Bertelli: Are Backroom Deals by Teachers Unions Bankrupting California’s Schools?
A representative for the California Teachers Association recently took to Twitter to advocate for transparency and accountability in relation to a bill concerning charter schools.
It is unacceptable to have private and secretive meetings to discuss the allocation of taxpayers’ money. The decisions made regarding finances have a significant impact on the quality of public education that our students receive, and they deserve certainty and fairness in this regard. #ab1478
Seth Bramble, the lobbyist for the California Teachers Association, emphasizes the need for public business to be conducted in public. Public agencies should carry out their actions and discussions openly. It should be an easy decision to support #ab1478.
There is a fascinating sense of arrogance in these tweets, especially considering that the union is the biggest beneficiary of secretive deals involving public funds. By examining past spending habits and Governor Jerry Brown’s recent budget proposal, it becomes evident that approximately $40 billion is likely to be spent next year on teacher salaries and benefits in California. To put this into perspective, the state is expected to spend less than $3 billion on books and supplies for the entire K-12 public school system.
The $40 billion figure is more than 2.5 times the amount allocated to state higher education. It exceeds the combined budgets of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, as well as transportation, natural resources, environmental protection, and prisons. In fact, it surpasses the total spending on all state health and human services programs. If teacher salaries and benefits were singled out, it would constitute the largest item in the entire state budget.
What makes this even more concerning is the fact that the negotiations on how this $40 billion in public funds is spent occur behind closed doors in over 1,000 school districts across the state. There is a distinct lack of transparency, public scrutiny, and opportunity for community involvement or parental input in this process. A staggering 30% of the entire California budget is distributed without adequate accountability to the parents and communities affected.
The union’s ability to engage in self-dealing extends beyond local school districts. In 2011, during the state’s recovery from the Great Recession, the finalization of the state budget involved only four individuals: Governor Brown, the Assembly speaker, the leader of the state Senate, and the union’s chief lobbyist.
Preserving this funding is crucial for the union to maintain its status as the most influential political force in California. Part of the money used to pay teachers is funneled back to the union to support its political agenda. This year alone, the union has access to $195 million of public funds, cementing its position at the top of the education hierarchy.
These secretive deals have devastating consequences for school districts. Not only do they allocate funds for current employees’ salaries and benefits, but they also bind districts to future payments long after these individuals have stopped working.
The underfunded retiree health benefits in school districts amount to $24 billion, while the state’s teacher retirement system is underfunded by an astonishing $97 billion. The public is burdened with enormous debts resulting from these unfair deals, negotiated in secret by a select few. Additionally, hundreds of millions of public funds are siphoned off to the union, which continually demands more.
It is not an exaggeration to say that these obligations are bankrupting our schools. Despite economic growth and tax increases approved by voters, a school finance expert predicts that two-thirds of school districts will engage in deficit spending within three years. The Los Angeles Unified School District estimates that by the 2031-32 school year, benefit obligations and pension costs will consume over half of its budget. This means that less than half of the funds received by LAUSD will actually go towards educating students.
Considering the magnitude of these decisions and the billions of dollars involved, it is imperative that these negotiations undergo greater public scrutiny and accountability. Several states have already taken steps to ensure that these deals are conducted in public, and California should join them in demanding transparency.
Chris Bertelli, the founder of Bertelli Public Affairs, a consultancy specializing in educational equity in California public schools, stresses the importance of these issues.
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