The current struggle between Independent School District #152 and the Education Moorhead Union over contract negotiations has turned ugly.  As an educator, I will readily admit my bias in this situation but feel that information is being manipulated or held from the public in order to turn them against the teachers.  The teachers have not engaged in public mud slinging and should be commended for that.  I feel it is time that the public has a better understanding of what is really going on.

If you read any of the recent articles in the Fargo Forum about the contract negotiations you saw that Wayne Kazmierczak (Assistant Superintendent/ Lead Negotiator for ISD # 152) was quoted saying the teachers last proposal would cost the district an additional “roughly 9 percent over two years”.  This number would be correct if the school district would not have cut 27 positions from their staff. The 9% figure comes from the “Cast Forward” method of financial planning, which assumes all the people who worked in the district last year are still working for the district this year. This method pays no attention to the teachers who retired or were cut after the 2008-2009 school year. The school district had 392 educators last year and currently has 365.

This financial picture is very different when you talk actual dollars.  If you look at the amount of money spent on educators in 2008-2009 and then the amount of the first teacher proposed contract increase of 2% and 2%, with the maintaining of health insurance the district would see a  5.17% increase in spending over the next two years.  That is a far cry from the 9% figure reported to the Fargo Forum.  Misleading … I think so.

During this process, Moorhead Public Schools has advertised a projected district fund balance of $3.2 million dollars.  The reported balance to the State of Minnesota that was recently audited showed that the actual balance is now $5.7 million dollars.  This increase has occurred without even seeing the benefit of the reduction in staff.  Misleading … I think so.

The write up in the Fargo Forum did not discuss other changes the district is asking for in their proposal.  This includes an additional hour per day (at no additional pay), additional cost to employees for insurance, the ability to add three weeks to the school calender, and the reduction of lane change stipulations.  All of that, of course, is on top of a proposed total freeze of salaries.  Misleading … I think so.

If people in the community knew how they were being lied to and manipulated by the district, they would (or should) be furious.  While I do believe the teachers cannot see a significant salary increase, they should not willingly go backwards when the money is there for a reasonable and equitable settlement.

The Moorhead Public Schools and other area schools are some of the best in the nation.  We can be proud!