WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach County school district teachers are demanding higher wages after contract negotiations with the school district reached an impasse earlier this month.
Crowds rallied outside the school district headquarters Wednesday, then packed the school board meeting to voice their concerns on the raises.
“My plea is that you reconsider your priorities and demonstrate through your actions and not just your words that you value the people doing the work that keeps this district running,” said, Michelle Buckel, a teacher at Jupiter Elementary.
Several teachers shared one message: a 5% salary increase. Earlier this month, the school district proposed a 1.8% raise along with a 1.5% bonus, but members with the teachers union say that still falls short.
“The most important factor in a classroom in schools, for getting students to reach their potential, is a highly effective teacher,” said Gordan Longhofer, president of Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association (CTA).
Teachers at the rally said inflation and rising costs are making it harder to stay afloat.
“It means to be able to live and pay your bills without having to choose between your prescription meds or your light bill,” said Jacqueline Major, a high school English teacher at Rise Academy. “Your cable bill, or your car insurance. It means that we’re worth it.”
According to the National Education Association, Florida is 50th in a ranking of average teacher pay across the country.
“Even with the referendum, our wages are not enough for a single person to live in this county,” said Jodi Mochel. “Most of my colleagues aren’t here today because they’re at their second or third job.”
Crowds argued that in an A-rated district, they deserve compensation that reflects their performance and warned that stagnant pay could drive teachers away.
“This is our future. The kids are our future,” said Cheryl Whitehurst, a physical education teacher. “We are A-rated teachers in an A-rated district. We need to be treated that way.”
The school district issued the following statement due to the impasse:
“The School District of Palm Beach County supports increased compensation for teachers, and we recognize that the success of our students is a direct result of our dedicated educators. The School District has worked diligently to construct a compensation package that exceeds the state’s allocation. The District’s current salary proposal offers five times the amount specifically funded by the state for teacher raises. We achieved this despite significant financial headwinds.The District is currently managing a $40 million budget shortfall. This gap is the result of a decline in enrollment of approximately 6,000 students. We must balance our budget responsibly, and we’re working to avoid layoffs and cuts to student programs. We remain committed to providing the highest possible raises within these financial constraints.The District has a strong history of providing higher raises when state funding allows, including a 10% package just a couple of years ago when the budget was more favorable. Our teacher salaries and benefits remain among the most competitive in the state, and we agree that more must be done by the state to increase teacher pay.Our goal is to reach a fiscally responsible agreement as soon as possible so our teachers receive their pay increases without further delay. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our teachers and every member of Team Palm Beach.”
A hearing with a special magistrate has not yet been scheduled. While there is no firm deadline, the review process could take months.
