CAT Tracks for July 21, 2002 MEDIA BLITZ

MAYOR ATTACKS

James Wilson, Mayor of Cairo, sounded off in the local media this week, labeling the Cairo Public School system a failure and calling for a state takeover. Reported state test results for CJHS apparently prompted his attack, along with an untimely report that the Cairo Board of Education is resurrecting its proposal for a tax increase to fund a new "state-of-the-art" elementary school...a ballot measure previously defeated by a 2 to 1 margin.

One would have hoped for a more reasoned response from a civic leader who has presided over a steady decline in population and economic conditions during his tenure. Mayor Wilson would cite extenuating circumstances - circumstances beyond his control - for the City of Cairo's steady decline. Can he not see that the public school system is faced with those same circumstances? Hopefully, he will reconsider his position, stop the attack rhetoric, and join with us to find solutions to the multitude of problems facing the City of Cairo and its public school system.

Following is an article that appeared in The Paducah Sun this past week. It is representative of the mayor's position:

CAIRO SCHOOLS FAILED: Mayor
The state should take over the schools, Mayor James Wilson says,
to prevent kids' falling further behind.

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By Darwin Campbell dcampbell@paducahsun.com
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CAIRO, Ill. - Mayor James Wilson wants the state to take over Cairo schools. "The system has experienced a financial and educational breakdown and is no longer capable of educating kids," Wilson said. "These schools have failed the students and the community, and it is time for the state to step in and take over to keep our children from falling further behind."

Wilson was responding to Monday's news of the junior high's being put on the state's school choice list and the possibility of a second referendum for $4 million to match construction funds for a new school.

Cairo Junior High was placed on the list for failing to make adequate academic progress. The list is part of the "No Child Left Behind" measure supported by President Bush. According to the measure, parents may transfer children to other schools in the district when a particular school falls behind or fails to meet academic standards.

Superintendent Robert Isom said the school board has not ruled out a plan to put the tax proposal back on the ballot in November in a last-ditch attempt to salvage a $12 million state entitlement for new construction. Isom contends the district has nothing to lose putting the $4.19 million bond referendum back before the voters.

Wilson blasted the board, school administrators and teachers for the current teacher contract dispute and for failing to put students and education progress ahead of personal and salary goals.

Last April, Cairo teachers walked out for 17 days after 10 months of negotiations between union leaders and administrators failed to yield a new contract. During the strike, teachers were demanding pay and benefits increases totaling $315,658 or an annual raise of $4,446 for each teacher.

Ron Newell, president of the Cairo Association of Teachers, said last week that teachers would report for work when school opens Aug. 15. He said that if teachers walk out again, it will be early in the school year.

It is the fourth straight year that the district has received bad academic news or poor test results on its students.

"The children are left out and the ones who have suffered through this entire process," he said. "It is criminal to place children in schools where they are not getting an education and for taxpayers to continue to pay for something they are not getting."

In March, voters rejected a referendum that would have provided $4 million in local funding and given the district the go-ahead to construct a new elementary and junior high school complex to replace two aging elementary schools and the deteriorating junior high school. As a result, Cairo has fallen from 43rd to 48th on the state priority construction list.

The state considers several factors when determining need, such as natural and man-made disasters, crowded classrooms or crumbling buildings. The number of "inadequately housed" students and the age of buildings also play a role in district ratings. A total of 189 districts made the state's list.

The district had plans to build a $16 million facility and consolidate two elementary schools and a junior high school. The proposal included a building to replace Emerson Elementary, Bennett Elementary and Cairo Junior High School by 2004. Those schools house students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

The failure of the referendum leaves the district in danger of losing the appropriation if it cannot raise the local funds by the end of the year.

Wilson, who helped defeat the tax referendum in March, said he is ready to do battle again. He said he expects residents to send a stronger message about demanding results before they approve any measures to make improvements in the district.

"Putting this on the ballot again is ridiculous and an affront to citizens that voted against it the first time," he said. "It is just downright disrespectful to taxpayers."

BOARD LIES

Well, so much for any thought of low-key, productive negotiations on July 26th. In a pre-emptive strike, the Cairo Board of Education gave a press release to The Cairo Citizen this week. As usual, the Board presents half-truths and outright lies to mislead the public in an attempt to win support for its attack on teachers.

