A Tecumseh Public School official says there isn't a second-year teacher with a master's degree making $31,000 a year, despite claims by the Michigan Education Association president and a local website saying that such a teacher exists.
MEA President Steven Cook made the claim twice recently in Detroit News columns.
His statement was then repeated by the website, Blogging for Michigan, which said it found the $31,000-a-year, second year teacher with a master's degree.
Blogging for Michigan, which states on its website: “All Rights Reserved. Suck on that, GOP,” claimed to have found the teacher and posted a paycheck stub with the name of the teacher removed. The website says it is run by Christine Barry, who didn’t return a phone message seeking comment.
Jim Brown, payroll manager at Tecumseh Public Schools, said that a memo of understanding between the union and the district imposed a 10-percent pay cut below the contractual starting salary for teachers just hired. But none met the circumstances the union claims.
The salary schedule on the Tecumseh school district website says that a starting salary for a teacher with a master’s degree is $37,116. Brown said that would be reduced to $33,405 after the 10-percent reduction. That teacher would have remained at that salary for a second year due to the memo of understanding between the district and the union, he said, adding that all teacher’s had their salaries restored to the full schedule amount as of April 27.
Brown said a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would start with a salary of $33,665, which would be reduced to $30,299 after the 10-percent reduction.
The Michigan Association of School Boards reported in 2011 that a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree had an average salary of $36,798.
Many districts offer much higher salaries to teachers just starting out. For instance, in Grosse Pointe, a second-year teacher with a master’s degree makes $52,265. In River Rouge, that teacher makes $50,522. The average teacher’s salary in Michigan is $63,024, according to the Michigan Department of Education.
Nonetheless, on March 28, the MEA's Cook first mentioned a teacher with a gross salary of $31,000 per year with a master’s degree and in the second year on the job. On April 25, he said in a column that the teacher was from Lenawee county and repeated the salary and experience claim.
Cook didn’t respond to emails 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.
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May 4, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call
Among other actions this week, the House and Senate in effect rejected all the budgets passed by the other body the previous week, which is a procedural means of getting these into conference committees to work out the differences. The goal is to complete work by June 1 on budgets for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
Senate Bill 315, Require kindergartners be 5 by Sept. 1: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate
To require children to be age 5 by Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten, rather than by Dec. 1 under current law. This earlier age cut-off would be phased in one month at a time over three years, starting in 2013. A child who would have been eligible under the current requirements could still attend if the parents "opt in" by notifying the school by June 1. The phase-in and "opt-in" was negotiated because school districts get money from the state for each kindergartner, whose numbers would be reduced during the transition period.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4594, Restrict insurance company use of consumer credit scores: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate
To prohibit insurers from using “credit information” under a broad definition of that term contained in the bill to deny, cancel or choose to not renew a policy. Also, to impose restrictions, plus requirements for credit-status confirmation, disclosures and more, on an insurer using credit or credit-based “insurance scores” to determine the price at which it will issue an insurance policy.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 802, Require state agencies post spending plans online: Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate
To require state agencies to submit and get approval within 60 days of their annual budget's enactment of a spending plan that includes a "schedule" or list of programs covered under each line item, and the amount they plan to spend on each.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4925, Expand allowable ORV road-shoulder riding locations: Passed 84 to 26 in the House
To expand a law that allows counties in the northern part of the state to allow off road vehicles to be driven on the shoulder of some or all streets and roads, so that it would be available to all counties statewide. The bill would also eliminate a 2013 sunset on this law.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 269, Raise small claims cap: Passed 107 to 2 in the House
To gradually increase the maximum amount that may be recovered in small claims court from $3,000 to $7,000, with the increase coming in several steps from 2012 through 2024. In small claims court actions a lawyer is neither required or allowed, which makes them more accessible to regular people; as introduced the bill would have increased the cap to $10,000 immediately.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5468, Revise prepaid cell phone contract 9-1-1 tax: Passed 106 to 3 in the House
To replace current taxes imposed on pre-paid cell phone service to cover the cost of government 9-1-1 service, with a new 1.92 percent levy imposed at the point of sale (like sales tax). The current 9-1-1 service tax regime would still apply to other kinds of cell phone accounts.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4851, Revise medical marijuana law regulations: Passed 105 to 4 in the House
To prohibit a doctor from prescribing medical marijuana unless there is a “bona fide physician-patient relationship,” as defined in the bill. This would require the doctor to get the patient's medical history, perform a physical and keep records. The bill also requires medical marijuana grown outside to be securely locked in a fenced area, and when transported to be in the trunk or a case inaccessible to vehicle occupants.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Interested in a cumulative list of all weekly Roll Call Report Votes for 2012?
SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.
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.
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