King City, CALIF- A year ago King City Joint Union High School District was staring at bankruptcy. But the state swooped in bailing out the district. It's only the 8th district ever to undergo a state take over joining districts like Compton and Oakland.
Central Coast News has learned that this same school district has the highest paid teachers some of them are making over $100,000 a year. Central Coast News reporter Shannon Hogan went in depth to find out why you're footing the bill.
"Why do people think that salaries can be related back to student performance? Does a doctor or does a nurse receive reduced pay if their patient dies or is ill," Tim Swoverland. Union representative and long time King City teacher, Tim Swoverland says student performance and teacher compensation shouldn't be tied together.
But State Administrator Dr. John Bernard says not so, "I think in the past there have been many decisions that have not been made in the best interest of students but have been focused on accommodating adults," said Bernard.
Bernard was appointed by to the state last July to help clean up the district. He says for close to ten years the district has been over spending on teachers salaries and benefits, "The King City Joint Union High School District, just like any school district is an educational institution not an employment agency and when your focused on educating your not just teaching your educating," said Bernard.
But the teachers union says they are facing serious hurdles. Both King City and Greenfield high schools have hundreds of students living in poverty and many students are still not fluent in English. For Bernard, this isn't an acceptable excuse, "If what you are presenting as a teacher is not being understood by the students then you have an obligation to present it another way," said Bernard.
The district and the teachers union have to find a happy medium, fair pay at a fair price. It's just another challenge for the district, that's had to borrow $13 million from the state to get back on track financially, "How can we have an affordable salary schedule what would that look like and what other items that are cost items that are in the contracts are no longer affordable," said Bernard.
Swoverland agrees each group has to come to the bargaining table and potentially give up some things. However he is sticking to his guns, saying he and his colleagues deserve to earn what he calls a fair wage, "We teach six periods a day rather than five like other districts do. My daughter is an English teacher. She has thirty five extra papers a night to grade and she has one extra lecture to give every day," said Swoverland.
