Education group urges defeat of proposed budget

Feeling "appalled and indignant," leaders of the Kentucky Education Association called on state lawmakers to scrap their proposed two-year budget and start over.

"The budget produced by the conference committee constitutes a giant step backward for schools and the Commonwealth’s future," said a statement released Wednesday morning by the association.

"KEA has no great pride in taking this step. In good conscience, however, Kentucky’s school employees cannot stand by while our children and schools suffer," the statement said. "We are appalled and indignant. We only wish the budget were a bad April Fool’s Day joke."

The proposed budget, agreed upon by House and Senate leaders early Tuesday morning,  flat-lines the main funding formula for schools and cuts more than $30 million from programs for teacher development and extended school services.

It also offers teachers and other state workers a 1 percent raise in each of the next two years. The group noted that lawmakers had promised to bring teacher pay up to the average of surrounding states.

"Now, we find them abandoning their commitment after only one year of progress," the statement said. "School employees deserve better in exchange for devoting our lives to children and the state."

The KEA blames the state Senate for the education cuts, noting that Republican leaders in the upper chamber refused to go along with a 25-cent increase in the cigarette tax that was passed in the House.

"KEA gives the Senate an “F” for its failure to live up to its obligations," the statement said.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on the $19 billion spending plan before midnight Wednesday. For more coverage of the budget from Tuesday's Herald-Leader, click here, here and here.

- John Stamper

Comments

[David Adams]

I'm with the union thugs on this one, but not for the same reason. Rank and file lawmakers haven't seen the bill yet.

Pass HB 413 and try again after we have had time to read the budget bill.

http://www.kentuckyvotes.org/2008-HB-413

[WHA]

While I agree with the KEA concerning the performance of the General Assembly, I agree more with the sentiment that this bad budget is worse than no budget. As bad as it is, the Commonwealth cannot afford to extend this process into a special session, especially given the stubbornness of the Senate leadership.

[Carl]

The KEA is more upset by the fact that the administrative union mutts won't be getting the raise they want. They could care less about the kids. If teachers were doing a proper job, our kids would not be dropping out of school with a ratio of 1 in 4 students; unable to read, unable to do simple math. Just watch them raise the union dues.

[Where's My Money]

Carl is pretty close to being right on. Increasing salaries does not always "FIX" our educational system or shoving more money into bricks and morter does not always "FIX" our educational system.

You can pay teachers the highest pay scale on national averages and that will NOT "FIX" the educational system.

CATS and KERA is the problem and has been since its inception in the early 90's. This state adopted a system that was a failure in two other states and they are not even using it anymore. However, the KEA still screams "Where's my money?"

Thus leaving behind once again another generation of students.

[Teacher]

OK, I get KEA's argument, but where is the outrage over the second 3% recurrring cut to higher education. Colleges took a 3% hit this year, and are taking another 3% next year. That's 6%!! It will have to be offloaded a bit on students (higher tuition) and layoffs/belt tightening/no raises... and statewide teachers are whining about the 1% raises they will automatically receive while the universities suffer.

[A L]

I just want to personally thank KEA for endorsing Beshear and all the people who voted for him. Things were "sooo" much worse with Govenor Fletcher. Geesh.