SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.,None — While the school district looks at ways to cut costs, teachers in Seminole County are looking for a raise.
The teachers union is asking for a 3 percent raise. WFTV compared that number to the raises that other districts give their teachers.
With a $20 million budget shortfall, Seminole County Public Schools is desperately looking for ways to cut spending, but at the same time, Seminole's Education Association is asking for a 3 percent pay raise for its teachers.
State legislators recently started requiring teachers to put 3 percent of their salaries into their pensions.
"Your average teacher who earns around $40,000 is now losing $1,200 of his or her pay in the course of a year and we feel that this is an opportunity to recoup some of this lost pay," said Tony Gentile of Seminole Uniserv.
If passed, this 3 percent raise would put the same amount of money back into teachers' pockets.
"I understand people need raises. I would like a raise too, but let's just be in line with what everyone is having to do right now," Seminole County parent Brooke Fehr said.
Within the last couple years, the districts in Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties gave their teachers a raise. All three were under 2 percent, but Seminole had the highest raise.
Gentile said the teachers should get a raise because "we continue to believe that the teachers provide at high levels for the students in this community."
And he said he believes they should be rewarded for that. As much as many parents want teachers to be rewarded, they know the budget crisis is a major problem.
"We are seeing budget cuts everywhere, and threats of cutting schools, I think we all need to tighten our belts," Fehr said.
District officials refused to comment for the story because they are in negotiations. The two parties will come to a compromise in the next few months or go to impasse.