Pennsylvania governor considers freezing pay for teachers
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has asked teachers to consider a pay freeze, which he contends will save school districts more than $400 million, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. While freezing teachers' pay or slashing benefits has becoming a hot button issue throughout the country in recent weeks, one education leader in the state is open to the idea.
"I encouraged them to enter into discussion with their school boards about a pay freeze or other cost-saving measures to maintain their class sizes and academic programs," said James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, in a statement, according to the Post-Gazette.
Corbett's recommendation comes as he seeks to cut approximately $1 billion from the state's education budget. He believes a pay freeze could mitigate many of the losses that would be felt by such cuts.
However, Corbett's case was met with some resistance from John Tarka, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. He told the paper that he could "not in good conscience" ask teachers to take a pay freeze one year into a five-year deal with the city.
"I encouraged them to enter into discussion with their school boards about a pay freeze or other cost-saving measures to maintain their class sizes and academic programs," said James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, in a statement, according to the Post-Gazette.
Corbett's recommendation comes as he seeks to cut approximately $1 billion from the state's education budget. He believes a pay freeze could mitigate many of the losses that would be felt by such cuts.
However, Corbett's case was met with some resistance from John Tarka, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. He told the paper that he could "not in good conscience" ask teachers to take a pay freeze one year into a five-year deal with the city.
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