county, city or school district level. Why do we even have school boards if our all-knowing legislators call all the shots?

To first year teacher,

You will soon see. The money doesn't necessarily go to the salaries of administrators. It does go to whatever project they deem worthy that year. It RARELY makes it to the teacher salaries.

Giving it straight to the teachers from the legislature is the way to go. UEA is left out of the negotiations and therefore it goes where it is needed.

The legislature is so tricky.
I can't understand why they roll all these bills, many of which had already been defeated, into last minute blanket bills.
As for science and math teachers--enjoy the raise. As an English teacher who puts in more hours than anyone else in my school, it bothers me. Though I recognize the need for math and science, I find it hard to support this because some science, math, and technology teachers do not teach well or put in the time to be successful.
This bill may be what finally pushes me out of education.

Reply to Maybe,
Get your facts straight UTCE is not fundd by ANY private foundations and that includes All Children Matter Last spring the UEA started a mailing campaign against UTCE , with the same false information you have just reiterated. UTCE Members dues cover all costs. And I I am currently a full time SLP in Jordan District. Alsoif I remember correctly "choice" is a fundamental right .If I felt that UEA was the best association perhaps I would have chosen to join, they are not the best fit for me and my professional goals. And besdies,the more information provided to our legislators,from perspectives can only do more for the education system.

In response to "Maybe" Get your facts straight. UTCE is not funded by any private foundation and that includes All Children Matter. All operating costs come from member dues. Last spring the UEA launched a mauiing campaign with the same false information that you just reiterated. FYI, last year, UTCE did not support the Voucher bills .I believe 'choice' is a fundamental American right. I chose not to join the UEA, because I believe that they do not promote my professional goals. UEA has done nothing to inspire confidence in me as to their effectiveness. One more thing...I am a full time SLP in Jordan School District.

See!? It's already beginning. As "poor policy" says above, the rivalry begins.

BTW, isn't the extra pay for math and science only if I decide to work all summer long? Isn't that just "summer school"?

Pay us all fairly and equally.

Bring us up to nationwide averages and stop dragging us at the bottom of the barrel.

The UEA is a toothless cat. If they had legit complaints, where is the strike?

Adding money to the WPU and hoping it trickles downstream, into the river, through the rapids, and out to sea and just trusting the districts to get that into teachers' pockets is asinine.

Imagine going to work everyday and not having to do anything. Imagine having a three month vacation every summer and countless paid holidays during the year. Imagine not having to worry about layoffs or job performance.

Those of us in the real world, who give a days work for a days pay and worry and stress over layoffs etc. are the real fools. We should have been teachers!

I was associated with UEA as a local President for several years, and have had my ins and outs with them. The trouble with UEA is that they fight for teachers as a group and not individually, i.e. they fight for all teachers and fail to recognize the benefit of lifting science and math teachers this year and then going to bat for English and resource teachers next year. It would be far easier to make a case on a subject to subject basis. The risk in this would be the alienation of teachers in all of the subjects that are not on the front burner at the moment (see the comment from the English teacher). The wisdom in raising science and math pay is that these subjects are on the front lines for college admission (English too) and students who major in these areas are apt to go into higher paying professions. The pay will hopefully draw a few of those into education where they are desperately needed.

On the other side: it wasn't until I left Utah and began to teach in another state that I realized the great asset UEA is to teachers.

Most people don't think that fairly and equally are the same thing.

Science teacher 1:31 obviously does not know that teachers are forbidden by law from striking! Even the one day "sick out" from a few years ago was not a strike.

I am a proud member of UEA, and my local association does a great job of negotiating a raise equal to the WPU percentage. If your local doesn't manage to do that, I suggest you ask to be named to the negotiating committe and do better.

For decades, the state legislature has ignored the needs of Utah's children and the need for decent wages for school employees. Only UEA was around to advocate for any improvment at all. We cooperated during the really tough times upon the promise that when times were better, we'd see greater compensation. Times got better and we were ignored for a long time. We cannot argue that actual dollars for education have increased recently, but that increase in amount has only paid for the increase in costs.

Finally, adding one or two thousand dollars per year to a salary that is half of what a science or math person could earn elsewhere will not convince someone who doesn't already want to be a teacher.

SLP

The Walton Foundation, Hume foundation, Olin Foundation, and Bradley Foundation all have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the AAE (For others, AAE is the parent of UCTE, like NEA to UEA), some for the express purpose of setting up new state chapters. They also advocate the corporate shill ABCTE certification that mercifully got cut from SB 281 in the last hour last night.

To be fair, I don't know if UCTE actually was set up with those funds. And I can believe that UCTE is not involved in all activities of the AAE just like the UEA does not advocate everything NEA does.

The problem is that the Waltons are funding that organization for a reason: to divide and conquer teachers. UEA is whiny sometimes, and I don't agree with everything it does. But they stand firm. I don't believe that the legislators would come around if we were just "nicer" to them. They have unyielding privatization philosophies and don't care what others think. They think teachers are lazy and can be replaced by computers.

