Dublin Teachers Rally For ‘Schools Students Deserve’

DUBLIN, CA — Hundreds of Dublin teachers and staff members gathered for a rally at Dublin High School Friday morning. Students have the day off, but teachers scheduled for a staff development day spent about an hour making their voices heard.

The message? Teachers say they want “schools Dublin students deserve,” which includes smaller class sizes, lighter teacher workloads, more time to work with students who need additional support and better safety. Teachers handed out flyers at most of the Dublin schools in an effort to educate parents about the financial crisis the teachers are facing.

The Dublin Teachers Association and the district have been at odds since 2017. In December of 2017, the union and the district reached a contract agreement through mediation after reaching an impasse earlier in the year. Part of that agreement included hiring a benefits consultant to help find teachers more affordable healthcare options, according to Robbie Kreitz, a teacher at Wells Middle School and President of the DTA.

The DTA says the district has since dragged its feet and only recently hired the consultant, which is putting a strain on all teachers. Kreitz said the teachers cannot afford another year with the current healthcare options available and feel that the process “isn’t going well.”

Kreitz said many teachers cannot afford to live on their own and must live with their parents. Most of the teachers are working second jobs to make ends meet, according to those at the rally. Some of those attending the rally say they feel the district has “turned their back on them.”

"We are working hard to ensure that teachers stay in Dublin and that our students continue to have the best," Kreitz told Patch.

Kreitz said the teachers desperately need affordable healthcare options by October before open enrollment starts. Kreitz said healthcare currently costs roughly $22,000 a year and is deducted from the teacher’s salary listed on the district's website.

Dublin Unified School District Superintendent Leslie Boozer issued a statement about the negotiations.

"We are working diligently to negotiate an agreement with our teachers, seeking a way to increase teacher compensation while preserving the programs and positions our students, staff and community value.

"On the table currently is a proposal to increase ongoing teacher compensation by 2% effective July 1, 2018, a half-percent ongoing increase for those at the top of the salary schedule, and a one-time bonus of 3%. For a credentialed teacher at the lowest range this translates to an annual salary of $65,823 and for our highest paid teachers, an annual salary of $109,153. A two-year proposal option increases the respective salaries to $66,468 and $110,771. The one-time bonus would be calculated on the final amounts. Regular updates of the bargaining sessions are posted to and available on the district website.

"The challenges we face are similar to the challenges that all school districts in this state are experiencing. California has one of the lowest per-student funding levels in the country, while at the same time being one of the largest economies in the world, so there is a disconnect we need to overcome at a state level. Compounding the situation, Dublin Unified receives one of the lowest percentages in the state of the additional revenue generated by supplemental and concentration grants. The reality of teacher pay negotiations is that a school district and labor union must work together to find a way to compensate teachers competitively within the very real limitations of education budgets.

"The Board and I continue to advocate and lobby for full and fair funding of public education, in Sacramento and other venues, so that we can provide the optimal educational experience for our students and staff."

Related:

• School District, Dublin Teachers Reach Labor Agreement

Photos courtesy Dublin Teachers Association