Arizona teachers skeptical of Ducey's raise proposal, continuing to plan walkout

Arizona educators appeared mostly skeptical of Gov. Doug Ducey's proposal to give teachers 20 percent raises by 2020, and the organizers leading the teachers' #RedForEd revolt said it does not change their plans for a walkout.

Organizers with Arizona Educators United, the grassroots group fueling Arizona's teacher-led #RedForEd movement, expressed distrust in Ducey's proposal. He called for 9 percent teacher raises this fall and 5 percent raises over each of the next two years.

"This has raised more questions for us than answers," Noah Karvelis, one of the AEU organizers, said. "We don't know the details. We don't know the funding sources."

The proposal was an abrupt change in tone for Ducey, who has watched as educators in Arizona for weeks protested and threatened a walkout. As recently as Tuesday, Ducey called the protests a "political circus" and said he wouldn't meet with organizers.

RELATED: Ducey proposes 20 percent pay increase for teachers by 2020

Thursday, Ducey said he was "impressed" and had been listening to teachers' concerns.

The #RedForEd organizers said they plan to move forward with a walkout and urged their members to remain united in a Facebook video message.

In the video, the organizers pressed for more details on how Ducey and legislators would fund the proposal. They noted the governor's announcement did not address all five of their demands.

The demands include 20 percent teacher pay raises now, the restoration of about $1 billion in education funding cuts made during the Great Recession and competitive pay for classified employees, such as cafeteria workers, bus drivers and paraprofessionals.

Karvelis, a Tolleson music teacher, said Ducey’s proposal "was essentially an attempt to stop whatever actions we may have been taking instead of a legitimate groundwork for future investment in education and to fulfill our demands."

RELATED: Arizona teachers plan walkout; date to be announced

'Clearly an attempt to divide us'

Vanessa Jimenez, vice president of the Phoenix Union Classified Employees Association, said she was dismayed that the governor's raise proposal did not appear to include classified employees.

"I think his proposal is clearly an attempt to divide us. We’re not going to be divided," Jimenez said. "We all are in this together, so I hope we don’t let this break us apart."

On the Arizona Educators United private Facebook page, teachers posted a flurry of rapid reactions.

RELATED: What are Arizona teachers' 5 demands?

Many appeared skeptical, saying they needed more details about where the governor was going to get the money to fund his proposals. An earlier legislative proposal appeared to fund similar raises from other pots of education money.

Others expressed outright distrust, saying they planned to continue their activism. A few educators voiced support for the governor’s plan, if he could deliver.

The proposal is part of budget negotiations and will still require votes in the House and Senate.

Many teachers wondered how it would affect their plans for a potential walkout.

Union leaders are skeptical

Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association, expressed skepticism over the governor’s announcement, saying it lacked detail.

He did credit teachers for Ducey's willingness to offer a new proposal. It came a day after parents, students and teachers at more than 1,000 Arizona schools held walk-ins to support the teacher effort.

RELATED: With walk-ins, Arizona teachers gauge support for walkouts

Thomas said Ducey’s announcement "does'’t happen without the #RedForEd movement and without teachers finding their voice."

"What the governor appears to be doing is trotting out a set of goals without details and probably hoping teachers would just shut up and go back to work," Thomas said. "And I don't think they will. Teachers have seen this maneuver before."

Teachers in Oklahoma went on strike for nearly two weeks after turning down their governor and Legislature's promise of raises. They pushed for more funding for students, as well.

Thomas called Ducey's press conference "political theater, to use the governor's own words," and called his plan "a Hail Mary."

RELATED: Charter school educators find their footing in #RedForEd movement

Ralph Quintana, a Glendale teacher and president of the Arizona Federation of Teachers, said Ducey’s proposal was "a start in the right direction."

But, he added, "I don't think it's going to be enough. I think he is putting on a Band-Aid, and this isn't going to help teachers leaving."

State's largest school district weighs in

Michael Cowan, superintendent of Mesa Public Schools, said he was "pleased" that the governor addressed compensation and district additional assistance money, but that Mesa is still "wrestling" with minimum wage increases in paying its support staff.

Ducey in his initial budget proposal in January, and again Thursday, proposed an additional $100 million next school year for district and charter additional assistance, which schools can use for capital costs like buses, maintenance, technology and books.

"I just appreciate his responsiveness to our teachers, that he was receptive to us, and that he has presented what I think is a strong viable option for the state of Arizona to improve education," Cowan said.

RELATED: Mesa, Tucson school boards publicly support #RedForEd movement

Ben Smith, the president of Mesa's governing board, said he doesn't believe Ducey's proposal is good enough because it did not mention classified employees.

"We need to be able to hire and retain bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitors and techs," he said in a text message. "These are all critical to a student’s success and Gov. Ducey never even mentioned them."

Joshua Buckley, president of the Mesa Education Association, said the state's largest school district is struggling with more than just teacher pay issues.

About 30 percent of classified staff are being paid minimum wage, Buckley said, making it potentially difficult for the district to retain them.

"I want to make sure all the needs of schools are being taken care of in this proposal," Buckley said.

Buckley thinks the #RedForEd movement — which the Mesa school board publicly supports — may have helped push Ducey to propose the raise.

RELATED: In Tempe, teachers use their outside voices to speak up for kids, schools

"My hope is that the collective power of teachers across the state gave the governor some pause," he said. "I think we shocked the system with what we did on Wednesday morning across the state and what we’ve been doing for weeks."

But the union rep for the district of 64,000 students is still skeptical. And he said he worries that a ten percent raise for just teachers could create an "ugly" situation where support staff are left in the dust.

"There's a part of me that suspects, what's the catch," Buckley said.

Advocates express support for plan

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas said she was "pleased to see leadership at the Capitol" address teacher pay.

"I have long been an advocate that Arizona teachers receive substantial salary increases," Douglas said in a statement.

"I am confident that the Governor and the Legislature will reach a positive outcome for teachers and Arizonans. I would be happy to support those efforts in any way that I can."

Christine Thompson, president and CEO of the Expect More Arizona nonprofit, called Ducey's proposal "a good step forward."

"As we consider his plan, we still need a long-term funding solution that supports the entire education continuum," Thompson said.

RELATED: Creative #RedforEd signs spotted during Wednesday's Arizona walk-ins

Mark Joraanstad, executive director of Arizona School Administrators, said he hoped the governor's proposal is enough to prevent teachers from walking out.

"We're hoping Arizona teachers will be encouraged by this plan and that they will consider this a strong step toward improving teacher pay. And it did not come at the expense of depriving districts of much-needed capital funding."

Joraanstad said Ducey's proposal addresses two of the educators’ five demands: teacher pay and restoring funding cuts made during the recession.

"This proposal does both of those things, so we hope they will consider that as they weigh the necessity of walking out to be heard," Joraanstad said.

READ MORE:

Gov. Doug Ducey has spent $29M to make state government more efficient

$5,000 reward for information on fatal Phoenix hit and run

National Guard will be at border by Friday, but won't be armed