Raising The Bar But Not The Pay

To the Editor:

Educational assistants are an integral part of our school system who primarily support special needs students. Since July of 2004, Newtown’s educational assistants have been without a contract. After two unsuccessful give and take (the union gives, the Board of Ed takes) mediation attempts, the contract is going to arbitration. This process is final, binding, and will cost Newtown taxpayers thousands of dollars.

Recent contracts of custodians, secretaries, teachers, administrators, and the superintendent resulted in 3 percent to 4.5 percent pay increases. These contracts were settled through negotiation and mediation. With the educational assistant contract, however, the board skipped negotiations and went directly to inflexible mediation; the contract is now headed for costly arbitration.

In 2004 the Board of Education required that current and future educational assistants complete two years of college or pass the paraprofessional test. The compensation for this added qualification? Nothing discernible. The board has raised the bar, but not the pay.

Why is the board playing hardball with employees having the lowest pay and the least benefits? Why is this the case when the board is clearly willing to pay multiple, duplicate salaries for one high school choral director?

Kathleen Johnson

25 Cedar Hill Road, Newtown                                         April 5, 2005