The Richmond County Board of Education unanimously agreed Monday to provide teachers and counselors days off to compensate for state-mandated pay cuts.
Previously, county teachers' pay had been cut the equivalent of five furlough days, but they were only allowed to leave 15 minutes early each day.
Monday's decision, recommended by Superintendent Dana Bedden, allows all 190-day certified staff and middle and high school counselors to take a half day off on early release dates -- Oct. 20 and Nov. 10 -- and full days off on what had been professional learning dates Oct. 21 and Jan. 19.
A furlough day Feb. 15 had been established in July for all school system employees.
Dr. Bedden said the days off would replace the 15-minute early departures.
"This is compensation for lost wages that they have not received already," he said.
Dr. Bedden said there was discussion about giving 190-day certified staff time off at some point in the school year when the decision to cut pay was made.
"I believe they deserve the time off," he said after the meeting, but he was waiting to get a better picture of what further state cuts might be on the horizon.
He said his recommendation Monday followed many "negative and nasty" e-mails suggesting that teachers should be getting days off. He said most of the staff appreciates the absence of layoffs.
Dr. Bedden said more tough days could be ahead for the school system, and he couldn't rule out the possibility of layoffs. He said area legislators have told school officials that more state cuts could come in January.
He said at Monday's meeting that the size of the cuts could determine whether layoffs are needed. He said there might be other money-saving options, such as shortening some school days, but he added, "I'm running out of tricks."
Furloughs involving school bus drivers also came up at Monday's called board meeting.
Dr. Bedden told the board that bus drivers had been given a pay reduction equivalent to a four-day furlough. He said state law requires bus drivers to work each day students attend school, negating the possibility of off days.
Board member Jimmy Atkins then mentioned how some bus drivers had said they weren't aware of the cuts until they recently received their paychecks. Dr. Bedden said they were told of the cuts and didn't voice concerns. Mr. Atkins also was told that there were meetings with about 90 bus drivers about the changes.
Mr. Atkins encouraged Dr. Bedden to get with school board attorney Pete Fletcher. He said employees spreading erroneous information should be disciplined.
"It's time we take a stand," Mr. Atkins said.
Reach Preston Sparks at (706) 828-3851 or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
CYA move by Bedden, since the "15 minutes early" was a joke, probably illegal too. Mr. Atkins, I agree with you, it IS time we take a stand. We, the taxpayers, need to take a stand against Atkins and the rest of these disingenuous fools. Too bad Jimmy isn't up for unreelection now. I think the super and school board should be disciplined, since they've been spreading erroneous information for years.
When are there going to be some serious reductions in the amount of waste in the central office?
Cut, Cut, Cut. EXCEPT football and other activities that have absolutely NOTHING to do with educating our children and grandchildren. also, if Ga. would quit paying outrageous salaries to all of these dime store Phd's millions could be saved.
I hear there may be a class action lawsuit in the works over the unpaid overtime the teachers are forced to work. i.e. faculty meetings after school, arriving early for duty then having to stay late, etc. Would you work at your job for up to 2 hours overtime without being paid for it every day?
Teachers should do what it takes to make the help the kids succeed no matter how long it takes. BUT administrators (the REAL problem in education) should ensure that NOTHING gets in the way of teachers accomplishing that goal. And money, well, if you are teaching for money you are dumber than the kids sitting in front of you. We teach because we care and have a passion for what we do. At least that is the way it is supposed to be and was many years ago.
those who can do, those who can't teach
AugustaVoter, salaried employees all over the country come in early and leave late every day without getting paid for the extra hours. It's not illegal and it doesn't warrant overtime pay. I would challenge any teacher to work just a full 40 hour work week, ALL YEAR LONG without complaining. Teachers complain, but they have time to voice their opinions on this blog while they are supposedly working hard "teaching". The school board had the right to cut pay and not have the teachers leave 15 minutes early - Bedden did the right thing though, giving the teachers the days off they are not being paid for.
The sad thing is that these teachers are still going to be working just as hard for just as long. The difference is that now, they'll just be taking more of the work home with them and getting paid less to do it. Teachers work much more than 40 hours a week, but most get paid only slightly more than the guy flipping burgers down the street. These people are such an important key to our children's future. They deserve our respect and our support.
"those who can do, those who can't teach" -thankgodforaugusta Be thankful for all of the "those who can't" that had a hand in your education. Regardless of what you may believe, you weren't born with the knowledge and skills you now possess.
hey fish you better get back to teaching instead of on here
fish I'd probably be a lot better off if I hadn't been taught by the people who are too sorry to work for a living or not smart enough to make a living any other way
I wish I could support my family on a teaching salary. I would do it in a heartbeat. Not that it would be about the money, I simply must put my own children first. For now, I support my wife (a teacher) with a slightly better paying job of my own until such a day arrives.
