From Pete Rost:
Mr. Craig and Mr. Cerveny,
My name is Pete Rost, I am a teacher in Harford County, and I wrote to you last week expressing my concerns about the situation with teacher raise/bonus funding. I find myself in need of writing to you both again to further express my growing concerns.
Mr Craig, in that letter I extended trust to you regarding your choices with teacher funding. I wanted to let you know that your veto dismissing funding for all board employees has been a huge violation of that trust. You are not making a strong point to the people that it was intended to make a point to. Instead you have turned support staff against the teachers and ultimately galvanized many members of the HCEA against yourself. You had a strong support base which you undermined with your decision. I am withdrawing my former statement of support for your campaign until I can reassess what your priorities as a politician will be, since that’s what you’ve decided to show yourselves to be. I will remain open to what you have to offer, but I will also be wary of what you have already demonstrated.
Mr. Cerveny, I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today, but I must say that I cannot support the HCEA position any more that I did previously. As I told you, I feel that communication regarding the situation has been extremely poor and confusing in the message when received. The people that you represent should never be unclear on the message of their association and unclear is a polite way to describe what has trickled down to us.
I have now been shown by my own representative body and my county executive that I cannot trust either side, but rather must forge my own truth from the information I can verify from both. Again I say it is a sad state of affairs in this economic time when people are used as pawns for one man’s gain. When the people who are supposed to have their best interests in mind show nothing but disdain for the people who put them there in an unnecessary show of power or the desire to mitigate that power.
I think that all parties involved are being needlessly stubborn and closed minded about a situation that could come to a reasonable compromise, were all parties involved openly communicating and not posturing against each other. It is through open discourse and the willingness to meet somewhere in the middle of where you both stand that we, the teachers, will find resolution to this growing issue. We should all be working for the betterment of education.
Sometimes the people in charge seem to forget that this is ultimately for the kids. My students are my biggest concern and they should be yours too. Each and every student in our system depends on the both of you to resolve situations like this so that they do not become detractors to the school day. I certainly didn’t get into teaching for the money. My mom is a teacher, my aunt is a teacher, my sister is a teacher, and I have many cousins who are teachers. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this job and when I passed on a physics scholarship to go to school to be a teacher before that. This is my choice to be here and I shouldn’t be caught in the middle of a seemingly growing power struggle. I should be getting reinforcement and funding to help our students.
No matter what anyone’s motivation is, we all know better pay attracts and retains better teachers. Harford County is no longer competitive in the market for teachers and falls further behind everyday that these issues of pay are not resolved. Do not continue this without cause or to try to show up the other, but rather come together to make this work. Now it is a matter of compromise and who is willing to look for that compromise. Neither side will get everything that they want from this situation, but my question to you now is, who will be the one to step up and extend an offering of peace? Which of you wants to show you care about your represented constituents and the children they serve? Who is willing to put aside their differences and truly work for the greater good of all of us?
Sincerely,
Pete Rost
Executive Craig protected the tax payers with his decision. When the teachers grow a pair and get their Union in check they will be better off. Until then they will continue to screw their selves!
You do realize that teachers are tax payers and should have been rightfully paid for their services as agreed upon in their contract. The County Executive should not cry poor then mysteriously find money, which by the way is not one time money. Perhaps rather than borrowing more money, County Executive Craig should decide to pay his employees and support their benefits. I am not just talking about teachers, county employees have gotten the shaft too. They should call the AFL-CIO and see what they think. County revenue is practically back to pre-recession levels, despite a lower tax rate. AAA Bond rating does not = troubled finances. Pay your employees what they deserve and you have agreed upon. Isn’t that how its supposed to be? Don’t mislead them for personal gain and then demonize them for insisting that you follow the law. Don’t insert yourself into their negotiations illegally and demand they do what you want or else. Shame on him.
I’ve read a lot about this the last few days as I am a very interested party. My spouse is a teacher in Harford County. The bottom line is this: The County Executive made an offer to pay employees a bonus, which would have been nice considering the state of the economy and it is Christmas time. The head of one of the five affected unions said no thanks, we don’t want it (bad choice), Criag says cool, I’ll take it back then, and for some reason the Executive is vilified? The anger should be geared towards the head of the Union (who by the way makes a six figure salary). Shame on the HCEA for screwing the teachers that pay dues to fund your political battles.
