Editor:
Monday night over 60 teachers took a stand to maintain high quality schools for the students of Harford County. Dressed in black, six teachers spoke about their relationship with their students and the need for adequate resources to help our children raise the ceiling on student achievement.
We must do what's right for Harford County's students by investing in our schools and children's future. Research has shown that the quality of education a student receives depends on the relationship between the teacher and student in the classroom. We need to take the necessary steps to retain today's high quality staff and recruit tomorrow's outstanding educators.
Over the last decade our schools' share of the county budget has decreased nearly 6 percent. Student performance has mirrored the educational funding of the County. As funding levels have decreased, so has student performance. In 2006 we had 0 schools not making AYP and in 2011 there are 14 schools not making AYP. We cannot allow this trend to continue.
All members of the public who are interested in maintaining our high quality of education, please contact the Harford County Public Schools Board of Education at 410-838-7300 and the Harford County Council at 410-638-3343 and urge them to invest in our schools.
Regarding the bonuses
HCEA celebrates having protected the negotiation rights of Harford County's teachers. The Harford County Education Association reached a tentative agreement with the Harford County Board of Education negotiations team to discuss the disbursement of the $1,250 in supplemental funds from the County Executive.
The Harford County Education Association has the responsibility of upholding the rights of its members. By ensuring that the additional funding from the County Council was negotiated, HCEA protected the rights of our teachers and the school system. Our schools depend on our ability to collaborate—successfully, efficiently, and appropriately—to create the best possible school system for our children.
More than 40 years ago, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation guaranteeing the right of educators to bargain with school boards over salary, benefits and working conditions. These rights have been crucial to building the great public schools that make our state and county great places to live and to our efforts to recruit and retain outstanding educators. Regardless of the innocent façade painted by County Executive Craig, accepting such a "bonus" without negotiating it would erode educators' collective bargaining rights and our county's long history of effective collaboration.
Protecting the rights of teachers safeguards the integrity and rights of the school system, leading to better and stronger schools for our students. Negotiating this funding is an important part of doing what's right for our county by investing in our schools, educators, and children's future. We must ensure that the spirit of collaboration and negotiation remain strong in Harford County so that together we can ensure that our county provides the great public schools that children, businesses and families depend on.
Randy Cerveny
President of Harford County Education Association (HCEA)