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News
OEA Chief: Time to fix school funding : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisOEA Chief: Time to fix school funding
| Tells board solution can't wait until after election
| by Lyle R. Rolfe
| 10/29/2009
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Dan Hoefler, president of the Oswego Education Association, addressed Oswego School District Board members Monday night about state finances after the board approved a two-year contract for the OEA's 945 members.
And he asked for help from educators as well as the public in getting financial help for schools from the state.
But first, he attributed the dedication of the district's staff as part of the reason the OEA contract was approved.
"We worked together to creatively craft solutions to problems that you didn't create and that the professional teaching staff didn't create. Our teachers showed up for work every day even without a contract to do their jobs and they did them professionally," Hoefler said.
He continued, "Are there problems that face us as we go forward? Absolutely. I'm here to reassure you that we will do everything on our part to continue to be a partner to build out those relationships and face those challenges together. But the biggest challenge we have to face is the State of Illinois."
Hoefler said the state has to fix the funding problem to get it off the taxpayers' backs and put the money in the schools where it belongs.
"How in the world can East St, Louis have a higher per capita income per student than the Oswego school system? How does that happen?" he asked.
"And how is there such a disparity-over $10,000--from the Lake Forest School District to the Oswego School District? There is an inadequacy of funding and inequities that exist in this funding system. I've come to you before and asked for your support. We absolutely have to do it this time around," he said.
"If we can rally around House Bill 174 after the primary election, and candidates know who they're going to be running against, there will be an opportunity in the spring session to finally address the funding problem and fix it," he added.
Hoefler said some people have suggested they wait until after the next general election.
"But, I just don't think it can wait. When the State of Illinois is paying for our pensions this year in pension bonds and not using actual revenue, they continue to put the problem further down the road," he said.
Hoefler said, "The state may throw out some crafty way of saying you can raise your tax rate or you can do this or that. But it's not a permanent solution. The solution is to fix the funding problems. It's going to take parents, it's going to take teachers, it's going to take bus drivers, it's going to take school boards-it's going to take everything in our power to finally push something through the legislature and put politics aside."
Hoefler continued, "How are we going to compete in the state? How are we going to compete with the skills of the rest of the world if we don't provide these kids with a first class education? You're committed to that--we're committed to that."
Hoefler said teachers are "not afraid of the accountability issue."
"We're not afraid of performance pay or merit pay," he added. "If that's the route we have to go, we'll go that route. But we still have to fix the funding problem.
"We worked our butts off to get to where we were tonight," he said in regard to getting the wage contract approved, adding, "In two years, will we be in the same position?"
I recognize the solution to the problem and I will offer everything in our organization to help find a solution," he said.
Hoefler then thanked the board for approving the new contract.
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