04/24/2024
Our statement at tonight's BOE meeting:
Ten years ago teachers sat in front of the board to warn about the implications of changing our pay to a merit-based system and continuing the step and education freezes. We predicted we could lose 20% of teachers and we were correct. That fall we lost 24% of teachers to other districts and new opportunities that valued their education, time of service, and high-quality skill set. Losing highly qualified and capable teachers was a set back to the district that took years to overcome. After this teachers organized, realizing that our collective voice can make a difference. Upon organizing Tipp City Teachers Association (T C E A) we set our mission to KEEP Excellence a Tradition. That is our ethos. Our guiding light.
Today we are faced with a difficult situation. Five school days after passing a bond levy, a time that should have been one of celebration, it was announced that we would be cutting 18.5 teachers. To put that into perspective, that is 13% of our teaching staff. Compare that to Centerville who is going through a significant financial crisis, including two failed levies, and are losing less than 4% of teachers. There is a growing sense that other avenues to budget cuts were not explored, and this drastic cut will force a similar mass exodus and talent drain to the one we experienced 10 years ago.
TCEA understands that we must be fiscally responsible with taxpayer money and that we must reign in spending; however, we also recognize that teachers play a pivotal role in students’ academic and emotional success and growth. In the classroom, teachers are what's best for kids. Our track record speaks for itself. Through Covid and uncertainty and leadership turnover and turmoil, student performance has remained steady and our report card has been at the top of county and area schools. Last week, THS was awarded the coveted 5 Star award for performance from the Department of Education and Workforce. This is due to the steadfast dedication of teachers, the investment the community made in low student-to-teacher ratios, and the district’s commitment to quality educators.
Our foundational purpose is to KEEP excellence a tradition, therefore, we must ask WHY. WHY 18.5 teachers? WHY so suddenly? WHY cut teachers while simultaneously adding new positions that do not have the data to support their efficacy? In the past, staff have been the last cut made. WHY is it now the first cut mentioned and explored? We hope that the board and community are asking these questions as well.
