By Len Feldman
Just moments after the executive board of the Sacramento City Teachers Association voted to send a newly negotiated contract to its 3,000 members for ratification Oct. 26, President Marcie Launey issued a statement urging members to not only approve the tentative agreement, but also redouble their efforts to elect a more supportive school board.
"The new tenor of the negotiations with the school district and this agreement are a tribute to our efforts and the superintendent's to achieve a better relationship for the benefit of our students," said Launey. "To continue this new mode of interaction on all issues requires nothing less than a new school board majority."
With contract negotiations out of the way, SCTA turned its full efforts to ousting four current school board members and electing four challengers — Ellyne Bell, Reggie Fair, Jerry Houseman and Miguel Navarrette. SCTA also worked for the re-election of one incumbent, Manny Hernandez.
"The most important thing voters can do is help us elect a new school board majority that has as its number one priority preparing our children for their future," said Launey. "We believe we have a sacred duty to our students and their parents to tell voters which school board candidates will help make our schools safe and productive places where children learn basic skills that will prepare them to succeed in the 21st century."
Ballots were still being counted at press time, but it appears that at least three SCTA candidates — Houseman, Navarrette and Hernandez — prevailed.
The tentative agreement marks a rapid and amiable conclusion to talks that in the past have often been heated and required state mediation, factfinding and nearly a strike to arrive at a settlement.
If ratified by SCTA members later this month in a mail ballot, the new three-year pact will provide teachers a 1.75 percent pay raise for 2004-05 and keep their health benefits intact. The agreement will also commit the teachers and the district to working cooperatively to achieve future cost savings and to finding solutions to a range of other fiscal and educational excellence questions.