NCAE News Bulletin
6
“Our Kid’s Can’t Wait!” Members across the state have been organizing, holding rallies and attending school board meetings to let local officials know that things need to change for public school employees. Teachers have no time to prepare lesson plans, prepare for class, or grade students’ work. There are not enough bus drivers, food service workers, custodians and other vital staff to make schools run smoothly. Educators are demanding districts use the billions of COVID federal dollars they received to change conditions and their voices are being heard! We’re Exhausted! The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators wanted to inform parents and the community firsthand of the issues plaguing schools. “If this is not addressed, we will face higher COVID-19 numbers in schools, more staffing shortages, and lack of support for our students and their families,” said Amanda Thompson-Rice, president of CMAE. “We know that our community values education. We want them to hear from educators and allies on the front lines so they know what we need and how to support us.” Since the beginning of school, approximately 500 teachers have resigned. Nearly an additional 100 are set to resign this month. These shortages are not only affecting the educators who show up to school every day, they also affect students as well. One parent stated two of her three children don’t have a full-time licensed teacher to instruct them, and none of them have reliable bus transportation to and from school. “Staff tasked to cover vacancies and absences find themselves in situations where they are unable to do the basic necessities of the day, like eating or using the restroom,” said Rae LaGrone, vice president of CMAE. “Staff are getting sick from exhaustion, and that creates more absences. It’s a vicious cycle!”
It’s Not Just a Job! Hundreds of Wake County bus drivers and educators, joined by parents and students, gathered outside of the Wake County Board of Education to share their frustrations of coworkers leaving the profession they love because of the stress, extra duties and poor wages. They not only came to lift their voices in opposition of the current state of public schools, but with three proposals for the School Board: a $2,000 bonus for all educators, compensation for extra duties and raises for all staff. Vinh Ngo, a member and instructional assistant who works
at Green Hope High School, said “This work means so much to me; it’s not just a job. But the pay makes me feel super disrespected. I work with special needs student and often have to take them to the bathroom. No one should be wiping fecal matter from a student’s body and yet get paid so little.” In early November, the Board approved a $1,250 bonus for all full-time employees and a similar bonus for part-time employees. Board members also approved a pay increase of $13 per hour for roughly 1,600 employees and a 1 percent local supplement salary increase for teachers. A few weeks later, it approved an additional $3,750 bonus that will come from COVID relief funds. The funds could have been used for salary increases but instead they were used for bonuses. Kristin Beller, president of Wake NCAE, said the Board needs to exhaust all of its options in case it doesn’t get approval from DPI to use the federal COVID funds for bonuses. “Raises will be more useful than bonuses in recruiting and retaining employees.” Understaffing Crisis The Asheville City Schools Board recently approved the use of funds from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) to give one-time bonuses to full-time teachers ($3,500) and classified employees ($3,000). The bonus will be paid in two installments over a year. Like many across the state, schools in Asheville are understaffed and underpaid. “There is already a crisis due to understaffing,” said Susanna Cerrato, vice president of the Asheville City Association of Educators. “We cannot afford to lose anymore Asheville City Schools employees.” Help to Retain Educators During its November meeting, the Rockingham County School Board unanimously approved a $4,000 bonus for all school employees. This decision was the result of organizing work, pretty much accomplished in the span of one week, by the Rockingham County Association of Educators. “The bonus means so much to educators across Rockingham County,” said Molithia Spencer, president of the Rockingham County Association of Educators. “For many families, it means a debt-free Christmas. For many staff it means paying off bills. For many staff members it means things are not so tight and not so hard. For me it means the Board truly listened and heard our united voices; that we matter!” The bonus will be divided between this year and next year. Click here to see other locals/districts that have successfully organized for change.
