Union blocks teacher bonuses

[OnePimpTiger]

Union blocks teacher bonuses

Grinchlike union bosses are blocking at least 200 of Boston’s best teachers from pocketing bonuses for their classroom heroics in a puzzling move that gets a failing grade from education experts.

The Boston Teachers Union staunchly opposes a performance bonus plan for top teachers - launched at the John D. O’Bryant School in 2008 and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates and Exxon Mobil foundations - insisting the dough be divvied up among all of a school’s teachers, good and bad.

“It’s insanity,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the nonpartisan Pioneer Institute. “They’re less concerned about promoting the interest of individual members than maintaining control over their members”...

...Union head Richard Stutman bristled at criticism he doesn’t have his members’ interest at heart. “We’re not taking money away from teachers,” Stutman claimed.

He also objected to the suggestions his union is a foe of school reform, insisting he backs the incentive program - so long as the bonus goes to all teachers, not just AP instructors.

“There’s no one solely responsible for the development of these students,” Stutman said. “They should all share in the money.”

Another example of the counterproductivity of unions and the socialist mindset...take rewards away from top performers and give them to undeserving underperformers.

[duane1969]

What a joke. As someone who is involved in the education system I can attest to the fact that there are some teachers who are just riding it out until retirement and could care less about providing a quality education. They certainly do not deserve a bonus. In most cases they aren't even earning their paycheck.

If all teachers should get equal amounts of the bonuses then they should also be getting equal salary. The older teachers with 20+ years should be willing to take a pay cut in order to boost the salaries of the younger teachers with 10 or less years. As Stutman said "There’s no one solely responsible for the development of these students...They should all share in the money.” If they are going to create a socialist govt. then they need to go all the way.

[shortking98]

What a great way to subdue excellence and ensure mediocrity at best across the board...

[OnePimpTiger]

What a great way to subdue excellence and ensure mediocrity at best across the board...

Just one of many, many examples of that very thing. In order to keep anyone from feeling left out, they're discouraging anyone from standing out.

[dfr52]

I agree w/ the union. I have an education background as well and all this move does is to serve school staff who work in more well off districts. This move is a joke and trying to base pay on student performance is foolish. I have seen maybe a handful of teachers who are not trying everything possible to raise student scores. What an educator does is in their classroom is important but parents and income are still the top two factors that impact student performance. Bad teachers are usually weeded out by administration. A teacher could be terrible but work in a great (wealthy) district w/ supportive parents and still have their students do well. Do they deserve the bonus just b/c the numbers show good test scores?

[maccards44]

I wouldn't source the boston herald too much, I'm sure if the teachers had been given the bonuses the headline would be "Fat Cat Union Teachers Take Rich Bonuses in Middle of Recession," this paper is all too ready to feed your fake outrage.

Back on topic, why should only AP teachers get bonuses when everyone else is taking a pay cut/wage freeze? Aren't AP classes pretty much only for seniors? What about the teachers who do an (equally) great job with the K-11 grades? Doesn't seem fair to me either.