Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ order to cut at least $300 million from the state’s education budget means local school corporations will be forced to make some tough spending choices in the near future.
But Daniels made it clear that laying off teachers should be a final resort in the cost-cutting process. That’s good news for teachers and their students, and the Indiana State Teachers Association should feel fortunate.
But the union is already whining about possible salary cuts, arguing that the state doesn’t respect teachers’ professionalism. Given Daniels’ very reasonable approach to the funding problem, that was a very bad chord for the union to strike.
The ordered spending cuts are based on recent reports showing that the state will fall about $1.8 billion short of its projected revenues over the next year, according to the Indianapolis Star.
That means tough times all around, especially for the state’s schools.
“K-12 spending is half the entire state budget, and it will have to contribute something to keeping us in the black,” Daniels told the Star.
Now’s the time for school corporations across the state to seriously look at trimming the fat. Fortunately, the State Board of Education and Daniels have targeted teacher salaries for the budget ax, rather than teachers’ jobs.
That seems fair to us, especially considering “that in a year in which the average Hoosier income went down 2.5 percent, the average teacher salary will go up more than 4 percent,” according to Daniels’ comments in the Star.
Of course the ISTA is already up in arms and spouting nonsense.
“I find it a little bit upsetting to me that teacher salaries are perceived to be too high and we must remember that a teacher is a professional,” ISTA’s Nate Schnellenberger told WISH TV-8.
Chill out, Nate. Don’t be so defensive.
Nobody, including EAGF, is disputing the professionalism of teachers. We find it curious that professionals bargain collectively, yet we realize it’s not an easy job.
But Indiana teachers should be relieved that their jobs aren’t on the line. All the state wants to do is halt the teachers’ yearly, built-in raises, so schools can afford to keep them in the classroom.
The ISTA needs to realize, the sooner the better, that it can’t have it both ways. Either work with the state to maintain educational quality and teaching jobs, or fight for raises that likely will lead to job cuts.
We just hope, for the sake of Indiana’s children, that the ISTA will grasp the reality of the financial situation and help contribute to the solution.