Sunday, April 23, 2017
This Easter weekend I was able to spend time with my immediate and extended family. As in all family gatherings at the Mohips, our conversation shifted to education. My mom looked at me, as only a mother could, and said, “Krish, how are you supporting the teachers in Youngstown?” My mom was a kindergarten teacher in Chicago and my dad worked for the local college. My father led their union for many years; my mom was always active in the union as well. As I talked about the restructuring of central office, the new Code of Conduct, the accountability structures we now have, and the professional development we are rolling out this year, she asked specifically about salaries. I explained that the teachers are amongst the lowest paid in the area despite having the most challenging jobs. I noted that they have new facilities to work in and more resources than any other district I’ve ever seen. My explanation did not carry water with my parents. They began to lecture me on the worth of a teacher and how they should be the highest paid and most respected people in the region.
I am a CEO who is pro-public education. I was a kindergarten teacher, an assistant principal and a principal. Not only did I lead one of the largest transformation units in the nation, but I served as one of 18 executive cabinet members over the third largest school district in the country – members who were selected to make decisions affecting over 400,000 kids every day ... and I could not agree more with m y parents.
Pro-union house
I don’t go into details with my parents regarding the state law that governs Youngstown; essentially, they wouldn’t care. They want to know that I am supporting teachers and helping students learn. You can imagine how hard it is for my parents who are both educators, and who raised me in a pro-union house to understand that I want to raise salaries but it is the teachers’ own union that is unwilling to open the contract so that I may do so.
I defended the YEA as I always do. There is considerable fear with opening the contract. HB70 gives me authority and decision-making power that is not typical for a district leader. Despite this overwhelming power, I have chosen not to use it with teachers. I maintain the hope that we will work side-by-side as a district, and together, guided by my 10-year successful track record in turning around failing schools, create a positive learning and working environment for everyone. My ability to effect change will be strengthened in October with the release of the report card. I will be able to open the contract and make the necessary changes. However, October is too late. We will lose talented teachers to the surrounding areas where the salaries are higher and the conditions are less challenging. We need our compensation structure to be competitive now, not in the future. We need to raise salaries so we do not continue to lose more than 20 percent of our teaching staff each year. That level of turnover is simply unhealthy for our district and can be avoided.
Interestingly enough the union agrees – at least publicly. On Jan. 19, 2017, the vice president of the YEA was quoted saying, “Whether this team will warrant the high salaries that they are being paid remains to be seen. With that being said, it is the responsibility of this district’s teachers to implement the academic initiatives to benefit our children, yet we are one of the lowest-paid groups of educators in the county.” “It’s important to remember that this will make it difficult to attract new teachers to our district in the future.”
Again, I could not agree more.
I expect district leadership to serve as the change agents necessary to move our district forward. I encourage the YEA to do the same. I understand that there is fear in opening the contract, but the true fear is what happens if we fail under my leadership. I am modeling that courageous leadership that I expect by printing these words. I am concerned that I may be criticized for this column. But more important than my concern is what our children face when hundreds of teachers leave the district. If that happens, we all fail. We are better than that.
If we fail, it will be because the District is paralyzed by fear and too afraid to change. If we fail, it only makes the argument for charter education coming to Youngstown stronger.
Things will return to normal, but we need to succeed first, and that’s the only path worth walking. I must be able to do the things that I believe are needed to transform YCSD. The future of 5,300 students hangs in the balance – I will not wait.
Krish Mohip is the chief executive officer of the Youngstown City School District.