A simple example: The Board makes it appear that the Association is not wanting to negotiate...that it "rejected" negotiations dates. NOT TRUE! Either side can request a negotiations date at any time. FACT: The CAT requested a negotiations date on June 25th. The Board (to use their term) "rejected" it...saying that they would be unavailable until July 10th. In fact, Superintendent Isom was informed that both Steve Kohn and myself would be out of town on July 10 BEFORE the Association received the offer of July 10th! That's why we responded by requesting a meeting for July 15th or later...what the Board characterizes in their press release as "the end of July". (Since the Board, Doc, and Barney are making such a big deal out of this, I will provide documentation later.)

By the way...before you get excited about the 6.25% raise that the Board claims to be offering in the 2004-2005 school year...what do you suppose happened to the 2001-2002 school year? Did you notice that their "three-year proposal" fails to mention last year? They took your "4.25% raise" (which was actually 0.5%) and tacked it onto the step they had previously offered for the "4th year"! Another attempt to make them look good...offering a 6.25% raise...make us look greedy and unreasonable if we turn it down! These folks just won't quit.

What follows is the actual press release from The Cairo Citizen. Needless to say, the CAT will respond.

Cairo School Board Details Three-Year Proposal

Cairo schools closed for the summer on May 29 and teachers and the board of education have yet to reach a contract settlement.

In a statement released by the Board of education, they submitted their last proposal to the Cairo Association of Teachers on May 23, which the association rejected outright.

The board has been waiting for the association to submit a counter proposal to the board's May 23 proposal. The association submitted a counter proposal on June 25.

The June 25 proposal submitted by the association was the same proposal previously submitted to the board with one major exception. The association added a fourth year to their proposal requesting a 12 percent pay raise.

On July 3, the board prepared and submitted a response to the association's proposal and indicated the board's team was available to resume negotiations on July 10. The association rejected the July 10 date and indicated the association's team would not be available to resume negotiations until the end of July. The board is offering to resume negotiations on July 26.

In addition to the association's latest proposal, the board said the association has engaged in a barrage of litigation against the district since the end of the school year. As an example, the teachers filed a grievance and an unfair labor practice charge against the district alleging the teachers were illegally deprived of a free prime rib luncheon dinner on the next to the last day of school. The association has initiated litigation alleging the district illegally changed the last two days of the school calendar to require full student attendance days. As a remedy, the association has demanded that all teachers receive two additional days of pay for the last two days of school because the change to the school calendar "required teachers to put in a full seven and one half hour day on May 29 instead of a few minutes normally taken to turn in keys and say good-bye." The association also initiated litigation against the district alleging the board failed to pay four teachers a $250 "perfect attendance" stipend, even though the teachers were absent from work for 17 days during the strike. The district paid the stipends under protest to avoid the cost of litigation.

The board said they continue to offer the teachers a fair and equitable pay raise, but the teachers continue to demand more money despite the fact that the district will receive less money next year due to state cuts in educational funds.

The board stated it is difficult to understand the rationale behind the association's decision to reject the board's previous offers given that the teachers were demanding an additional $35,000 in salary in the second year of the contract and now as a result of rejecting the boards proposals, have lost a total of $304,507 in salary and benefits because they were on strike for 17 days.

The board's most recent proposal to the Association included a pay raise equal to approximately $286,175 over three years. The board's proposal also included a provision to pay the teachers' monthly health insurance premiums in the amount of $443 per month. The district has also agreed to pay each employee a one-time bonus in the 2003-2004 school year if the district realizes a savings on health insurance premiums during the 2002-2003 school year. Under the board's proposal the pay raise each year would be:

2002-2003 - 2 percent (the amount was reduced $22,000 from the board's previous proposal to offset the $27,000 the association owes the district for health insurance premiums it paid on behalf of the teachers during the 17 day strike.)

2003-2004 - 2.6 percent plus a one-time bonus on second year savings on health insurance.

2004-2005 - 6.25 percent.

The board stated it would continue its efforts to reach an agreement with the teachers - a settlement fair to the employees and at the same time ensures the economic solvency of the district.