Teachers of the Sweetwater Union High School District still have no contract

SEA vs. SUHSD - Part II
by Elma Gonzalez

Last Monday, August 17, SUHSD teachers surrounded the district office in protest against the district's "last, best, final" offer. Holding up "Respect Our Contract" signs, teachers united in chant to be heard. The rally, which lasted over an hour, included the presence of SEA President, Alex Anguiano who gave an encouraging speech to fellow union members to continue to resist the district's "unacceptable demands." During his speech, Anguiano condemned the district's policy when dealing with various issues in the contract, and its lack of communication when choosing the new schedule. He also expressed the union's disapproval of the imposed 30:1 student:teacher ratio. Before the rally was over, at about 5:15pm, the teachers were allowed to march through the district office.

Among the many factors delaying the process, there is one that seems to be most worrying for educators: the staffing ratio. Teachers assert it is not just two more students per class; increasing the amount of students by any quantity changes the quality of education received by the students. According to John Nascimiento from Hilltop High, teachers in other states are appalled when hearing of our student-teacher ratios . SUHSD is one of the only districts facing this problem. Although it is unfair to burden the teachers with larger classes, the district is facing fiscal challenges that leave it no other choice. Our principal, Dr. Maria Armstrong, believes the economic crisis to be the main cause of all this chaos. "We are

living in unprecedented, tough times, and everyone is under a lot of pressure." She adds,"...the 80's was the last time things were this tight."

Many believe the 'salary' to be the principal issue in the new contract. However, according to Anguiano, "Teachers have tried to compromise by settling with a 0% increase in their salary." He accuses the district of simply being "mean-spirited" and unwilling to compromise.

During his speech, Alex Anguiano discussed the two-tier retirement system proposed by the district, in which new teachers will not be able to enjoy health benefits after they retire. "Instead they will have to wait until they are 65 and Medicare kicks in...", affirms Rod Reagan, a teacher at SOM. But many teachers retire around this age anyway, so how does the district benefit from doing this? "It doesn't!", explains Anguiano, "There is no benefit in doing this."

There are some who put all the blame on the Superintendent, Dr. Jesus M. Gandara. "He has no sense of commitment to this community," argues Mr. Nascimiento of Hilltop High,"he doesn't even own a home here in San Diego." Several insist Gandara's "lack of leadership" has been the district's downfall. All the same, some assert that we can't put all the blame on one person. As stated by Dr. Armstrong, it is at these times of crisis that people try to "point the finger at someone" and that usually ends up being the person at the top.

Although it may not seem so, all this affects the students at our school. "It is like a 'domino effect'," explains Dr. Armstrong. Nonetheless, she," [feels] lucky to have a staff that continues to work professionally" and puts district matters aside when it comes time to teach. Overall, she is sure both parties will eventually come to an agreement with the best intentions for the students.