4,000 listen in to teacher telephone town hall

Teachers and other school district employees told union officials late Tuesday they are worried about their jobs, their retirement and the future of education in Florida.

Nearly 4,000 employees whose contracts are negotiated by the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association participated in a telephone town hall meeting that included opportunities for questions and answers.

Most wanted to know how they will be affected by the recent passage of Senate Bill 736, a law that creates annual contracts for teachers and ties their pay to student test scores.

Last year's version of the bill offered Hillsborough exemptions from most of the changes.

This year, the only written exemptions for Hillsborough cover how teacher evaluations will be measured, with 40 percent instead of the state's requirement of 50 percent being based on student learning gains.

"We're still working on other exemptions,'' said union president Jean Clements.

Employees also wanted to know more about the state's DROP system, which teachers were told they can expect to see gone by July 1.

Under DROP, the Deferred Retirement Option Program, senior public employees signal their intent to retire in five years, the state pays benefits into an interest-bearing account, and at the end of that time they take their money and retire.

Some asked about legislation that would prohibit deducting union dues from government workers' payroll and force unions to get written permission from members before they can use the dues for political contributions.

Another measure would require all bargaining groups that represent fewer than 50 percent of employees eligible for membership to recertify their union by July 1 or be disbanded.

That measure is of particular concern to Clements and her union, which, like many in a right-to-work state, has membership hovering at just under that 50 percent threshold.

Clements couldn't pinpoint membership numbers late Tuesday, but in August she said the Classroom Teachers Association had about 8,000 members. The district has about 15,000 teachers.

At least 400 more employees have joined the union since the legislative session began earlier this month, Clements said.

This was the first time the union attempted this type of town hall meeting.

It wasn't about signing up more members, she said.

It was about answering questions and helping to unite educators who feel Tallahassee isn't listening to them.

"They want to voice their concerns,'' Clements said.

Still, Clements described the union during the town hall meeting as a force that can help resist and, in years to come, reverse the changes under way in Tallahassee.

Those listening to the town hall were asked to participate in a real-time poll, which included one question about how many people were hearing at school about issues before the Legislature. The results: 89 percent, participants were told.

Another question asked whether participants would turn out for the opening home game of the Tampa Bay Rays season Friday, when Gov. Rick Scott is scheduled to throw the first pitch.

The union is looking for education supporters to show up between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. with signs. The game is set to start at 7:10 p.m.

(813) 259-7144