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Hernando Today

Greed Fuels Teachers' Decision On A+ Bonus Money

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2008

I am a teacher. When I decided to pursue a career in this wonderful profession there were unpleasant circumstances that I knew I would have to deal with on an almost daily basis: managing an unruly student, working hours beyond what my contract requires, patiently awaiting salary negotiations while still performing my job to the best of my ability.

What I never in a hundred years imagined I would have to deal with is struggling with my fellow Hernando County teachers, my comrades, for being included in a reward that I helped earn. Sadly, this is the battle that I and several other Hernando County teachers are fighting.

In June 2008, after teaching middle school for five years at Fox Chapel, I decided that I wanted to gain more experience and further my professional development by trying my hand at high school students. While I loved my five years at Fox Chapel, I felt it was time for a change, and so I excitedly took a job with Nature Coast Technical High. In June, my peers at Fox Chapel congratulated me and wished me well. Today, my former co-workers consider me a traitor. Why the sudden change of perspective? Because now, money is involved.
Fox Chapel Middle School was awarded approximately $81,000 by the state for earning a "B" grade for the 2007-2008 school year. When a school is awarded this money, it is up to the faculty, along with the Student Advisory Council (SAC) to decide what to do with it. The faculty at Fox Chapel voted to use the money to give bonuses to teachers who worked at FCMS during the 2007-08 year, excluding teachers who are now at other schools within the county. And to add insult to injury, noninstructional staff is getting an equal portion of that money.

It is absolutely unfathomable to me how this decision was even considered. My, along with a number of others now at different schools, hard work went into getting that "B" for Fox Chapel. My time and energy were invested in that school and I deserve a portion of that reward. Why should I be punished for wanting to broaden my horizons? I am still working toward the same goal that every teacher in this county is working toward. I am still working for the same "company," just a different branch.

What I can't help but think about are the teachers who remained at Fox Chapel this year, but not by choice. I know several teachers who were looking to help open Hernando County's newest school, Explorer K-8 (a place where several former FCMS teachers are now and are too being punished), but were not offered a position. I ask of you, if you had gotten that position at Explorer, what side of the fence would you now be on?

I know this situation is occurring at several other schools within the county and all I can say to those who are too being left out of a reward they helped merit is, don't lose hope. There is still a light at the end of our tunnel. According to the Florida Department of Education, each individual district can set up their own guidelines as to how A+ money can be spent. I will be at the Oct. 21 board meeting urging the members to establish such guidelines so that no one else will have to fight this battle in the future. I hope to see others there with me. If a school chooses to use the money to reward hard-working teachers, then all teachers involved in working for that money must be included.

As teachers, there are injustices that we just have to suck up and accept. This is not one of those. I will not write this off as one of those things I just have to deal with, when the only thing excluding me from this is pure greed.

Lauren Swiatek

Weeki Wachee

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