District 150 teachers are on the brink of a strike, and negotiations don’t appear to be moving very quickly. Yet the Journal Star mentions in passing (emphasis mine), “[Superintendent] Hinton, who did not attend the negotiations, said both sides seemed to be understanding each other better after Friday’s talks.”
Why isn’t Hinton attending the negotiations? According to the District 150 Board of Education Policy Manual the first thing on the list under “Powers and Duties” for the superintendent is that he shall “attend all meetings of the Board, shall be a member of all committees, and shall attend all meetings of the same, except when his or her own appointment, performance, contract, or salary are being considered.”
Perhaps there is a really good explanation, but the paper doesn’t state what it is. I know the guy isn’t going to attend every meeting in the world, but wouldn’t you think that, of all meetings, these might be some of the most important ones for him to attend?
Time doesn’t appear to be an issue. He had time to draft an undated letter to the teachers with a line some have interpreted as a veiled threat (“options have been prepared for our families in the event of a work stoppage”) and another line that is a bald-faced lie (“two school buildings were closed this year”; Blaine-Sumner was not closed, but simply repurposed for administrative use).
It’s just another credibility gap. Of course, that isn’t the only one in these negotiations. I’ll just mention again, in case anyone has forgotten, Associate Superintendents Cindy Fischer and Herschel Hannah are budgeted to receive raises totaling approximately $60,000 between the two of them. These are positions that are completely unnecessary in the first place. They were created to replace Kay Royster on an interim basis until a new full-time superintendent could be found. Then they stuck around after Hinton was hired to give him time to be certified. Then they were made permanent. And now these huge salary raises are scheduled for same year they want a “hard freeze” on teacher salaries.
And what about the $877,000 in premature property acquisition adjacent to Glen Oak Park that the school board authorized this year? The Park Board has yet to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the school district on sharing park land for a new school there — although that meeting is coming up next Wednesday (Dec. 13).
One will pardon the teachers for being skeptical of Hinton’s claim: “While we have taken serious steps to address the deficit, we have remained focused on our core business — student achievement.”
If you’re interested in reading all of Hinton’s letter, a PDF version of it is available on Clare Jellick’s Education Blog, and the text can be seen here by clicking the “Show More” link below.
NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL
OPEN LETTER TO OUR TEACHERSAs you know our school district is under prospect of a strike from our teachers’ union. I want to assure you — our employees — that everything possible within our resources to avoid a work stoppage is being done. Although these are difficult times for our district, it is important for you to know that options have been prepared for our families in the event of a work stoppage. Since March of 2006, we have been working with the union to reach an agreement that is fair, given our district’s serious financial constraints. I would hope that all of our employees would understand that because of the extraordinary challenges we are faced with, it cannot be business as usual.
You should know that we have come along [sic] way since negotiations started. However, issues around salary and insurance continue to be the major sticking points. Yet, it is in these two areas that we must gain some control to make our district financially solvent and free from state takeover. The fund balance in the operating funds, over the last six years, has been depleted by more than 59 million dollars. While we have reduced the amount of our deficit spending, the audit received last week confirms that this year’s expenditures exceeded revenues by 8.7 million dollars. We’re living on borrowed money and we simply cannot continue to do so. In the spring of 2005, we had to borrow $15,000,000. in Teachers’ Orders to ensure that our employees were paid without interruption and to avoid state intervention. We used long-term debt to solve this short-term need. This will not be repeated.
While we have taken serious steps to address the deficit, we have remained focused on our core business — student achievement. Many of you are aware that some of our employee groups have already taken a wage freeze and had significant adjustments to their insurance programs. Additionally, two school buildings were closed this year and others will likely be closed. Departments have been eliminated; academies with low enrollments were phased out. Throughout all of these adjustments, we have tried to minimize the impact on programs affecting staff, students, and student achievement.
It is true we are asking you to make a sacrifice. We realize this may be difficult. However, I hope that you understand that even with the needed sacrifice, our teachers’ compensation and benefits are still competitive, if not better than neighboring districts. In these difficult times we are committed to providing employees, parents, and students with the best available options. While it is not business as usual, I continue to hope that all of our employees will decide to work with us to get through these difficult times. If you would like additional information please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ken Hinton
Superintendent
My comments aren’t about this article, but I just wondered if anyone else noticed the same thing I and friend of mine noticed during the snow plowing episode. Coming down my street was a large yellow tractor with a snow plow on the front, and on the side were the large letters “DEERE”. What’s wrong with this picture? Here we are in the WORLD headquarters of the Carerpillar Tractor company and Peoria uses DEERE tractors to plow the streets! My friend noticed the same thing in East Peoria.
I don’t give a flying rat’s @$$ what brand name is on the plows. I want my local government to buy the least expensive piece of equipment that does the job. Period. If Cat wants Peoria to buy only Cat equipment, than Cat can manufacturer equipment that meets the specs at the lowest possible price. Besides, even if Cat does has low-priced equipment that meets the specs, who is to say it isn’t made in Mexico or China.
I think the reason Hinton didn’t attend the negotiations is that they are conducted by his assigned staff (as they should be) and not by the Superintendent. This isn’t uncommon for most organizations – public or private. The negotiations are undertaken under the direction given by the City Manager/Superintendent/CEO and not by him/her personally. The negotiation sessions are not a formal board meeting. The Superintendent should be setting the policy for the labor negotiators to implement and not actually conducting the negotiations himself – theoretically, he has more important policy issues to be addressing.
