Putting a Price on School Service

ESPs Contribute More to School Districts Than Privateers 

By Dave Arnold

Someone once said that a union can be defined in one word: "more." If that's true, then when unions are involved, school boards can be described in two words: "pay less."

It's true that Association bargaining teams usually ask for more benefits, more sick leave, or more money. Rising medical and living costs dictate as much. Negotiators ask for more out of necessity, not greed.

School district officials are inclined to pay less because of shrinking education budgets, increasing overhead and other costs. They too bargain out of necessity.

Unfortunately, instead of negotiating a solution that will serve students and the community, some trustees turn to privatization. 

Get What You Pay For

No one can blame district administrators for seeking cheap labor. But when you get down to it, you get what you pay for.

Most education support professionals (ESPs) are not only trained and certified at what they do, they often live and vote in the school district where they work. They have a vested interest in keeping the school clean, safe and prosperous. ESPs often know the students and their parents not only from school, but also from the community. They are sometimes their neighbors. Support staff and school families might shop at the same grocery store, belong to the same bank or attend services at the same place of worship.

ESPs are part of the school family. They volunteer at school functions, participate in extracurricular activities and sometimes tutor students after school. You can't put a price on all this.

Outsourced laborers will often work at one school one year, then another school the next. Their loyalty is to the company, not the school district. They punch a clock and go home.
 
Fighting Privatization
 
At a recent ESP conference, I attended a session concerning privatization. Participants were asked to construct an approach to combat privatization. We concluded that the best way to fight outsourcing is to defend yourself before it becomes an issue or threat. How?

Good public relations are key. If you don't have the public on your side then you can't stage a good defense against privatization. To build good PR you must work at it by taking action, such as:

• Identify your allies (parents, business owners and other like-minded citizens).
• Identify your foes (school trustees, the superintendent, administrators).
• Be visible (let people know that you live in the same school district where you work, vote, pay taxes).
• Conduct a school "open house" (an excellent time is during American Education Week in November).
• Show your worth (prove to your employer that you are active in school and the community).
• Work with teachers (ask them what you can do to help them get what they want from the school district).
• Alert the media (show reporters that you are active in school and community activities; and are trained, caring professionals).
• Evaluate your image (step back and look at the image you are projecting and the message you are sending).

They say that the best offense is a good defense. Local Associations must defend themselves before privatization becomes an offensive threat.

The National Education Association (NEA) offers extensive background information about privatization on its Web site. NEA has also produced a pamphlet titled, "Beat Privatization." You can get a copy by mailing a request to:

ESP Quality
National Education Association
1201 16th Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20036

To order by telephone call, (202) 822-7131. Or, fax a request to (202) 822-7624.

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(Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois. He can be contacted at dparnold@csuol.com.)

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NEA or its affiliates.