Looking at the larger picture
FEBRUARY 5, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Looking at the larger picture
To the editor,
As a former nine year member of the Ridgewood Board of Education I would like to recognize and thank the current five members of the Board for their service. Only a few of us fully understand the position that they find themselves in during the time of teacher negotiations.
These five community members are up against the most powerful union in New Jersey. While their conversations are with representatives of the Ridgewood Education Association, the NJEA is right behind the curtain. At the same time each member when they were sworn into office, they took an oath. The oath was pretty much their commitment to play by the established rules. Public education is a regulated industry. Knowing the five members of our Board, I have no doubt that they are doing everything possible to reach a settlement with the REA within the established constraints and what is feasible for all parties. I can understand that the REA may not like those constraints.
I know the fact finder is scheduled to come to Ridgewood, shortly. Unfortunately, it is not one of those situations that after a few hours of meetings the fact finder will appear on the steps of the Education Center and make a declaration of the facts. However, those financial facts will probably rule the day in a report issued weeks later.
Looking at the larger economic picture, we know that the salary guide in the Ridgewood teachers’ contract is one of the highest in the county. We know that the offered state health benefit plan is one of the best, if not the best available in the program. For those of us employed outside of the teaching profession, we have seen stagnant salaries for a number of years and have experienced job insecurity. As to health benefits, we may be contributing the same percentage to our health care premiums, but the plan in which we are enrolled is probably a lot different today than it was a few years ago. The days of $10 copays have been replaced with high deductible plans.
I know teachers have and will continue to express their views at the microphone during public comment of BOE meetings. They have every right to do that. But, does not every issue have two sides? I firmly believe our Board is doing everything possible.
Bob Hutton
Ridgewood
Correct Bob, 5 volunteers vs the most powerful union in the state complete with highly paid lobbyists and negotiators.
Good timing niche.com just released national elementary school rankings. Travel and Somerville made the top 100 nationally! Exceptional schools.
Let’s be very clear about this, this is all about the money and the greed of the REA and their full-time paid lawyers and lobbyists from the NJEA. They are trying to squeeze more blood out of Ridgewood taxpayers for what are already among the most expensive teacher salaries and health benefits in the entire nation That’s right, we pay $100M a year for our public schools in a Village of 25,000 people. If they don’t like paying for their health benefits then they are welcome to get a job in the private sector or another school district. The BoE must not roll over here despite the threats, bullying and personal and vindictive attacks they are facing from the REA/NJEA. As Bob knows personally, these bullies are not negotiating in good faith, they are trying to squeeze as much as they can from taxpayers. The education of our children is the furthest thing from their minds.
Average packages in Hackensack, East Rutherford/Carlstadt and Closter are usually higher. Newer #’s aren’t out yet but Ridgewood is usually at the lower end of the top 20 in the state. This excludes the vocational and other regionals schools beside ER.
Stand your ground REA!
Those teachers are ridiculous demanding $1500 raises (about $60 before taxes) Blood suckers. I guess if the BOE gives in to the union machine the only option is to move to a town like Maywood. I hear the taxes are real low there. The union is like a greedvice squeezing every last penny out of this blue collar community. Obviously Somerville and Travell are top 20 schools because the kids on the east slide (pun intended) know how to work harder. You could put a monkey in charge of the school and those kids would still succeed.
But what really ticks me off is the fact that these teachers have so much free time. It’s as if they’re throwing it out faces. I see them driving Uber and tutoring in the library on the weekends and stocking shelves at Lowes overnight. Don’t even get me started on the guys who work at the pool in the summer – Look at me. I’m “working” We get it.. You have a lot of free time so you want EVERYBODY to see you outside of work. Time to take a stand RWood. Who needs them anyway!
Put the contract to rest. Squeeze the union before they squeeze us. Sick of it