A colleague I admire and my favorite BYU professor joined UCTE. I think that only encourages the legislature to ignore all teachers.

Why don't you become a teacher if it is such an easy job?

I dare you, and others with the same opinion of teachers, to choose a subject or grade level and a school and call a teacher and volunteer to take their class for two days.
You are not allowed:

to use any of the teacher's lesson plans, you must write your own.

to leave the classroom during class hours, this means you cannot go to the restroom until a class break, lunch or after school.

You must:

be to school 30 minutes before school starts and stay 30 minutes after school ends.

correct all assignments and enter them into powerschool or whatever program is used before the next class period or the next day. This is so parents can check on their children's progress.

deal with parents who are upset that their child is not the star.

be prepared to handle all types of children, from all types of backgrounds. You cannot treat any child differently, no matter what.

do extra paperwork to fulfill NCLB regulations.

defend your job daily to those who thing you do nothing all day.

Any takers?!!!

To Perfect Job:

Imagine putting a day-and-a-half worth of work each day and getting paid less than half of what you are worth. That is what a teacher does every school day. Teachers also don't get paid vacations or holidays as you suggest either.

As a young teacher the real issue is not about pay. It really is the bureacracy that is the road block...Unions, boards, etc. I know a first year teacher who was recently fired because she was not a part of the UEA Union. Districts and the UEA don't seem to really care about the teachers and students real needs. A local district would rather invest millons in venture instead of it's students-excuse me-what is more important. The classrooms lack supplies and teachers lack assistants to aid them in their ability to teach the large classroom sizes and the ever growing diverse population!!!!!!

After years and years of watching the district take millions from the legislature without giving any to fund salary increases, I'm really happy that the state representatives found a way to get money to the teachers. It's refreshing! Thank you to the Utah Legislature!!!

I almost think you made your post to get a rise out of people. I am not sure anyone could be as ignorant as what you posted. I think if you believe teaching is the "perfect job" you should go be a teacher, then you would have nothing to complain about. Why are you not a teacher?

You can be a teacher. Go back to school get a four year degree. Teach for a few years and then be told you have to go back and get endorsed in other areas such as math or science. Once that is done you'll have to get a Masters Degree. By then you will have taught for ten years. Now you are making the "Big Bucks" (around $40k). Not bad for ten years work. It doesn't end there...you will have to take continuous classes throughout your career to keep your certificate current and if you don't well your out the door. Did I mention that none of your schooling is paid for by the district you teach for. Furthermore, you will be working in the summers to pay for that additional schooling (loan payments). As far as holidays being paid...NOT. Your right teaching is a perfect job and I recommend highly that you come give it a go. However, since your earlier comments (3:14) are so accurate and you seem like a nice person, I will warn you it is not for the faint of heart. It goes way beyond that little piece of paper you posses called a GED.

I was going to respond to "Perfect Job", but it seems like my fellow educators just schooled you.

HA HA!

Oh, and note to the UEA peeps above. You can't strike?!?

Just one more reason why I'll never join the toothless kitty that is the UEA.

All those dues and all you do is fight for WPU. Shame on you!

To the establishment advocate that said "Oh, we see your family's starving. Let us paint your house."

From the vantage point of a parent, it looks more like the legislature is saying "Oh, we see your family's starving, but when we give you the money, you only buy beer. Because you can't control yourself, we will buy the food"

A teacher fired for not being a member of the Union. Why would anyone make such an idiotic comment? Look deeper into why your friend was let go and I am sure you will find a more suitable answer. The UEA actually has very low numbers when it comes to their membership. You should say approximately 50% of all Utah teachers will be fired because they do not belong to the Union, that would be equally as accurate. The Union has far less power than people think. That is why the numbers/membership is low. Please do some research before you post such ridiculous statements.

As a Math-Science teacher I would like to thank the Legislature for my pay increase. I’m sorry for the rest of the dedicated teachers of the other subjects. They deserve the money also. However, I believe the Legislatures idea of paying more to math and science teachers will work. The raise will not draw teacher that were headed to the business world (the money wouldn’t be worth it) but for those that want to be teachers it might persuade them go into math and science. My daughter wanted to be a teacher. She was undecided as to go into math or Elementary Ed. She chose Elementary Ed because the degree is so much easier to obtain. For an extra $5000 a year she would have taken the road less traveled and been a math teacher.

In reality the UEA is a Professional Association, not an Union. They do collective bargaining with the districts, they do lobby legislators, they do make sure that the teachers are treated well by their employers, they do not strike, anymore. The UEA had a one day "strike" in the mid-1980's. The last time there was a real strike in Utah was when Jordan District was on strike in 1981, that was one district striking for better insurance and pay. It worked for a while.

The UEA is a union. If it weren't a union then its parent organization, the National Education Association, wouldn't have to make it's finances available to the US Department of Labor.

Doing collective bargaining is the definition of a union. If the teachers union isn't a union, then I'm the queen of England.