Scott Barnett, a board member for San Diego Unified School District, is asking 15,000 district teachers and other staff to take one for the team by not taking raises. Doing so, says Barnett, will allow more teachers to return to school next year.
"The issue is not whether our teachers and other employees deserve raises, I believe they do,” stated Barnett. "But the plain fact is we can't afford raises."
San Diego Unified is expected to dole out $88.5 million in raises in the next three years. This year employee raises amounted to $17 million.
Barnett says that employee unions refuse to sit down at the negotiating table, despite the hundreds of jobs on the line.
"Our school board unanimously asked our employee unions to work in partnership with us to find ways to save jobs. But sadly, every union except our school police refused to even discuss options. I don't understand how the leaders who represent our employees can justify not even talking about ways to save jobs. Everything must be on the table," added Barnett.
Scott Barnett, a board member for San Diego Unified School District, is asking 15,000 district teachers and other staff to take one for the team by not taking raises. Doing so, says Barnett, will allow more teachers to return to school next year.
"The issue is not whether our teachers and other employees deserve raises, I believe they do,” stated Barnett. "But the plain fact is we can't afford raises."
San Diego Unified is expected to dole out $88.5 million in raises in the next three years. This year employee raises amounted to $17 million.
Barnett says that employee unions refuse to sit down at the negotiating table, despite the hundreds of jobs on the line.
"Our school board unanimously asked our employee unions to work in partnership with us to find ways to save jobs. But sadly, every union except our school police refused to even discuss options. I don't understand how the leaders who represent our employees can justify not even talking about ways to save jobs. Everything must be on the table," added Barnett.