It would be nice if that was all that he did. Actually what happened was he illegal put constraints upon educational funding. It is consistent with the organizational position of MACO, an organization which he has lead in the past. “These difficulties have resulted in differences over budget submissions, employee actions, and Maintenance of Effort (MOE). Counties do not seek any governance over curriculum or programmatic functions of delivering education, but do seek a stronger partnership in guiding these investments of public funds.” http://www.mdcounties.org/legislative/Initiatives.cfm
I don’t be grudge the county employees their bonus. I think they should have their pay raises reinstated retro-actively to the start of the fiscal year. I also think school teachers should get their agreed upon contract if there are sufficient funds. After that, we should consider funding “one time projects” I also do not think we should be borrowing money, a debt which will later need to be serviced, if we can’t ensure our public servants are treated fairly.
The head of the teachers association DOES NOT make a six figure salary. He makes what a teacher in his salary scale makes plus summer wages. He gets the same amount of vacation as a 12 mon employee. HCEA pays the benefits as he is a release president as many association presidents. HCEA is not being ungrateful. Monies available must follow the collective barganing law so that powers that be do not honor negotiations but just give bonuses of any amount. HCEA’S head called Craig and he will not talk until the labor board rules now.
According to the additional data on the HCEA’s 2009 tax return, the President’s compensation was $105,206. Are you saying their tax return is wrong?
105 K includes benefits which they (HCEA) pays for and leave time that is accrued and paid for. He only gets his teacher salary. When you consider the state pick-up on your wifes W-2 that is paid for by HCEA.
Are you saying that a $105,000 salary shows under appreciation?
Again, what does a W-2 have to do with this issue. What was David Craig’s W-2? I’m sure it was over the listed salary for the county exec. I’m sure it is that over compensated fat teacher pension he gets. Or may e some side money from some of his developer frie…oh nevermind.
Mr. Rost brings up many valid points that should be the focus of the discussion. HCEA has been terrible at producing a clear, direct, on point message and has not been open to anyone helping develop a better message that isn’t in their own ‘personal’ loop.
Mr. Craig’s primary focus is his political survival and promotion. His focus is not on Harford Co but to his next campaign to another political office. He has flipped and flopped and pandered to what ever interest group he needs and where in the current election cycle he happens to be.
Do I think HCEA and Randy have done things the best way and in the best interests of teachers in this issue? Not entirely. Do I think Mr. Craig has been completely honest in his actions and that he was trying to be a ‘benevolent’ executive trying to provide some Chistmas cheer without any other motives? Really? Really??? REALLY???
To put absolute faith in either side, or the neutrality of any of the local ‘news’ outlets is foolish. Bravo Mr. Rost.
Everyone is missing the big picture. Has everyone lost sight of the fact that the school system is still being run by a smug, overcompensated, Baltimore County reject??? I have read so many sides of these issues, and still can’t believe that folks are forgetting the real tragedy. Out county tax dollars are STILL paying for Tomback and his unqualified friends (W. Lawrence and J. Brown to name a couple) to run our school system, and take their money back to Baltimore County. The Associate Superintendent doesn’t even have a Doctorate degree. Really? Give me a break. There are only a few people who report directly to Tomback and really don’t have to do much of anything else except collect a paycheck. Did anyone actually read Bill Lawrence’s interview from the Dagger? He had no clue and still doesn’t. Did anyone actually see John Brown’s presentations to the Board? Talk about arrogant without the class and knowledge to back it up. It’s easy to be arrogant when you walk into work every day making six figures, and knowing that you will have a job as long as your buddy is in charge. This really leaves me with an uneasy feeling because I can bet you the Superintendent loves all of the arguing going back and forth between the County Government and the Union. It takes the pressure off of him to try and prove to the rest of the county that he is human. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with him without feeling like there is something really wrong there? I really hope that they don’t renew his contract, I really hope that the Board reads this, and I really hope everyone wakes up and remembers that our school system is STILL being run by an ignorant, ruthless, joke of a leader who can’t even look you in the eye when he speaks to you.
Teachers and other County employees in Harford County are having some serious problems and are under attack by their government. This is what County Executive David Craig thinks about teachers and recovering their lost salary steps (I’ve lost $12,000 during the salary freeze)…
“I will not tolerate one group trying to outfox the others, nor will I tolerate one group trying to obligate taxpayers to a reoccurring expense based on the availability of one-time money.”
Does that sound like he ever intends to provide the funds to maintain teachers’ salaries and benefits. Help us in our fight for fairness. Contact him at his campaign office, call him or post to his facebook page. Let him know what you think.
25 W. Courtland St. Suite 101
Bel Air, MD 21014
(410) 893-2083
Please forward this to all your friends and family. Thanks for your help.
Ryan