The Stafford Education Association wants teachers to be excused to lobby in Richmond for higher wages

STAFFORD — The Stafford Education Association is pushing the county School Board to reschedule a teacher workday so instructors may go to Richmond to lobby lawmakers for higher wages.

The association wants the workday, which is used for teachers to finalize grades for the first semester moved to Monday, Jan. 28 from Tuesday, Jan. 29. The planned workday has been on the books since last year when the school division approved its annual calendar.

Monday marks the  SEA’s Virginia Education Association’s annual Lobby Day, also known as “Red for Education.” If the workday is moved, teachers would be able to attend and would and not have to use a sick day, says SEA spokesman Al Watkins.

Stafford County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner, who’s also an SEA member, has already approved a “professional day” leave for the 35 teachers across the county that have been selected to attend the rally in Richmond. Kizner will also be attending the rally.

Kizner and the School Board did not offer public comment about swapping the teacher workday.

“Red for Education day is extremely important to securing funds for our school system,” Kizner said during a School Board meeting Tuesday. “State funding for schools has not been in a positive trajectory.”

“I knew this request would inconvenience some folks in Stafford,” Watkins said. “The potential benefits outweigh the inconveniences. This is one of the most important days I have been a part of in my time in Stafford.”

According to Watkins, over 400 school employees have been surveyed and would like to attend the “Red for Education” event.

The selected attendees will meet with their locally elected leaders before the rally to discuss a plan for more funding to Stafford schools.

“I came from Arizona where school funding was an issue and teachers went on strike,” said Matt Lentz, Red for Education spokesman. “I ask the School Board for their support.”

The SEA has already asked Kizner to include a five percent across-the-board pay raise for all school employees.

“We have a lot of Educators who are talking about how 5% would significantly change their lives,” SEA President Christian Peabody wrote in an email to Potomac Local.

Members of the Prince William Education Association also plan to make the trip down to meet with their representatives and participate in the rally on the Capitol grounds.

“Virginia public schools are underfunded, and we are taking our case straight to the General Assembly to demand that our elected officials support our students and our schools,” states Riley O’Casey, PWEA president in a press release.

O’Casey went on to say state support for local public schools has declined:

• Since the Great Recession, Virginia’s state funding of K-12 schools has declined 9% when adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, student enrollments have risen.
• Virginia is the 12th wealthiest state but ranks 42nd in per-pupil state funding.
• The gap between what Virginia teachers make and the national average is at an all-time high. Virginia teachers currently earn $9,218 under the national average, ranking the state 34th in the country.

O’Casey says PWCS will benefit from greater state funding of local schools—and that’s well worth the trip to Richmond.

In December, Governor Ralph Northam proposed a 5 percent increase for all teachers in the state. Northam’s proposal is contingent on a funding match from local school districts would take effect on July 1. If the proposal were approved, it would be the state’s largest single-year raise in 15 years.

“The SEA’s plan predates the Governor’s by months and includes every Educator,” Peabody said.

Northam also announced his plan to throw more money at the state’s schools, this time school counselors would be receiving extra funds. Northam says that a $36 million increase would allow a better student to counselor ratio. The Virginia School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of one counselor to every 250 students.