Remarks to MCCSD School Board Regarding Teacher Contract Negotiations

Here's a copy of my notes from my public comments at tonight's Mason City Community School Board Meeting, on the occasion of a very difficult and stressful teacher contract negotiation:

Good evening,

I have four children in Mason City schools, and this next year I will have one each at Hoover, Lincoln, John Adams, and Mason City High School. I also serve on three schools' PTOs (Parent-Teacher Organizations), I am a parent liaison to the John Adams Leadership Team, I serve on the School Improvement Advisory Committee, and I am a substitute paraeducator at Pinecrest Center when I have the time.

I understand that I am in a room surrounded by people, both school board members and administrators and teachers, who care very deeply about my kids, and for this, I am profoundly grateful. We have been through an awful lot together, right in this room, especially over the past few years.

I understand that a lot of this situation is the State of Iowa putting us in a truly untenable position. Obviously, with the notable exception of our own Rep. Sharon Steckman, most of Iowa's state legislators are not teachers. I look forward to a year where we don't have to dread January and the complete bloodletting of public education that the Iowa State Legislature has in store for us.

This situation is enormously painful. I don't believe there is anyone involved in this process who has malevolent intent. However, we do live in fearful and uncertain times.

I do know what it is like to have to work two, three, or even four extra jobs to make ends meet while practicing a vocation that I love--and I know there are teachers in the room and in our district who already have to do the same.

I know what it means to have to worry about the sustainability of practicing the vocation I love.

If there is any possible creative way we can ease the financial burden, not only on our teachers, but also on our district, then I hope that we will do that. We have to find a solution that is workable, because we have excellent teachers, and I do not want to lose a single one. I also want us to be able to recruit as many as we need for many more years to come.

I know that it is a terribly difficult time to be a school board, to be a school teacher, or even to be a school administrator. Let's do whatever we can to lessen the burdens we are experiencing right now. Maybe this means that we look to what other districts are trying--maybe we need to consider ideas like changing the school calendar, writing more grants for after-school clubs, or other community-based grants for supplies and other things we need. I am very willing to help however I can. I also think we need to look at ways we can increase our enrollment, and the WelcomeCorps is a good opportunity to do that in significant numbers over the next few years, which would add revenue to the district. Again, I would love to help however we can.

Thank you very much for your time.