News Story

What Does the Average Teacher in Ann Arbor Really Make?

Does a typical Ann Arbor teacher make $60,000 or $72,000 a year?

In an AnnArbor.com story this week, the head of the Ann Arbor teachers union stated that the “median” salary for teachers in that district is about $60,000 a year.

But why use the “median” figure instead of the average?

At $72,058, the “average” salary for Ann Arbor teachers is actually 20 percent higher than the “median salary.” The average salary figure is according to the Michigan Department of Education. The state released its “average salary” 2010 report earlier this week. Ann Arbor’s average salary was the 37th highest in the state, out of 551 school districts.

Michael Van Beek, education policy director at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said salaries are reported as “averages” by the state. State records report that the average Ann Arbor teacher made about $700 less in 2010 compared to 2009 when they made an average of $72,716.

A median salary is the level of pay where half the teachers are above that level and half are below. According to the district’s website, there were 22 teachers in the district in 2009 that had a salary of $100,000 or more. The highest paid teacher made $117,215 in salary.

A first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would have made $39,540 in 2009, according to the teachers union contract.

Ann Arbor Education Association President Brit Satchwell responded to an email but said he wouldn’t comment because he didn’t consider Michigan Capitol Confidential to be “true news media.”

The Michigan Education Association, which is the parent organization of the AAEA, has told local school districts not to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. The FOIA request is seeking emails from school district staff regarding discussions of a work stoppage that the union is considering. Teacher strikes are illegal in Michigan.

The Mackinac Center is the parent organization of Michigan Capitol Confidential. Michigan Capitol Confidential broke the story about the MEA polling its members regarding the potentially illegal work stoppage.

Ann Arbor Public Schools Spokeswoman Liz Margolis didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.

News Story

Coldwater Clarifies Tea Party Sign Ban

The legal counsel for the City of Coldwater said he anticipates working out a solution to the lawsuit filed by a tea party group that had its signs banned from a city park without going to court.

Attorney John Hutchinson said in an email he will be working with the attorney of the Common Sense Patriots of Coldwater to come up with an amendment to the ban.

Hutchinson said the ban was supposed to only deal with banners and signs “affixed to real property or fixtures” and not signs or banners held by a person.

“That should have been more clearly stated,” Hutchinson wrote in the email.

Hutchinson stated he would work with the tea party group’s attorney to get language that would clarify the policy and he believes the City Council would adopt the amendment.

“The City of Coldwater has no desire to deny anyone the exercise of their First Amendment rights,” Hutchinson wrote. “In the meantime, I assure you that no action will be taken to deter any person from displaying a hand-held sign in the Four Corners Park or exercising any peaceful assembly.”

Robert Muise, senior trial counsel for the Thomas More Law Center, who represents the tea party group, said the city’s response was “troubling.”

Muise pointed to the city’s response that read: “In any event, as I am sure you are aware, the Policy is only a policy, and not a criminal ordinance; there is no specified enforcement mechanism."

“What does that mean? They were only kidding?” Muise asked. “If they want to repeal their resolution, that is up to them. They don’t like signs being posted in the city park. That’s a problem.”

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.