Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Teacher Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teachers press Sebastopol district to cover health-rate increases and raise pay
Summary
Teachers and the SUTA union urged Sebastopol Union School District trustees to cover full health insurance rate increases and raise pay to retain staff, warning of low morale and possible attrition tied to rising living costs.
Several teachers and union representatives told the Sebastopol Union School District Board on Oct. 16 that rising health insurance rates and stagnant pay are putting staff retention at risk.
"Our teachers deserve pay that matches their skill and their dedication," SUTA representative and Brook Haven teacher Sarah Castaneda told the board during public comment, urging the district to absorb the full increase in health coverage costs. Stephanie Gospe said the new health rates "will result in a pay cut to the teaching staff," and described long hours beyond contract time that many staff take on to support students.
Baylee Hall and Sarah Broughton, both Brook Haven teachers, described taking on additional duties such as coaching and mentoring to earn supplemental income and said morale is low across the district. Teacher Terence Rodgers and several parents, including Matt Wynkoop and Rob Moniz, voiced support for teacher requests and called for greater transparency about district finances.
The board did not take an immediate action to change compensation at the Oct. 16 meeting. Superintendent Sara Gramm and staff later noted that some funds are earmarked for specific uses and that the district faces budget constraints; SUTA handed out updated charts showing the projected impact of the health-rate increases. The union has requested the district pay the full health insurance increase for this year and pursue pay adjustments to align with neighboring districts. The board's consideration of pay and benefits will continue in follow-up meetings.
