Letter to the Editor about Furloughs

Note: I intended to write to the editor about how the governor's spokesperson "twisted the truth" about furloughs only occurring on non-instructional days. It seemed wrong , but I researched it and found that yes, she was right. But her statement makes it sound like that's acceptable. I wanted to clear that up. Hope it gets published.

Editor,
Thank you for covering our Unity Day rally held in Kailua town on Monday, October 8. It was impressive and satisfying that so many of our teachers, families, and supporters came and joined us to help get our message out - that we are still on furlough and because we don't have a contract the employer can change the rules of the game when it suits them. This has to change.

Ms. Lucas-Zenk asked me a great question about what the public can do to help. I did answer that writing letters and voting for candidates who support public education were ways. However, I did add that it was important to question everything and find out the full story. For example, the job of the governor's spokesperson is to make him look good, and if it means making us look bad, then she will do it. When she said that the difference between furloughs and Directed Leave Without Pay (DLWOP) is that "there is no reduction in the number of days that students are being taught in the classroom" she makes it seem as if the teacher furloughs are acceptable.

School year 2009-2010 was notorious as the year of the 17 furlough Fridays. The following year, 2010-2011, we agreed to give up 6 out of our teacher days, leaving us with 4 teacher days, 6 furlough days. It looks as if the number of student days since the year of furlough Fridays has stayed at 179-180 days. In 2011 and continuing this school year, an "offer" was imposed on us. Furloughs became DLWOPS (Directed Leave Without Pay) and we went to 7.5 furlough days, leaving us with 2.5 teacher days. There are a couple of things to note. First of all, without us agreeing to it legally, more cuts were imposed, more furlough days were imposed. This in itself is an injustice.

More importantly, anyone who lives with a teacher knows that we spend a lot of time working even when we are not in contact with our students. Yes, we have 2.5 paid teacher days, but we spend that time multiplied twenty times (at least) planning, grading, reporting, and doing numerous other tasks required of us. Our schools are being renovated this year and we are spending countless hours packing and unpacking. This is why furlough days are particularly insulting. We are already working a lot more than we are paid for. A teacher's work is more than the time with the students. If that were the case, my students would never have graded work, would never have well-planned lessons, would never have thoughtful learning experiences, book orders, or field trips. I would rarely be able to call parents, or I would only call during class time. And special education teachers, oh my gosh, all their meetings! All of these things and more, have to be done after school or before. We do it because we love it, because it is required of us professionally and because we want to do a good job. We ask to be recognized and appreciated. We ask for a fair contract with reasonable pay, benefits, and working conditions as a sign of that respect and recognition. We can not keep doing more and more and get less and less for it. Something's gotta give or we will be squeezed dry.

I haven't even mentioned the financial hardships many of our members are experiencing. We recognize we are not the only ones suffering from the recession. We share that pain and maybe add that beginning pay is relatively small for the cost of the education it takes to become a teacher. Many of our young teachers will be paying off student loans for years to come.

What can you do to help? Please understand us, listen to us, support us, please spread the word. Use your clout as a member of the community, especially if you are voter, to help us solve this thing. Your shakas, your honks, your friendly shout-outs and smiles were priceless. Thank you!


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