Hundreds of Seminole County school teachers packed the county’s school board meeting Tuesday night to let board members know they’re not happy with a pay increase the district is proposing.
Connie Brittain says the reason she became a teacher is very personal.
“This was my dad’s final wish. He said to give back to the world is very important, and public education is the way to do it,” said Brittain, a teacher at Lake Howell High School.
Brittain says it’s becoming difficult to fulfill her father’s wish and also make ends meet. She says she has to work a second job, and she says some teachers even have to work a third job to get by financially.
Brittain joined hundreds of other teachers and other Seminole County school district employees Tuesday evening who demonstrated outside the district’s regular board meeting.
The school district is proposing a 2.25 percent pay increase. That’s slightly less than last year’s increase, which SCPS officials say was 2.36 percent.
Brittain says if anything, the increase should be going up.
“If we can’t even stay in the system because we’ve got to find other employment and we’re exhausted and we can’t meet the needs of the kids, then we’re not a priority,” said Brittain.
Teachers say to make matters worse, their health deductible is also going up. A school district spokeperson says health insurance costs have gone up across the board, something that’s out of their control. But the spokesperson says employees have different options and don’t have to stick with the health insurance plan that includes the deductible increase.
Teachers like Brittain say overall, teacher pay needs to be more of a priority.
“We are an A plus school district and we’re proud of it. We’re proud of what we bring to the Central Florida community and the state of Florida. But we can’t keep it up. We need help,” said Brittain.
Despite an impasse, the two sides continue to talk. In a SCPS release, district officials say they are willing to take steps that will bring both sides to a conclusion as soon as possible.