My wife, by the way, works a lot harder than I do and I'm not ashamed to say it. I am very proud of the work she does and the way she is affecting the lives of her students.
thankgodforaugusta...That explains why liberals become educators.
grasshopper yes it does also also explains the sorry state of the world today thank a teacher at a government school
Are you guys blaming all your problems on your childhood teachers? I didn't know ungratefulness could be taught. Regardless, we're all glad you chose not to pass these traits onto today's schoolchildren.
ever notice who thinks teachers are doing a good job them and there kin folks wonder why that is
FOoW, I always take the teachers side. It's their classroom their rules. As one of my old teachers told me, "My class room is not a democracy, it is a dictatorship, and I am the dictator."
Usually I don't like to comment on the grammar of fellow posters, but in this case I think it is appropriate. thankgodforaugusta, I see now that the quality of your education was exceptionally poor (based on the misspellings and lack of punctuation in your previous post). I now see why you are so bitter. Tell me, what school(s) did you attend, so that I may avoid sending my children there.
typical liberal tactic when the facts fail you resort to personal attacks very nice fish
Typical tactic of the ignorant: when you find that you disagree with another person (but can't come up with an intelligent rebuttal), label them with your opposing political ideology in an attempt to disqualify their opinions (regardless of whether the conversation has been political or not). I'm sorry our education system has failed you, but please don't try to bring us all down with you. Some of us have done quite well with the same opportunities you had.
whats with the personal attacks have i made a personal attack on you i think not
If I have offended you, I am sorry. But when you make blanket criticisms of some of the most decent, honorable, and yet least respected professionals there are in this country, you deserve to be called out. There are bad teachers out there, as in any profession, but the majority are hard working people who genuinely care about the quality of their students' education. When I hear people say "those who can do, those who can't teach", it makes my blood boil because teachers have the most important job in our society and they deserve much better out of the rest of us.
o unless you took being called a liberal as a personal attack in which case I don't blame you and I am sorry
I think you need to ask yourself if it was intended as a personal attack. I didn't get the impression it was a compliment. I don't even know why you assumed it in the first place, because I am defending teachers?
Teachers = Unionized = no reduction in wages. Bus drivers = non unionized = reduced pay for the same work as before. Yeah I guess joining a union isn't a good thing. Why didn't Bedden give Adkins a copy of the written notice that was provided to all bus drivers telling them of the pay cuts? There was a written notice wasn't there? Why sure there was or else the ELECTED official would have notified his employee ( Bedden) that would have been the proper way to supervise. I am sure that was the reason he made the comment about bringing the hammer down on people (bus drivers) spreading rummors. BTW how did they spread rummors if they were notified in writting about what was going to happen?
Teachers = Unionized = no reduction in wages. Bus drivers = non unionized = reduced pay for the same work as before. Yeah I guess joining a union isn't a good thing. Why didn't Bedden give Adkins a copy of the written notice that was provided to all bus drivers telling them of the pay cuts? There was a written notice wasn't there? Why sure there was or else the ELECTED official would have notified his employee ( Bedden) that would have been the proper way to supervise. I am sure that was the reason he made the comment about bringing the hammer down on people (bus drivers) spreading rummors. BTW how did they spread rummors if they were notified in writting about what was going to happen?
Noway, the problem is that teachers are not technically "salaried" employees. Their contracts are broken down into an hourly rate. Are they really salaried, Yes by all means. But it is no reason to put up a smoke screen to make it appear that staff are getting off early. I don't know of anyone in their right mind who works for someone else for free. Bankers, accountants, lawyers, etc. I would just like to see it called for what it is. Just call it a salary reduction and leave it at that.
The change from 15 minutes a day to half and full days off shows integrity on Dr. Bedden’s part. It was obvious that the 15 minutes were not working. Now, for those of you who believe all teachers do is hand out work sheets and polish their finger nails, let me be so bold as to suggest you use one of your vacation days to volunteer in a classroom. Also, if you are too stupid to use proper grammar, proper punctuation, and proper spelling, at least have enough sense to type your comments into a word processor; check your grammar and spelling; and then paste your comments into the comments box. I did.
I have always read these blogs and laughed but today I am compelled to respond. I was an educator for 31 years and loved every minute of it. I never was so lucky to work only a 40 hour week. When I came home, it was lesson plans, grading papers reading up on new information to pass on to the students that was not updated in their textbooks, calling parents, etc. There was little time for me, but that was OK because I felt a calling to be a teacher. People like you,TGFA are the reason teachers become so exasperated. You make judgmental statements about something you have no idea about. Fish, I'm proud of you for standing up for teachers. People have no idea how hard a teacher works unless you are one or live with one. Hopefully my blood pressure can go back down now. Grasshopper, you must have been one of my students as that was my saying!!
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