January 8,
2010
MEMBER
EDITORIAL
A
call for teachers to give up their raises |
At the Budget Committee’s Public Meeting on Wednesday, January 6, 2010, some citizens from Goffstown called for the employees under contract to voluntarily give up their raises because of the weakening economy.
Chairman of the School Board, Keith Allard, stated no formal request has been sent to the GESS or GEA asking for a meeting to discuss a change in the contract.
The SAU Board, comprised of the Goffstown, New Boston, and Dunbarton School Boards, recently met to consider new contracts for Superintendent Buckley and Assistant Superintendent Barry as well as 3% raises for all staff who work out of the SAU office. With a new contract the Superintendent will now be making over $120,000 a year plus perks and benefits. It is very difficult to ask the teachers and support staff to forego contractual raises when the administrators at the SAU, some school building administrators, and SAU staff are not foregoing raises which were not contractual.
The SAU Board just granted the Superintendent’s request for more monies designated for attorneys’ fees. The GEA has filed five grievances so far this academic year in response to the managerial style at Mountain View Middle School. Two of those grievances are scheduled for arbitration which will cost the taxpayers more money in attorneys’ fees and arbitrators’ fees. Last year, the GEA filed eleven grievances. Over 95% of these grievances stem from the problems at MVMS.
If this is not the style of leadership that represents you then please consider running for the Goffstown School Board. The deadline to register is in January. Just go to the town hall and place your name on the ballot.
|