CJ,
Hinton has spent his superintendency wanting to be the beloved of all persons to the extent that people who know him often think “why doesn’t the man grow a set”? I believe that is why he is often stressed out and lets his top administrators seize power and strut their stuff. At his salary Peoria taxpayers deserve better! Hey, Harry W, you want the job again? PLEASE!
^00^~
I think the adminstration wants a strike.
The questio is, Why?
CJ: Peo Proud makes the assertion that someone is assigned Mr. Hinton’s job — who would that be? 1. Does not talk about delegation unless I am missing something)
Peo Proud: I thought the Superintendent was to recommend policy to the School Board for approval (link above to duties — advise, recommend, direct) — not be setting the policy himself in some sort of vacuum….
One Feral Kat: Yes, you might be detecting a pattern — Superintendent duties — 6. Direct the preparation of the annual budget for its adoption by the Board and shall administer the budget as enacted by the Board, acting at all times in accordance with legal requirements and the adopted policies of the Board.
Hum — maybe that is why (yes, I know I am playing by two note piano recital) I still have not received an answer as to why Mr. Cahill has not transferred the $1.5-1.6 million from the Oper. & Maintenanace Fund to the Site Acquisition and Construction Fund approved on 22 May 2006 because Mr. Cahill believes it is within ‘his discretion’ to execute or not execute fund transfers after the Board has approved to execute the fund transfer.
So, CJ: Would that mean that the 59 million is over or under the $1.5-1.6 million from a non-executed yet approved Board fund transfer?
Karrie,
I can see this issue of transfer or no transfer is bugging you to no end isn’t it?
Whether you have $1,000 in your piggy bank or in your checking account or in your savings account then making a transfer does not make you any more wealthy overall does it? Likewise, whether District 150 lost $1.5 million more or less one way or the other because Cahill did or did not make a Board approved transfer does not change the sick financial condition of the district!
What was financially imprudent was Hinton/Cahill expending nearly $1 million for real estate based on the assumption that the tax payers would agree to build that large of a new school complex only serving a select segment of Peoria plus assuming the park district could/would pull off such a useage of park property. OTOH as I said earlier Hinton thrives on his “beloved” reputation without having “two of them” .
^00^~
Karrie – You’re right, the Superintendent does implement the Policy of the School Board and works with the Board in setting policy (usually by making recommendations, providing background inforamtion/data/alternatives, etc.). But all chief executives do not necessarily implement it personally. They delegate to their assigned staff. My point, perhaps not eloquently stated, was that while Mr. Hinton is responsible for the state of teacher’s negotiations – he shouldn’t be faulted for not personally attending the sessions.
His role is the work with the Board to determine what terms and conditions they want to see in a new contract and then work with his staff to negotiate that. Usually, the HR Director, legal counsel, etc., are the ones actually performing the face to face negotiations with the teacher’s union.
Administrative credibility – now, there is a novel thought! But why stop at discussing the pay increases received by Fischer and Hannah. With a labor stoppage imminent, rumors are flying fast and furious out of 3202 N. Wisconsin. One of the more interesting, and credible, is that an off-schedule, noncertified administrator (with close familial ties to a very high-level administrator) recently received a 40% increase. And, as in the case of the Superintendent’s error resulting in a paid holiday the day before Thanksgiving which he approved without the required BOE approval, this raise was also put through without BOE approval.
Administrative salary increases, as stated in BOE policy and established as past administrative practice, are given July 1 or March (on the 13th of the 26 pays) of each year (depending on an individual’s hire date). These salary increases are presented to the BOE for approval, listing the individual’s name, position, and proposed salary. BOE policy requires BOE approval before the increases can be implemented. But in this case, the Board was once again bypassed. Administrative credibility, oh please! Do we even dare discuss, with a straight face, the concept of fiscal responsibility?
And what of the ever present double standard. If memory serves, during Dr. Royster’s tenure, she and the financial staff were verbally instructed by the Board to implement increases for the off-schedule administrative staff effective 07/01/04. The BOE then found it convenient to deny the verbal authorization after the increases were effective (even though the instructions were given in the presence of at least 12 witnesses) and directed the financial and HRD staff to rescind the increases and put the affected staff back on their pre-07/01/04 salaries. Hinton does the same – and perhaps more egregious thing – and the BOE sits back and does nothing. If that isn’t a double standard, what is?
It is also interesting to note that the top level administrators – Ass’t Superintendents, Assoc Superintendents, Controller/Treasurer, Superintendent, etc. – all received generous salary increases while the certified and noncertified Directors (next administrative tier down the chart) have had a wage freeze in place for at least 1-2 years. Is this a case of do as I say, not as I do? Administrative fiscal credibility – bah, humbug!
The teacher’s union has reason to be upset over being asked to accept a hard wage freeze. Had the administration not granted themselves generous increases, the teachers’ might have been more willing to consider a wage freeze. But who can blame them for wanting an increase when top level administrators have taken very good care of themselves?
If the union membership votes to strike, it will be very unlikely the administration will be successful in staffing the schools with substitutes. It is no secret that during flu and cold season, the district often is unable to fill 100 teacher absences with subs. How do they think they will fill 1100 teacher absences? Put the students in the auditoriums/gymnasiums with a supervisor? How does that support student achievement and enhance the teaching/learning process?
Parents of District #150 students, the press, and the citizens of Peoria need to ask this Board and Administration some very hard questions. Who will lead this process? When will this Board and Administration be forced by the public and the press to be responsible to the citizens and students of Peoria?