Hundreds of Hillsboro teachers rally for support (Seventh Article)

Wendy Owen
"Hundreds of Hillsboro teachers rally for support"
The Oregonian
February 22, 2011
URL: http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2011/02/hundreds_of_hillsboro_teachers_rally_for_support.html

Topic: Hundreds of Hillsboro teachers rally for support
Summary: This articles stated that at least 400 Hillsboro teachers rallied for support and to settle their contract at Hillsboro High School Tuesday afternoon. The Hillsboro Education Association and Hillsboro School District have been negotiating the contract, which covers teachers, nurses and counselors, for about a year. The contract expired last June and negotiations moved smoothly until the two groups reached finances. For the teachers, their salary increases annually, about 5%, for experience and additional education. But now The district has proposed freezing step increases for an uncertain number of years. The assistant superintendent of human resources said that in better times, they can negotiate a contract that pays teachers accordingly. In times like this, unfortunately, they don't have the money to put on the table to give teachers a raise. So far, a date has not been set for future negotiations.
Intended audience: Teachers
Key points: 1.Teachers are paying more for insurance and out of pocket classroom expenses, having larger class sizes and fewer resources, earning less now than two years ago, having student loans for education degrees, working second jobs and long hours.
2. For the district, the sticking point is funding.
Relevance: In times like now, it is understandable that it is hard to pay teachers with increasing salary. But compared to some other careers, teachers are not payed as much as they deserve. I don't know the reason. But I am on teachers side that I work to make a living. Teachers are as skillful as doctors. Being a teacher is as hard as being a doctor. So why the payment are so different?